Umpqua River Lighthouse  •   Circa:  1894  •  Active

Umpqua River Light Station was originally situated along the Umpqua River. Constructed in 1857 in the Oregon Territory, it was the first lighthouse built within the borders of what we call the State of Oregon today. Listed in 1858 as a “brick tower rising from keeper’s dwelling,’ it was 100’ above sea level, with a third order lens and fixed white signal, first lit by Fayette Crosby. The tower itself was 83’ from the base to the focal plane.

Major flooding in 1861, devastated the small river community of Scottsburg (named after Levi Scott, who founded it in 1850), additionally undermining the lighthouse structure at the mouth of the river. It is unclear if all the damage to the light was done in the 1861 flood or additional flood damage doomed the light by 1863. By 1863 the lighthouse damage was significant and the light was decommissioned in December, and toppled to the ground in early 1864. River commerce then began to change, moving south to the larger port at Empire. In 1866 Cape Arago was lit, and maritime traffic increased at Empire and Marshfield (now Coos Bay/North Bend). Certainly, this set the stage for Scottsburg to become a ghost town, however, the river still provided a significant overland route to the inland valley, and the little town persisted even through the flood of 1861. Postal services began on October 12, 1852 and continue today.

Each Fresnel lens is unique, and the 2nd Umpqua lens is no exception. First order in size, the twenty-four bullseyes, 8 covered with panes of red glass, create a signal* of two white flashes followed by a flash of red, timed equally by the rotation of the lens on it’s chariot base. At sea, the mariner sees the flash, up close; the red and white spokes emanating from the lens into the night sky can awe a visitor.

Marinus Stream, who later lost his life, set the 2nd Umpqua river light and clockworks in motion on December 31, 1894. Today, the light stands as a testament to the precision workmanship of a century ago, operated and maintained by the most modern mechanical and computer technology.

*If given one panel from the Umpqua 1st order lens... the signal created would be one 2 seconds white flash, 3 second eclipse (dark), 2 seconds red flash, 3 seconds eclipse, 2 seconds white flash, followed by the 3 second eclipse to the next panel... which begins the white, red, white again, making the actual signal you see a group of two white flashes followed by a flash of red. Rotation: Fifteen seconds per panel, 120 seconds (2 minutes) for a full rotation of the lens.