Cape Blanco Lighthouse

We discovered there are eleven lighthouses in Oregon and we decided we wanted to see them all. 

There are nine original lighthouses on the rugged Oregon coast, seven are open to the public and two are privately built, still certified by the US Coast Guard as lighthouses, however they are not open to the public. 

Leaving Henry at home for a rest day, Kim and I set off like a couple of intrepid explorers in search of lighthouses.

The first on our lighthouse list was Cape Blanco Lighthouse, a 19th century lighthouse perched on top of a tall peninsula with 200 foot cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the western most tippy tip of Oregon. It was named Cape Blanco, or white cape, by Spanish navigators in the early 17th century due to the appearance of the chalky white cliffs hugging the headland and the surrounding bay.

As we approached on a long and winding road, about five miles off the US101 Highway, we found ourselves driving through more and more mist and the hope of actually seeing the lighthouse began to fade.

We parked on the headland and fortunately we caught glimpses of the lighthouse through the dense sea mist that was swirling around us, shapeshifting, offering hazy views one moment then shrouding the lighthouse in clouds of mist the next. It was eerie!

We wrapped up warm and then took the short 1/4 mile hike out to the lighthouse.

The closer we got to the lighthouse, the clearer we could see it and by the time we approached the base, the mist had dissipated and the sun was deciding on whether to make an appearance.

On the headland, as well as the lighthouse, we could now see the foundational remnants of other buildings as well as a large white farmhouse style building, still standing, that had been converted in to a gallery, gift shop and museum. Tours were not available that day, but the gentleman in the museum answered all our questions and gave us some valuable information about the history of the lighthouse.

We learned that Cape Blanco Lighthouse is the oldest, continuously operating lighthouse on the Oregon coast. It was first lit on December 20th, 1870. We learned the bricks for the lighthouse were made in kilns on site rather than being transported from San Francisco due to the remoteness of the location and to make the construction of the lighthouse more cost efficient. The rest of the materials needed for the construction were brought in by boat. The location was selected to warn passing vessels of the reefs off shore and to provide a position fix for navigators. The circular brick tower was built 59 feet high and housed a Fresnal lens that cast a white light out to sea for approximately 22 nautical miles, to the curvature of the earth. The lighthouse suffered many storms and gales over the years. Roofs of the surrounding outbuildings were lost many times due to its exposed position and extreme buffeting by the wind, but the lighthouse always stood sturdy and strong. 

We walked around the plain, whitewashed lighthouse and could walk almost to the edge of the grassy cliff tops where the gulls were screaming at us to stay back, stay safe. The sun finally came out to say hello as the last of the mist disappeared and we finally got to see the full impact of the elevation, magnificent 360 degree views from the vantage point of the 245 foot cliff top over the sandy beached bay to the north and the rugged rocky sea stack strewn coastline to the south. We could even see the gentle curve of the earth on the horizon. Wow!

Leaning in to the wind, we took a moment to breathe in the history of the incredible feat of engineering standing before us.

It reminded me of an Indian proverb...

“Blessed is he who plants trees under whose shade he will never sit.”

​In this case, it is not the shade that lasts for future generations, but light. Still shining and casting a protective, life-preserving light over the ocean before it, the lighthouse continues to save souls of whom the original architects and builders could never have dreamed.

​A blessing indeed.