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Located just north of Newport, Oregon on the westernmost point of a basaltic headland that juts out into the Pacific Ocean is Yaquina Head Lighthouse. It is Oregon’s tallest light and sits within the 95 acres of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in conjunction with Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses.
Construction started on the lighthouse in 1871 and the fixed white light from the Barbier and Fenestre first order Fresnel lens was first exhibited on August 20, 1873. While the illuminant has changed several times over the past century and a half as technology advanced, the original lens is still in place and its light can still be seen 19 nautical miles out to sea.
The lighthouse is open for ranger-led tours which last approximately 45 minutes and give a wealth of information about various topics including lighthouse technology, the duties of a keeper, and the history of the light. The tour culminates with an opportunity to climb the 114 steps to the top to see the majestic lens and accompanying view from the lantern.
The tours are interpreted through the eyes of the lighthouse keeper and his wife, and rangers are dressed for the part in 1885 costume. The guides give a first-person characterization of their roles and what life was like for a keeper and his family at the Yaquina Head station during that time through the use of props, photos, log entries and journals.
The post-Civil War era through the 1880s was of prime importance in Oregon history. Commerce was king and the newly formed frontier was expanding its transportation network to allow for such commodities as grain, lumber, fish, and coal to be sent abroad, both by ship and by rail.
The construction of multiple lighthouses along the Oregon coast meant that ships could travel safely at night and increase their speed and overall transport capacity from port to port. The string of lighthouses provided coverage with no gaps from Port Orford in the south all the way to the entrance of the Columbia River in the north. There were also range lights and river lights which marked the location of dangerous bars and the best approach for safe passage at the entrances to rivers that had previously claimed the lives of many mariners.
Lighthouses with 1st order lenses, such as those located at Tillamook Rock, Cape Meares, Yaquina Head, Heceta Head, and Cape Blanco, marked the main shipping route along the coast. Lighthouses with smaller order lenses, such as those at Point Adams, Yaquina Bay, Umpqua River, Cape Arago, and Coquille River, marked the entrance to rivers and harbors and often had railroad connections.
The lighthouse tour emphasizes the role that Yaquina Head Lighthouse played in providing the necessary protection and navigational aid for such increased industry passing through the greater Newport area. There is also mention of its connection to neighboring Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, constructed in 1871 and only in use for 3 years before Yaquina Head was built and became the only operational light marking the entrance to the Bay.
Beyond discussion of the lighthouse and its role, the tour helps visitors understand what a keeper experienced in daily life. There are replica oil butts and a brass oil can and funnel located in the oil room where information is given about the types of oil used, how a keeper would service the lamps, and what cleaning was required. A photo of the lighthouse service tender Shubrick is shown when talking about how supplies were delivered.
In the work room, there is sample paperwork on the writing desk to demonstrate what records a keeper filled out and what types of communications were sent to the district: daily logbooks, expense records, supply ledgers, and even a copy of the subsequent inspection report after a surprise visit by the district inspector.
There is also a replica portable library to show how reading materials were circulated and some hand tools that a keeper would use to make small repairs. A trunk containing children’s games leads to a discussion of family pastimes, and the tour also talks about the grounds and gardens that were maintained to provide produce for the families.
Inside the tower, improved lighthouse construction techniques are pointed out, and in the watch room, diagrams teach the principals of how a Fresnel lens operates, which all leads to the final wondrous moment of gazing at the beautiful first order lens. By the time the tour is over, visitors have a great sense of the overall picture of what a lighthouse is all about.
But that isn’t all.
An accompanying visit to the interpretive center nearby adds even more knowledge and instruction through its first-class exhibits. The entrance wall area coming into the main gallery has enlarged postcards and photos showing historical images of the lighthouse.
There is a walk-through small theater on the opposite side that plays a continuous video on the history of the lighthouse with a lot more visual information shown. The main showpiece of the gallery is a replica of the first-order lens that flashes Yaquina Head Lighthouse’s signature of two sets of flashes every 20 seconds. On the backside of the lantern, there are two monitors giving more details about the light plus a huge display showing how light beams are collimated from the lamp through the lens.
On one side of the gallery is a keeper’s office with a flip book containing logbook entries from the 1880s, a display cabinet with memorabilia, and another flipbook showing photos and giving details on Yaquina Head keepers. Wall boards and signage discuss topics of the lighthouse as a sentinel of security, lighthouse keeping during wartime, keepers’ duties, and light through prisms which accompanies a hands-on display of how a Fresnel lens works.
There are also two-foot models of a ship and the lighthouse, maps, tools, and exhibits on architectural details and designs incorporated into the construction of station buildings. One wall is a panorama photo that informs visitors about the challenges encountered while building the lighthouse, and another wall board displays some information about the automation of the lighthouse in modern times.
On some days, a costumed interpretive program is presented where a table is draped with a 19th century District 13 map showing the locations of all the lighthouses along the Oregon coast in order to talk about their importance and role in Oregon history.
A visit to Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Interpretive Center is truly an immersive lighthouse experience and will take several hours to see everything that is offered. There are more space and resources devoted to lighthouse-related topics in these exceptional displays and interpretive material than any at other museum in the Pacific Northwest. It is well worth the effort to see this well-named Outstanding Area at Yaquina Head, Oregon. For more information, see www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/yaquina
This story appeared in the
Jan/Feb 2020 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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