Desdemona Sands Light
Encyclopedia
Desdemona Sands Light was a lighthouse
located on the Pacific coast
of the U.S. state
of Oregon
, at the mouth of the Columbia River
to aid navigation of the Columbia Bar
.
It was built in 1901
or 1902
as a replacement for Point Adams Light
. The Lightship Columbia
kept station about 5 miles offshore.
Its design by Carl Leick is identical to that of Semiahmoo Point Light
near Blaine, Washington, a -story dwelling built on a cluster of pilings in 12 feet (3.7 m) of water
with a rooftop tower housing the light and a fog signal.
It was one of the last U.S. wooden pile foundation lighthouses built.
A cistern system collected fresh water. Only the lightkeeper was present; there was a small boat to reach the mainland, where the keeper's family lived.
The light was electrified in 1934, eliminating the need for a keeper. It was removed and replaced after World War II by a minor aid on top of a pyramidal structure, which was replaced again in 1955. The light was removed in 1965.
Desdemona Sands is a group of shoals formerly named Chinook Sands. In 1857, the bark Desdemona ran aground here and was destroyed.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
located on the Pacific coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, at the mouth of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
to aid navigation of the Columbia Bar
Columbia Bar
The Columbia Bar is a system of bars and shoals at the mouth of the Columbia River spanning the US states of Oregon and Washington. The bar is about wide and long....
.
It was built in 1901
or 1902
as a replacement for Point Adams Light
Point Adams Light
Point Adams Light was a lighthouse near the mouth of the Columbia River on the Oregon Coast of the United States. It operated from February 15, 1875 until 1899, when it became obsolete by the extension of the south jetty and the establishment of the Lightship Columbia in 1892...
. The Lightship Columbia
Lightship Columbia
United States lightship Columbia is a lightship located in Astoria, Oregon, United States of America. The Columbia was formerly moored near the mouth of the Columbia River.-History:...
kept station about 5 miles offshore.
Its design by Carl Leick is identical to that of Semiahmoo Point Light
Semiahmoo Point Light
Semiahmoo Point Lighthouse was a lighthouse in Washington, United States, near the port of Blaine, Washington. It was replaced by various structures on the pile foundation.-History:...
near Blaine, Washington, a -story dwelling built on a cluster of pilings in 12 feet (3.7 m) of water
with a rooftop tower housing the light and a fog signal.
It was one of the last U.S. wooden pile foundation lighthouses built.
A cistern system collected fresh water. Only the lightkeeper was present; there was a small boat to reach the mainland, where the keeper's family lived.
The light was electrified in 1934, eliminating the need for a keeper. It was removed and replaced after World War II by a minor aid on top of a pyramidal structure, which was replaced again in 1955. The light was removed in 1965.
Desdemona Sands is a group of shoals formerly named Chinook Sands. In 1857, the bark Desdemona ran aground here and was destroyed.