About ten miles north of Florence, just past Sea Lion Caves http://www.sealioncaves.com/2root/images/mainimg/mainc2.jpg is Heceta Head. Named in middle 1800's for a 1700's Spanish explorer the lighthouse was built in the 1890's. The light is still in service, but operations are automated. The light is the strongest on the Oregon coast and can be seen over twenty miles off shore.
View of from a lookout just south of the lighthouse.
At one time there was a keeper and two assistants. The only real access until highway 101 was built in the thirties was by sea. There was a wagon road but it was unuseable when the weather was bad- which is at least half the year. There was a keepers house and a duplex for the assistants.
Vew of the restored keepers house. It's now an interpretative center by day and a bed and breakfast at night. The house and light are about two hundred feet above the Pacific. There's a small state park, Devils Elbow (and I'm not sure where the name comes from) and a trail up to the house and lighthouse. The last time we went up there was when Chris was about four. He was totally delighted to have so much room to run in. We were undelighted trying to keep up, but it was worth it.
Longer shot of the lighthouse with the western end of the house enclosure on the right. Between the keeper and assistants families they had enough kids for their own school Especially before the highway was built and they couldn't get out for days or weeks at a time.
It was windy as heck, but a lot of fun. I've got to take the 35mm next time. There were some sea lions below but I didn't like what I got with the digital.
1 comment:
Where is the ghost? Lisa :-]
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