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Our Mission: "To aid in the restoration and preservation of Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Head Lighthouses and surrounding areas, and to interpret their natural and cultural histories."
You may contact our executive director by email, or by phoning (541)574-3129, or by writing to our address below the next paragraph.
The Interpretive stores in Newport at the Yaquina Head Interpretive Center and Yaquina Bay Lighthouse are operated by Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, a non profit, 501.c.3 organization. Proceeds are returned to you as aid to the area's educational, interpretive, maintenance and operations programs. If you are interested in helping preserve these sites please ask about joining Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses. You may write or fax or phone in a membership application, or obtain one in person at either of the lighthouses during our open hours.. For your convenience you may view and print a membership application here. We now renew memberships on a 12 month basis.You will be able to obtain or renew your membership online when the online Interpretive web store becomes fully functional!
The Store Coordinator may be contacted at
thestore@yaquinalights.org
or directly at
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
PO Box 410
Newport OR 97365
541-574-3116
| One person | $20.00 |
| Two to four people | $10.00 each |
| Five to eight people | $5.00 each |
Please call (541)574-3129 to arrange your wedding or tour.
Please bookmark us or add us to your favorites and come back often as we develop this into a fully featured web site.
You are cordially invited to browse our site and we hope you enjoy the information about our lighthouses, the surrounding area, and related subjects.
We are extremely grateful to Don Lashier of NewportNet for his gracious hosting and help with the development of this site! Thanks, too, Don for successfully obtaining and hosting our new domain name, yaquinalights.org
Mike Rivers,
webmaster for this site
Park Interpreter
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Historic Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center
PO Box 693
Waldport Oregon 97394
541-563-2002
fax 541-563-6086
email mike.rivers@state.or.us
Yaquina Head
Schedule
Fees
Pacific Coast Passport
Photo Gallery
Literature
BLM page
Have you ever climbed the stairs of a lighthouse? Wondered what it was like to be a lighthouse keeper? Viewed a working lens? We invite you to visit Yaquina Head Lighthouse, where these questions and more will be answered, as you tour this historic structure.
The 93 foot tower, Oregon's tallest, is located on a narrow point of land jutting due west into the Pacific Ocean north of Newport, at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. Winds and rain have buffeted this lighthouse since its beginning in 1872. It took approximately one year, and over 370,000 bricks to construct Oregon's tallest lighthouse.
The light has been active since Head Keeper Fayette Crosby walked up the 114 steps, to light the wicks on the evening of August 20, 1873. At that time the oil burning fixed white light was displayed from sunset to sunrise. Today, the fully automated first order Fresnel lens runs on commercial power and flashes its unique pattern of 2 seconds on, 2 seconds off, 2 seconds on, 14 seconds off, 24 hours a day. The oil burning wicks have been replaced with a 1000 watt globe that according to the US Coast Guard, keepers of the aid to navigation, generates over 130,000 candlepower.
The nightly vigil of watching the light is gone as are the resident keepers and their quarters, but the staff of the Bureau of Land Management, who are now responsible for the tower, guide you through the lighthouse with tales of yesteryear.
Schedule The lighthouse is open daily (weather permitting). For tour times please call the Bureau of Land Management at (541) 574- 3100, Monday thru Friday.
The Interpretive Store and the Interpretive Center are now on Winter Hours daily from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M. (Summer Hours, Memorial Day to labor Day, are 10 A.M. until 5 P.M). The Interpretive Store may be reached at (541) 574-3116.
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is the home of "Quarry Cove." This former rock quarry is now converted to a man-made system of living tidepools. It is accessible to all by a series of concrete pathways navigable by wheelchair! Consult a local tide table to plan your visit to coincide with low tide so you may enjoy this world class, unique feature!
In May of 1997 a new interpretive center was opened at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. The center features exhibits related to many features of the area and a well stocked interpretive store. Proceeds from store sales directly benefits Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, as they are used for lighthouse interpretation and maintenance. We hope to offer online shopping from this site soon!
