The Umpqua River Lighthouse opened in 1894 and is one of five still operating on the Scenic Oregon Coast. The lighthouse stands 100 feet above the Pacific Ocean and the tower is 65 feet tall.

The lighthouse is located at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park six miles south of Reedsport above the entrance to Winchester Bay.

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The Umpqua River was chosen as the site for Oregon’s first lighthouse when the Pacific coast was surveyed. The lighthouse was built in 1857 on the south side of the river. The problem was that they built the lighthouse on sand. After seven years and a few brutal storms it fell into the swollen water when the water eroded away the sand.

A new lighthouse was not approved until 1888. The current lighthouse was started in 1890 on a hill 100 feet above sea level. Because of the problems with building the lighthouse it took 4 years to complete. Local Native Americans hindered the early construction workers. They would steal the workers tools from the site. They apparently resented the workmen in their territory.

Relations got worse until finally the construction foreman set off a stick of dynamite. The Native Americans didn’t know what dynamite was and got scared and left. They never returned and stole any more tools.

There were problems with the building of the new Umpqua River Lighthouse. One contractor went bankrupt while performing the work.

When the lighthouse was finally near completion, the lens’ base was determined to be fifteen inches too short. The construction stopped until additional funds were allocated to correct the problem and complete the project. It was finally illuminated in 1894.

The light has operated almost continuously every since. The light was automated in the 1960’s and the surrounding grounds turned over to the state of Oregon. Most of the 110 acres are now the Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, overlooking the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. A nearby former Coast Guard building now houses a museum.

In 1983, the chariot mechanism that rotated the lens failed. The Coast Guard figured that it would be better to just replace the red and blue lens with a modern optic. Well the local uproar including some Oregon Senators caused the Coast Guard to reconsider. The mechanism was rebuilt and the Fresnet lens relit in 1985.

The Umpqua Lighthouse is the sister lighthouse to the one at Heceta Head just a few miles north of Florence. Both structures were built from the same plans.

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