Heceta Head Light is a lighthouse on the Oregon Coast north of Florence, and south of Yachats in the United States. It is located at Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint, a state park, midway up a 205-foot-tall (62 m) headland. Built in 1894, the -tall lighthouse shines a beam visible for , making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast.

The light is maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). At the same time, the assistant lighthouse keepers' house, operated as a bed-and-breakfast inn, is maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. The lighthouse is from Sea Lion Caves.

History and construction

Heceta Head is named after the Spanish explorer Bruno de Heceta, who explored the Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century. Before him, Heceta Head was a spot of frequent fishing and hunting by the American Indian tribes that populated the area. Heceta Head is part of the Siuslaw traditional lands, known in their language as .Harrington, John Peabody. 1942. Alsea, Siuslaw, Coos, Southwestern Oregon Athapaskan Vocabularies, Linguistic Notes, Ethnographic and Historical Notes. JPH papers, Alaska/Northwest Coast, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; 24:232 They hunted sea lions in the area and gathered seabird eggs from the offshore rocks.Harrington, John Peabody. 1942. Alsea, Siuslaw, Coos, Southwestern Oregon Athapaskan Vocabularies, Linguistic Notes, Ethnographic and Historical Notes. JPH papers, Alaska/Northwest Coast, Nat'l Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; 23:318a It was also the site of a legend—the Animal People built a great stone wall, which is now the cliffs. They tricked the Grizzly Bear brothers to their deaths there.Jacobs, Melville. 1932-34. Coos notes. University of Washington, Seattle, WAFrachtenberg, Leo. 1913. Coos Texts. Columbia University, Contributions of Anthropology, No. 1, New York In 1888, white settlers moved into the area and claimed of the surrounding land. That same year, the United States Lighthouse Service approved construction of the lighthouse, and the government bought of the previously purchased for the lighthouse structures.

In 1892, a crew of 56 began construction on the site. Because of the site's seclusion, building materials were either shipped in, if the weather and tide permitted, or brought from Florence by wagon, the latter usually taking four to five hours. Stones were brought from the Clackamas River, and bricks came from San Francisco. The lens system was made by Chance Brothers and used a Fresnel lens that remained in use into the 21st century.

Completed in August 1893, the entire project cost $80,000 and consisted of: The lighthouse Houses for the head lightkeeper, the two assistant lightkeepers, and their families A barn Two kerosene oil storage buildings—if one had caught fire, there was a secondary source

Heceta Head Light and Keepers Quarters was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 for its architectural and engineering significance. The site originally included several other buildings—farm buildings and the single-family head lighthouse keeper's house, which was demolished in 1940. It was very similar in size and design to the remaining house. After electricity was installed in the lighthouse buildings, the position of head lighthouse keeper was no longer needed. The lighthouse keeper's house was sold for $10 and dismantled for its lumber, which was used to build Alpha Bit bookstore-cafe in Mapleton, which would still be there into the 21st century. The remaining keepers' house was a duplex that housed the first and second assistant lighthouse keepers and their families. After the light was automated in 1963, the last keepers moved away, and the remaining house was leased to Lane Community College by the U.S. Forest Service in 1970, which had taken over management of the building. The porch of the Queen Anne–style house underwent restoration in 1981.

The Heceta Head Lighthouse was closed to the public in August 2011 for restoration and repairs. Under the supervision of OPRD preservation architect Sue Licht, a team of more than 100 subcontractors and craftsmen, the majority of whom were from Oregon, removed cement stucco that had sealed in moisture, allowing the lighthouse to air out in the damp coastal environment. They also replaced and restored the tower's historic metalwork and masonry, installed new windows, and repaired the lens's rotating mechanism. The interior and exterior of the lighthouse were repainted, and the original wood floor of the workroom was uncovered and reconditioned. The lighthouse has been returned as much as possible to the way it would have looked in 1894. When restoration work was completed, it reopened on June 8, 2013, after being closed for 2 years. That day, the OPRD welcomed nearly 100 supporters to Heceta Head State Scenic Viewpoint to celebrate the reopening.

See also List of lighthouses in Oregon List of Oregon state parks

References

External links

Heceta Head Lighthouse Keeper’s House (official website) Heceta Head Light entry in National Park Service inventory of historic lighthouses Discover Oregon Lighthouses: Heceta "Ghostly Tale Draws Couple To Heceta Head", May 16, 2002 article from The Register-Guard Heceta House: A History and Architectural Survey from the U.S. Forest Service