Fees Entrance fees are charged at Yaquina Head Outstanding Area. Fees are $5 per car, which includes a three day pass. An annual pass may be purchased for $10, or you may obtain one with membership to Yaquina Lighthouses, Inc. Members of Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses may enter free.
Pacific Coast Passport A new type of annual pass called the Pacific Coast Passport has just been offered that will allow access to a variety of Oregon coast locations. They are also available at the entrance booth or the interpretive center for $35 a year or a 5 day passport for $10.
Continue your unique lighthouse visit by traveling five miles south to the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. Yaquina Bay also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is believed to be the oldest remaining structure in Newport.
Schedule
Entrance by donation
Tour fees
Weddings
Literature
Garden 2001
State Parks
page
A piece of Oregon history sits atop a bluff at the mouth of the Yaquina River. It is the Historic Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, built in 1871 and decommissioned in 1874. It was officially restored as a privately maintained aid to navigation on December 7, 1996.
It is believed to be the oldest structure in Newport. It is also the only existing Oregon lighthouse with the living quarters attached, and the only historic wooden Oregon lighthouse still standing. The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse has been restored as a working lighthouse and an aid to navigation by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, with the help of many people and agencies, including Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses The official relighting ceremony with the US Coast Guard took place on December 7, 1996. The light shines with a steady white light from dusk to dawn (and sometimes on dark days, because it is controlled by a photocell.) The light is 161 feet above sea level.
The Lighthouse is open to the public every day except for holidays such as Christmas, New Years, and Thanksgiving. The hours during the summer, Memorial Day weekend through the end of September, are 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and during the months of October to Memorial Day, the hours are 12:00 noon until 4:00 P.M.. Entrance is free by donation. We are accessible via paved trails and a walkway that lead to the top of the hill within the Yaquina Bay State Park, at the north end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Access-compromised visitor groups are encouraged to use the large parking lot at the back of the lighthouse (entrance at SW Government and 9th Streets).
Inside the lighthouse, two flights of stairs lead to the watch room. The lantern room is not open to the public. The basement is open to the public and features a video about the lighthouse. Our Interpretive Store offers many new and exciting educational items about lighthouses and the surrounding coastal habitat. Interesting places to visit within walking or short driving distance include the Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon Coast Aquarium, and the US Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay.
You might also consider a trip to the north end of Newport to our other lighthouse site, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. There you may tour the Oregon coast's tallest lighthouse and visit natural tide pools, the world's first man-made universally accessible tide pools, and the recently opened Interpretive Center and Store. See the Yaquina Head page for more details.
We are pleased to announce that we are making the lighthouse available for private tours. We also welcome school groups, scout troops, or any organization.
School Groups, Scout Troops, Senior Tours:
For school groups, scout troops: One adult
required per ten students. 50¢ per person.
All others: $10.00 administration fee required,
payable in advance plus $1.00 per person. The administration fee is
non-refundable, but will be applied to the per person charge "Payable upon
Arrival".
The fee for weddings is $150.00 There can be no more than 20 participants in the parlor. There can be as many "as will fit" on the side lawn of the lighthouse. Our wedding coordinator is our Executive Director.
Private Tours ( one hour maximum):
One person ($20.00), Two to Four Persons ($10.00 each), Five to Eight Persons ($5.00 each). Private tours take place outside of normal operating hours. Please call for schedule.
Please call (541)574-3129 to arrange your tour.
PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO:
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses
Lighthouse Photo Contest
For Immediate
Release
October 1,
2002
Contact:
Jane Maines,
Executive Director
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses
PO Box 410
Newport OR
97365
541 574-3129
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses received 44 entries in the second annual Lighthouse Photo Contest.
Last year, in
the 1st
Annual Lighthouse Photo Contest, we received nine entries.
The photos
have been on display at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, in the lobby
of the
Interpretive
Center, throughout the summer.
