Cape Blanco Lighthouse
Cape Blanco Light is a lighthouse located on Cape Blanco, Oregon, United States in Cape Blanco State Park. Cape Blanco Lighthouse is the oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon coast.
Cape Blanco was named in 1603 by the Spanish explorer Martin D’Aguilar because of the chalky appearance of the headland. The park land was purchased from the Joseph N. Hughes Estate in 1971. At the westernmost tip of the cape is a U. S. Coast Guard lighthouse reservation including an 1870 lighthouse. The headland is 245 feet above the sea and the light is visible for 22 miles at sea. Because of many past shipwrecks at this point, a powerful radio beacon for navigators was placed at Cape Blanco. The park land historically was settled by Patrick Hughes, a native of Ireland, who came to the place in 1860 and developed an extensive dairy farm, which spread into bottom land along the Sixes River on the north side of the cape. The spacious house that Hughes built for his large family overlooking the Sixes estuary in 1898 is all that remains of the ranch complex.
What to Photograph
Cape Blanco Lighthouse
Built in 1870, Cape Blanco Lighthouse is the oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon coast. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, tours cost $2 for adults (free for youth 15 and younger). Tours: April-Oct. 31, Wednesday – Monday, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Last tour ticket sold at 3:15 p.m. Gates close at 3:30 p.m. (Closed Tuesdays)
Historic Hughes House
Constructed in 1898 for ranchers Patrick and Jane Hughes, the 3,000-square foot farmhouse retains its Victorian charm. Tour the home to learn about early 20th century farm life from knowledgeable volunteers. Tours are free; donations help fund restoration and maintenance of the home. Tours: May 1-Oct. 31, Wednesday-Monday, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Closed Tuesdays).
Both sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and supported by the Cape Blanco Heritage Society in cooperation with Oregon State Parks.
Where it is:
From Highway 101, 4.5 miles north of Port Orford or 26 miles south of Bandon and just south of Sixes, Oregon, turn west on Cape Blanco Road. Follow the road past historic Hughes House to the very end.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
42°50’12.228″ N 124°33’50.082″ W
Hours:
Lighthouse grounds are open only during tour hours.
Tour Hours:
10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed Tuesday’s.
Last tickets for lens room tour are sold at 3:15 p.m.
Cost:
Tour Admission:
$2.00 per adult 16 or older
Free for 15 and under
Location Contact Information:
Cape Blanco Heritage Society
PO Box 1132
Port Orford, OR 97465
By telephone
541-332-0521 – Cape Blanco Heritage Society Office & Port Orford Lifeboat Station Museum
541-332-2207 – Cape Blanco Light Station Visitor Center
541-332-0248 – Hughes House
By email
For questions, comments, to become a volunteer, or request for off-season tours, send us an email at:
Info@CapeBlancoHeritageSociety.com
For Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Humbug office call 541-332-6774
Cape Blanco Lighthouse Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Oregon:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
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