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Yaquina Head
Lighthouse
(August 20, 1873)
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 Yaquina Head
Lighthouse is one of
the most popular lighthouses in the United States. There are hundreds
of thousands of guests that visit every year. The
tower is the tallest on the Oregon Coast - soaring 93
feet in the air. This lighthouse is the only Oregon Lighthouse
with a marble floor. It stands 162 feet above sea level,
and can be seen from ocean vessels as far away as 19 miles.
I was told this by one of the kind volunteers at this
lighthouse. He added that it can be seen "no
further, thanks to the curvature of the earth."
There has been much talk in the past that this lighthouse was
supposed to have originally been constructed on Otter Crest
(ten miles north of Newport). However, this rumor was
found to be a misconception.
During
construction, two different boats met their doom on Yaquina
Head's shores trying to deliver supplies. After much
labor, the lighthouse was lit on August 20, 1873. There
was a large dwelling built for the three keepers that manned
this lighthouse station. Because of this lighthouses
proximity on the coast, there were a number of storms and high
winds that caused surface damage to the tower and the keeper's
dwellings. Fences were built to ward off rocks and other
debris from destroying the property. However, this
didn't stop the tower from being struck by lightning in
October of 1920. Luckily, through the years, the
lightening and severe storms haven't really hurt this
lighthouse. In fact, to this very day the structure of
the lighthouse is within one inch of being perfectly straight.
If
you would like a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the
surrounding area, be prepared to walk circles up a number of
lighthouse stairs! Also, it is worth the time to talk
with the volunteers at this lighthouse; they are all very nice
and have a number of interesting stories and facts to offer.
At the top of this lighthouse you will get a good view of the
lens that magnifies a blinking 1000 watt light bulb. You
can sneak a peak at Yaquina Head's lens at the bottom of this
page.
 This
is a very popular tourist area. Yaquina Head Lighthouse
is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.
Make sure to visit the Interpretive Center and bring your
camera because you will be taking a lot of pictures. There is a $5 fee per
vehicle.
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* Yaquina Head Lighthouse volunteers
* Nelson, Sharlene & Ted. Umbrella Guide to Oregon
Lighthouses.
Epicenter Press Inc. 1994.
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