The winners
were: Best of Show, Anne Williams of Duluth, Minnesota; 1st Place, Color,
Adult
Division
was Glenn Forrest of Newport; 1st Place Monochrome, Adult Division went to
Edward
Gervais of
Florence. In the Youth Division, 1st Place, Color Print, went to Morrisa Clark
of
Newport,
and Destiny Rachal of Mustang, Oklahoma, won 1st Place, Monochrome.
The winners received gift certificates to the Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses Interpretive
Stores as follows: Best
of Show,
$100 Gift Certificate, Best Black and White Print, $50 Gift Certificate, Best
Color Print,
$50 Gift
Certificate.
Entries
in the 3rd Annual Lighthouse Photo Contest will be accepted beginning July
1, 2003. For the
complete
rules and entry information, please call Jane Maines at 574-3129.
Snap a picture of one of Oregon's beautiful lighthouses and get it to us by August 31st !
You could
win up to $100 in Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses
3rd
ANNUAL AMATEUR
LIGHTHOUSE
PHOTO CONTEST
The contest
began July 1st.
Winners will
be announced September 30th.
These
are the rules:
Amateur photographers
only.
Photos only
of the Oregon lighthouses (there are 9).
Prints must
be matted. No frames or glass accepted.
Minimum photo
size, 5" by 7" on a 6" by 9" mat or larger, up to 16" by 20" overall.
Your name,
address and phone number on the back of each print.
B &
W or color, one entry per contestant in each category.
Drop off your entry at Yaquina Head. Or mail it to:
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses
P.O. Box
410
Newport,
OR 97365
Digital
photographers, please submit an electronic version of your entry by media
such as diskette
or CD along
with your printed and matted entry. This optional submission will allow us
to add your
entry to
our website with your tacit permission. Please note this is not required for
consideration in
our contest!
Please inquire ahead of time prior to submitting large files (much over 2
MB) by email to
mike.rivers@state.or.us
Oregon Lighthouse Week August 17 - 23
Annual Head to the Bay Fun Run and Beach Walk
The 2nd
Annual Head to the Bay Fun Run and Beach Walk was Saturday August 17. We
hope you
participated
and had fun, and hope too see you all there again for the 3rd annual event
next August
2003!
The next Whale Watch Weeks will be
Thursday December 26th, 2002 through Thursday January 2nd, 2003
and Saturday March 22, 2003 through Saturday March 29, 2003.
Yaquina Head and Yaquina Bay Lighthouses are two of thirty whale watch week
locations
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, is a major financial sponsor of the event.
See "Whale Watching Spoken Here" for more whale watch information
Beach Safety
Plan your tidepooling with beach safety in mind!
Beware of sneaker waves, watch those logs and stay off them, look out for
deep water &
strong currents, know the tides, always assume high waves can reach you, and
take care
around high, steep cliffs.
Yaquina Head is an especially good place to explore tidepools
Tide tables for Newport: plan your visit at low tide!
Contact Yaquina Head Bureau of Land Management staff for group tidepooling
expedition
reservations (school sponsored groups with state certified teacher, entrance
fees are waived -
donations accepted) 541-574-3100.
Newport Chamber of Commerce
map of Newport
Note: Yaquina Head Lighthouse is #2 location, Yaquina
Bay Lighthouse is #12 location
Thanks for your visit
Help review or add to our site
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses
P.O. Box 410
Newport OR 97365
Yaquina Head Lighthouse
541-574-3100
fax 541-574-3140
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse
541-265-5679
fax 265-8654
Lighthouse Keepers Wanted
Have you ever wanted of be a lighthouse keeper?
Well, you're in luck! Volunteer keeper vacancies for 2001 are now being filled
at Newport's historic Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Head Lighthouses.
What does a keeper do?
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse
Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, works closely with the Bureau
of Land Management and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to accomplish
our mission, "To interpret the Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Head Lighthouses and
surrounding area to the public by providing educational programs and offering
items for marketing related to cultural and natural history."
Please visit their pages devoted to our lighthouses
and explore their websites from them!
Bureau
of Land Management's Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area page
Oregon
Parks and Recreation Department's Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site page
If you discover other lighthouse links you would
like us to add here, please let us know!
updated October 20, 2004