Cape Blanco Lighthouse

Over two hundred feet above the sea, a visitor can see for miles in any direction. Cape Blanco is a spiritual place, particularly for Native Americans, whose ancestors date back thousands of years.

Beginning in 1602 with the earliest known explorers, Sebastian Vizcaino and Martin de Agulilar, through the construction of the lighthouse to warn of the hazardous offshore reef, to today's ships (which pass the Cape much farther out at sea) Cape Blanco has a rich maritime history.

Lighthouse construction began in 1867, with the original purchase of land from John D. and Mary West. Over the next three years, orders were placed and workers were hired, including a brickmaker to produce the bricks on-site. December 20, 1870, H.B. Burnap, head keeper, lit the lamp for the first time, sending forth Cape Blanco's original steady white light signal.

Under the direction of the United States Lighthouse Service, five more keepers followed Burnap, tending the light inside the massive first order Fresnel lens. James Langlois and James Hughes are the most "famous" of the keepers spending 43 and 38 years at the light, respectively. Langlois hired Marble Bretherton, who became Oregon's first official woman keeper. The last keeper, Walter Mabin, served under both the Lighthouse Service and the United States Coast Guard, which took over in 1939, just prior to his retirement in the early 40's.

Constructed to warn of danger, it could not prevent it. Several ships still wrecked for various reasons, including fog and winds blowing them off course. One notable wreck was that of the steamer J.A. Chanslor, colliding in thick fog with the offshore rocks on December 19, 1919. Twenty-six lives were lost.

Today, the beacon stands guard over Oregon's most westerly point of land, it's focal plane 256' above mean sea level, according to original records. Third light station to be constructed along the coast; Cape Blanco stands as the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in Oregon.

Thousands of visitors flock to the Cape each summer to experience the 64-step climb to the lanternroom, learn the cape's intriguing history and geology, experience the wind and watch for whales, which are often spotted between the offshore rocks. Bring your binoculars and spend an afternoon. Cape Blanco offers many other outdoor activities to fill your day: hiking, horseback riding, beachcombing and fishing are a few possibilities.

Cape Blanco Lighthouse is open to the public through a cooperating agreement between the United State Coast Guard, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department, Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and the Coquille Indians.

Lighthouse, Greeting Center & Gift Shop Hours: April through October, 10:00 - 3:30, Thursday through Monday.
Website: www.capeblanco.org