Featured Destination Story
Umpqua River Lighthouse
Located at the mouth of Winchester Bay, the first Umpqua River Light was built in 1855 and lit two years later. Built along the river channel, the original light was vulnerable to seasonal flooding. This led to yearly erosion of the sand embankment of the light. In October 1863, the building's foundations had become too unstable, causing the structure to collapse. In 1888, Congress approved of a construction of a new light.
The new light was first lit in 1894, at the same time as Heceta Head Light, both lights were virtually identical. The new Umpqua River Light was built 100 feet above the river, safe from flooding, and was partly due to the Lighthouse Board's insistence that ships be able to plot a course based on visible lighthouses. The original light was not visible at sea but the new light used a clockwork mechanism to rotate its Fresnel lens, which became automated in 1966. The rotation mechanism served in the light for 89 years before it finally broke down.
Read more about Umpqua River Lighthouse
