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In 1871, work began on a new lighthouse at Cape Foulweather -
also known as Yaquina Head. The site was chosen despite
being a mere four miles north of the new lighthouse at
Yaquina Bay. There is
a popular misconception that the lighthouse was built
at the wrong location - one story states that the lighthouse
was built at its present location since supplies were
easier to unload. Another reason for the misconception is
that another location on the Oregon Coast (near Otter Crest)
was also known as Cape Foulweather.
Construction proved difficult. The building site was located on a high
cliff. Supplies arriving by sea had to be unloaded at a cove seventy
feet down and 2/3 mile from the site -
sometimes in heavy seas - and hauled up the cliff. Two small
boats were lost during construction. A larger vessel was damaged
while entering Yaquina Bay. The lighting of the
lamp was delayed due to problems transporting the lens crates from the
depot in Staten Island, NY.
The light was lit in 1873 by Fayette Crosby (who also first lit
Umpqua River). The station
consisted of a 93-foot tower and keeper's dwelling.
The lighthouse was built using designs from
Pigeon Point
in California, making it the tallest in Oregon. The station included
a two-family, two-story dwelling. A second dwelling was built in 1922.
There was no fog signal at the station. The powerful light made the
Yaquina Bay lighthouse redundant,
and that lighthouse
went dark in 1874.
The lighthouse's exposed position has left it in a constant
battle with the elements. Storms damaged the station many times, including
1879 and 1880. The tower was damaged by lightning strikes on at
least two occasions. In 1920, keeper Warren Auld, responding to a sudden
jolt in the tower, found much of the black paint on the handrail
had been seared away. In 1980, lightning knocked out the lighthouse's
electrical system. This time, the US Coast Guard responded to repair
the damage.
The lighthouse was popular with visitors - there were over 10,000 visitors
in 1924, and 14,196 in 1931. More permanent visitors arrived during World War
II, when a detachment of the Coast Guard was assigned to the station. During
the two world wars, lighthouse access was restricted. Another
group of servicemen - a signal corps squadron logging near the lighthouse -
was denied access during World War I since, according to the keeper,
"they are not on official business and it would be impractical to
make such distinctions in admitting visitors." (Nelson p. 50, Gibbs p. 151)
John Zenor served at Yaquina Head for 22 years - and 33 years in the
Lighthouse Service. He claimed that once he retired,
"he never wanted to set foot inside any lighthouse."
The station changed considerably during Zenor's tenure.
The light received electricity in 1933. The 1000-watt bulb was
replaced with a 500-watt bulb in 1939 when the light characteristic
was changed from fixed to flashing.
The station was reduced from a three-keeper station to two. The
original residence was torn down and replaced by Coast Guard structures in 1938.
In 1984, the remaining residences were removed.
The station was eventually automated and the lighthouse was no longer
accessible to the public. The light is still an active aid to navigation.
In 1993, the tower was turned over to the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM). The interior of the tower and oil house
underwent restoration in 2001. In 2003, the BLM received one million dollars to restore
the exterior. In December 2005, the tower was closed while the exterior
was restored. Cast-iron plates
were repaired, and the tower repainted its original black, white and gray.
A temporary beacon was placed atop the scaffolding. The light officially
reopened on July 1, 2006.
Today the tower is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural
Area. The area includes a visitor's center and several excellent
viewpoints for observing coastal wildlife.
Visitors can pick up an "I Survived the Climb" button at the
top to reward themselves for climbing the 114 steps (including the landings).
Oregon's Seacoast Lighthouses, Gibbs pp. 145-147, 151-152, 157
Umbrella Guide to Oregon Lighthouses, Nelson pp. 47-51
The Keeper's Log, Fall 2003, Summer 2005, Fall 2005
Lighthouse Digest, January/February 2006, March 2006
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