1873: A Record-Breaking Lighthouse in Oregon is First Illuminated

August 20, 1873

A lighthouse built at Yaquina Head on the Oregon coast first went into service. (Yaquina Head is a headland extending into the Pacific Ocean, and it is situated just north of the city of Newport.) Fayette Crosby was this lighthouse’s first head keeper. His previous assignments included serving at the Umpqua River Lighthouse and Cape Arago Lighthouse, both of which are likewise located along the shoreline of the Beaver State. Crosby served at the Yaquina Head Light until 1875.

Measuring 93 feet (28 meters) in height, the Yaquina Head Light is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon. When it was built, this lighthouse was fitted with a French-made, 1^st order, Fixed Fresnel lens. That light remains in use there today, and it can be seen by mariners who are as far away as 19 miles (31 kilometers) out at sea.

In 1993, the Yaquina Head Light was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This lighthouse’s other claims to fame have included appearances in the 1970s TV series The Nancy Drew Mysteries and the 2002 suspense thriller movie The Ring.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

For more information on the Yaquina Head Light, please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaquina_Head_Light and https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=133