Lighthouse of the month: Heceta Head Lighthouse
The Heceta Head lighthouse is considered a Class II Private, which means the Coast Guard no longer owns or operates the lighthouse. However, if a bulb were to go out, the Coast Guard must be notified because the lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation. Photo by Lou Sennick
Two white flashes welcome guests to the historic Heceta Head lighthouse in Florence.
The lighthouse was built in 1894 to guide sailors through the 120 miles of darkness and shallow water known as Heceta Banks.
What was originally home to lighthouse keepers is now a bed-and-breakfast guests can enjoy year round. With a fully automated first-order English Fresnel lens, a trail along the Oregon Coast connecting to Carl G. Washburne State Park, and natural caves and tide pools, Heceta Head offers an abundance of coastal history.
Named for explorer
Heceta Head bears the name of Spanish sailor Bruno Heceta, the first person to chart the waters between Cape Arago and Yaquina Head in 1775.
Construction of the lighthouse began in 1892 and was completed in 1894.
The roads, tunnels and bridges that bring guests to the lighthouse were built as an afterthought. Travelers and builders had to trek the beach for 10 miles and travel an additional two miles inland to Florence, where they would then reach the lighthouse.
The $80,000 project included a house for the keeper and family, duplex housing for the keeper’s assistants, a barn, and two kerosene-storage buildings.
Tours of the lighthouse vary throughout the year. For more information or to arrange a tour, call (541) 547-3416.
To reserve a room at the bed-and-breakfast, call 1-866-547-3696 between noon and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Home sold for scrap
The implementation of electric lights over kerosene lamps eliminated the need for three light keepers. The head keeper moved into the duplex with the assistant keeper, leaving the single house empty.
The home was sold for $10, then destroyed for scrap lumber.
The lighthouse’s guiding light is a revolving Fresnel lens made by Chance Brothers of England, one of three in the United States to be made by the Chance Brothers.
Lighthouse keepers had to wind the revolving lens every four hours to keep it going. The lens has eight panels comprised of 392 crown glass prisms that are 2 inches thick.
Rooms with views
The Queen Anne-style bed-and-breakfast attracts guests from across the country. The former home of the lighthouse keeper offers six unique bedrooms.
The Mariner I and II rooms overlook the Pacific Ocean and offer the sound of waves crashing over the rocks and dramatic sunsets, all from the comfort of bed. The light keeper’s room offers an exclusive view of the lighthouse.
Guests can experience the life of the lighthouse keepers in what is known as Victoria’s Room.
By Nia Towne
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