Built: August 20, 1873

Type: Conical brick tower attached to a 1 story brick oil house

Height: 93 feet

Status: Active

Location: Newport

Deactivated: 1966

Lens: First order Fresnel

Elevation: 162 feet

Keepers: Fayette crosby ( who also first lit umpqua river) / Wilson Ald / William Smith / John Zenor 1932-1954

Notes: Construction work began in the fall of 1871 but was often delayed due to the tempestuous Oregon winter. Boats bringing materials often had difficulty landing in a cove on the south side of the head. At least two boats were overturned in the surf losing their cargo.
The lighting of the first order Fresnel lens was delayed due to parts of the lantern somehow being lost in transit. Finally, after almost two years, the light shone for the first time on August 20, 1873.
The tallest lighthouse on the Oregon coast at 93 feet, it is a sibling to Pigeon Point Lighthouse, California and Bodie Island Lighthouse, North Carolina. The light shines 162 feet above the ocean and can be seen 19 miles out to sea.
A second dwelling was built in 1922. There was no fog signal at the station. The powerful light made the Yaquina Bay lighthouse redundant, and that lighthouse went dark in 1874.
The tower was damaged by lightning strikes on at least two occasions. In 1920, keeper Warren Auld, responding to a sudden jolt in the tower, found much of the black paint on the handrail had been seared away. In 1980, lightning knocked out the lighthouse's electrical system.
The light received electricity in 1933. The 1000-watt bulb was replaced with a 500-watt bulb in 1939 when the light characteristic was changed from fixed to flashing. The station was reduced from a three-keeper station to two. The original residence was torn down and replaced by Coast Guard structures in 1938. In 1984, the remaining residences were removed. The station was eventually automated and the lighthouse was no longer accessible to the public. The light is still an active aid to navigation.
Today the lighthouse is open to public.