Yaquina Bay Light
Encyclopedia
The Yaquina Bay Light is a lighthouse
built in 1871—soon after the founding of the city of Newport
, Oregon
, United States
. It is located on the north side of Yaquina Bay
, the most populated port between Puget Sound
and San Francisco at the time.
in 1873, located three miles north of Yaquina Bay. The bay lighthouse was decommissioned on October 1, 1874 because the Yaquina Head Light made it obsolete. The fifth order Fresnel lens was moved to the Yerba Buena Light
for its opening in 1875.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
used the lighthouse from 1888 to 1896 as a living quarters while it built the North and South Jetties at the mouth of Yaquina Bay. The United States Coast Guard
later used the lighthouse as lookout and living quarters from 1906 to 1915, before moving to their more central quarters just above the busy Newport bayfront. During this period, the Coast Guard also built the eight-story steel observation tower that continues to stand next to the original lighthouse.
In 1934, the Oregon State Highway Division
bought the property around the lighthouse for a state park. The park site included the lighthouse, coast guard observation tower, and acres of forested bluff, ocean dunes and beaches.
In 1946, the lighthouse was scheduled for demolition which led to the Lincoln County
Historical Society being formed to save the lighthouse. They raised money for three years, but were unable to save it. By 1951, demolition was again scheduled. Recently moved from Ohio, L. E. Warford arranged for it to be recognized as a historical site supervised by the historical society. It served as a county museum for eighteen years.
It was listed by the National Register of Historic Places
in 1970
and restored under the Historic Preservation Act
in 1974 at which time ownership was transferred to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
.
On December 7, 1996, the light was re-lit, using a 250mm modern optic on loan from lighthouse historian James A. Gibbs
. The light is an official U.S. Coast Guard aid which is privately maintained. It displays a fixed white light visible for six miles. It is open for public viewing.
The Yaquina Bay structure is the only existing lighthouse in the state in which the living quarters are housed in the same building as the light. Only a few of this type were built on the entire Pacific Coast
.
The building is reputed to be haunted.
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....
built in 1871—soon after the founding of the city of Newport
Newport, Oregon
Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on the north side of Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay is a small bay partially within Newport, Oregon, United States, located where the Yaquina River flows into the Pacific Ocean. It is traversed by the Yaquina Bay Bridge. The bay's area is about 8 km² .-See also:...
, the most populated port between Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
and San Francisco at the time.
History
The Yaquina Bay Light was built by Ben Simpson and first lit on November 3, 1871. It was active for only three years due to the establishment of the Yaquina Head LightYaquina Head Light
The Yaquina Head Light, also known early in its existence as the Cape Foulweather Lighthouse, is a lighthouse on the Oregon Coast of the United States. It is located in Lincoln County, near the mouth of the Yaquina River near Newport at Yaquina Head. The tower stands tall, and is the tallest...
in 1873, located three miles north of Yaquina Bay. The bay lighthouse was decommissioned on October 1, 1874 because the Yaquina Head Light made it obsolete. The fifth order Fresnel lens was moved to the Yerba Buena Light
Yerba Buena Light
Yerba Buena Lighthouse is a lighthouse in California,United States, in the San Francisco Bay on Yerba Buena Island, California-History:The island’s lighthouse connection began in 1873 when the Lighthouse Service moved the district's depot from Mare Island to the southeast side of Yerba Buena Island...
for its opening in 1875.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
used the lighthouse from 1888 to 1896 as a living quarters while it built the North and South Jetties at the mouth of Yaquina Bay. The United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
later used the lighthouse as lookout and living quarters from 1906 to 1915, before moving to their more central quarters just above the busy Newport bayfront. During this period, the Coast Guard also built the eight-story steel observation tower that continues to stand next to the original lighthouse.
In 1934, the Oregon State Highway Division
Oregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
bought the property around the lighthouse for a state park. The park site included the lighthouse, coast guard observation tower, and acres of forested bluff, ocean dunes and beaches.
In 1946, the lighthouse was scheduled for demolition which led to the Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge*Siuslaw National Forest -Demographics:...
Historical Society being formed to save the lighthouse. They raised money for three years, but were unable to save it. By 1951, demolition was again scheduled. Recently moved from Ohio, L. E. Warford arranged for it to be recognized as a historical site supervised by the historical society. It served as a county museum for eighteen years.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1970
and restored under the Historic Preservation Act
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
The National Historic Preservation Act is legislation intended to preserve historical and archaeological sites in the United States of America...
in 1974 at which time ownership was transferred to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department , officially known as the State Parks and Recreation Department, is the government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon which operates its system of state parks...
.
On December 7, 1996, the light was re-lit, using a 250mm modern optic on loan from lighthouse historian James A. Gibbs
James A. Gibbs
James A. Gibbs was an author and lighthouse keeper.He was one of the lighthouse keepers at Tillamook Rock Light for a year beginning in 1945. in 1948 Gibbs was one of the five founders of the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society....
. The light is an official U.S. Coast Guard aid which is privately maintained. It displays a fixed white light visible for six miles. It is open for public viewing.
The Yaquina Bay structure is the only existing lighthouse in the state in which the living quarters are housed in the same building as the light. Only a few of this type were built on the entire 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...
.
The building is reputed to be haunted.