Planning a trip?

Oregon's South Coast is your destination. Check out these wonderful Bay Area activities.

Toss a disc into a hole

Disc golf is a fun and affordable way to enjoy a summer afternoon ...

continue

Observe Prefontaine history

Running fans never miss a chance to learn more about Coos Bay nat ...

continue

19 See Coquille River Lighthouse

If lighthouses had voices, that is what most of them would scream to passing boats. They warn of dangerous reefs and the perils of barely submerged rocks.

œCome here," it beckons.

That's not true, though, for the Coquille River Lighthouse.
This lighthouse just across the river from Bandon is a harbor light.
When Bandon became a major port for wood in the late 1800s, the lighthouse was built as a guide for ships crossing the dangerous bar into the river. The Coquille River Lighthouse is the smallest on the coast, and was the cheapest to build.

In 1891, Congress appropriated $50,000 for construction of the lighthouse, but after some of those funds were used for repairs to the Cape Arago Lighthouse at Gregory Point, just $17,600 was spent to build the facility. It began operation in 1896.

These days, it costs a lot more to keep a lighthouse in good condition. The community of Bandon and a local preservation group are raising funds to restore the lighthouse. It is open to visitors.

Stop in at the lighthouse at the end of Bullards Beach State Park and see historical photos of the lighthouse while fishermen cast their lines into the river nearby and beachcombers wander the beaches.

Planning a trip?

19 See Coquille River Lighthouse

Publication Advertisers