Heceta Head

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.  In 1888, the United States Lighthouse Service approved the building of the lighthouse, and the government bought 19 acres, out of the 164 acres previously purchased, for the lighthouse structures.

In 1892, a crew of 56 began construction of the light. 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 or five hours. Stones were brought from the Clackamas River and bricks came from San Francisco. The lens system was made by Chance Brothers. Completed in August 1893, the entire project cost $80,000 and consisted of:

• The Lighthouse and attached Workshop
• 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 the 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 and was very similar in size and design to the remaining house. Due to electrification, the head lighthouse keeper was no longer needed, and the house was bought for $10 and dismantled for its lumber, which was used to build Alpha Bit bookstore-cafe in Mapleton, Oregon,  still standing today. 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 in 1970 by the U.S. Forest Service, which had taken over management of the building. The porch of the Queen Anne-style house underwent restoration in 1981.

The Heceta Head Lighthouse 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 so that the lighthouse could 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 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. It was open again after two years on June 8, 2013, when the OPRD welcomed a group of nearly 100 supporters to Heceta Head State Scenic Viewpoint to celebrate the reopening.

Atop 1,000-foot-high Heceta Head, Heceta Head Lighthouse is one of the most photographed places in the world. The light atop the 56-foot tower was first illuminated in 1894. Its automated beacon, seen 21 miles from land, is rated as the strongest light on the Oregon coast.

Surrounded by a state campground to the north, and a state park to the south, the lighthouse can be seen from Highway 101, or up close and personal if you are willing to take a bit of a hike.

A sister lighthouse to the Umpqua River Lighthouse, the two have many similarities – they were created using the same plans – but they do have one distinct difference. The lens in the Umpqua River Lighthouse and all other lighthouses in Oregon come from France. Heceta (pronounced Heh-cee-ta) Head’s lens was made in England by Chance Brothers.

Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast

Built in 1893, the assistant lightkeeper’s house is one of the last remaining on the Pacific Coast. Visitors can book a room with ocean views and imagine the life of a lightkeeper. The inn is operated by a concessionaire of the U.S. Forest Service. For reservations, call 866-547-3696 or go to hecetalighthouse.com.