7-26-22 What Can Douglas County Government Do For You? Part Four: Umpqua River Lighthouse & Coastal History Museum (Photo) -07/26/22
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2022
What Can Douglas County Government Do For You?
Part Four: Umpqua River Lighthouse & Coastal History Museum
(Douglas County, Ore.) – Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress are elated to add a story to their series highlighting the wide-array of services provided by departments within Douglas County government. Douglas County has 26 separate departments, with an additional 19 divisions associated with those departments. For part three of “What Can County Government Do for You?”, the Commissioners would like to highlight the amazing services provided by our Douglas County Museums. Last week we featured our The Douglas County Museum of History & Natural History, and this week we wanted to focus our attention on The Umpqua River Lighthouse & Coastal History Museum.
The Umpqua River Lighthouse & Coastal History Museum (Lighthouse Museum) operate under the direction of the Douglas County Commissioners, and are managed by our Museum Director, James (Jamie) Davis. Jamie has been at the helm for three and half years, but has been a part of our small but mighty museum team since 2009. Just like the Douglas County Museum, the Lighthouse Museum relies heavily on volunteers who help with museum operations, lighthouse tours, Gift Shop, Café and Art Gallery operations, grounds keeping, housekeeping, special events and maintaining the various artifacts and collections. Annually, the Museum has around 50 volunteers that work seasonal shifts. Our museum system also receives a tremendous amount of support from the Douglas County Museum Foundation. The Douglas County Museum Foundation was founded in 1982, and is a non-profit 501(3)c organization with a board of directors that help to support, promote and encourage growth of both of our museums.
A little bit of history about the Umpqua River Lighthouse: On December 31, 1894, with work finally complete, Marinus Stream, the first head keeper of the new Umpqua River Lighthouse, lit the oil lamp inside the tower’s first-order Fresnel lens, thus beginning the lighthouse’s beacon career. The lighthouse, a sister to the one at Heceta Head, stands sixty-five-feet tall and has a focal plane of 165 feet above sea level. The tower, consisting of brick overlaid with cement plaster, is five feet thick at the base and tapers to twenty-one inches at the parapet. The tower’s first-order Fresnel lens was handcrafted in 1890 by Barbier & Cie of Paris, France, and is a truly a magnificent gem. The lens, originally illuminated by a Funck mineral oil lamp, has twenty-four bull’s-eye panels, consisting of 616 glass prisms, completes a revolution every two minutes, producing a signature of two white flashes followed by a red flash. Every seventy minutes the original keepers would have to wind up the weight mechanism that rotated the lens. In 1934, a generator building was built near the lighthouse, and the station was electrified. The light was finally automated in the 1960s and most of the oil and storage buildings were torn down around the lighthouse. Before automation, the light was active from one hour before sunset until one hour after sunrise, and curtains were drawn around the lantern room during the day to protect the lens from the sun. Now, the automated light is active twenty-four hours a day. This is not the first Umpqua River Lighthouse, the first lighthouse was illuminated on October 10, 1857, and was noted in history as the first light along the Oregon Coast. The first Umpqua River Lighthouse, with a third-order Fresnel lens was designed in the Cape Cod style, with keepers' quarters on either side of the 92-foot-tall tower. The first keeper was Fayette Crosby, a former Scottsburg hotelkeeper. But, due to the poorly selected location, the original lighthouse suffered catastrophic damage from high force gale winds, flooding and violent storms from 1861-1863 and was declared unsafe and abandoned in January of 1864. The Umpqua River Lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
In 1939, a U.S. Coast Guard Station was established on Lighthouse hill with officer barracks, a boat storage house and personnel cabins erected. At this point the Coast Guard took charge of the Lighthouse and grounds. In 1962, the Coast Guard decided to relocate their main station, known now as Station Umpqua River to 335 Beach Blvd in Winchester Bay, where it is located today. Even though the main operations of the Coast Guard moved closer to the ocean, a few of the cabins from the station on Lighthouse hill are still being used to house personnel today. Following the move, the historic Coast Guard officer barracks building located about 100 yards north of the Lighthouse was converted into the Coastal History Museum by Douglas County, and in 1976 Douglas County Parks Department took over maintenance of the lighthouse grounds. During its 125-year history, the Lighthouse has survived many battles, including budget cuts, repairs and controversies in 1983 and 2009 over having the iconic Fresnel lens decommissioned and the lighthouse permanently closed. In 1985, after the chariot wheels of the clockwork mechanism that rotated the lens broke the Coast Guard talked about decommissioning the Fresnel lens for good or replacing the entire mechanism and lens with a new one. But, strong outcry from the public, county officials and local congressmen forced the Coast Guard to relent and restore the original lens instead. In 2009, the Lighthouse was once again embroiled in controversy with talks about being decommissioned after a Coast Guard study deemed it, “no longer a critical component for safe navigation.” However, this time the Coast Guard was open to allowing the ‘light’ to be operated as a Private Aid to Navigation (PATON) by a local government agency, nonprofit corporation or community development organization. Douglas County Commissioners, Joe Laurance, Doug Robertson and Susan Morgan promptly stepped up to save the Lighthouse, and inked a deal with the Coast Guard. In 2010, Douglas County took ownership of the lighthouse and leased the Fresnel lens so that its cherished icon will continue to operate for many generations to come. During a ceremony on April 14, 2012, the U.S. Coast Guard officially gave Douglas County control of the operation and maintenance of Umpqua Lighthouse and its coveted Fresnel lens. The Douglas County Commissioners have always played a major role in the development and growth of our county, and the Umpqua River Lighthouse & Coastal History Museum is no exception. It really stands as a testament to the commitment of our Douglas County Commissioners, community, employees, foundation members and volunteers, who have worked painstakingly and passionately over the years in preserving our coastal history. To honor its latest milestone, Douglas County and the Douglas County Museum Foundation hosted a gala event on December 31, 2019 to celebrate the Umpqua River Lighthouse’s 125th anniversary.
The Coastal History Museum features three floors filled with hundreds of documents, photographs and artifacts that illustrate the early history of the area including Fort Umpqua, local shipwrecks and turn of the century transportation, as well as the story of the Umpqua River Lighthouse from its early existence as a Lifesaving Station to turn of the century lighthouse keeper instructions to period uniforms to interactive displays that illustrate the way of life for lightkeepers and coast guard personnel alike. The Lighthouse and Museum grounds are also home to the Umpqua River Lighthouse Gift Shop & Cafe, the Umpqua River Lighthouse Art Gallery and the newly acquired Gray Whale ‘spy hopper’ viewing station. The Gift Shop and Café, which moved to its current location in the renovated historic 1939 Coast Guard boat storage building in March 2020, offers a wide range of nautical and Oregon themed gifts and souvenirs, as well as delicious soups, sandwiches, coffee, cookies and sweets. From toys and books for little children to adult clothing and collectables to Umpqua Valley wines and fudge, you will find just the right memento of your great visit. The Art Gallery is located in the basement of the Coastal History Museum, which once housed the original Coast Guard barracks. The space features an eclectic variety of hand-made treasures from 25 southern Oregon Artisans, and supports the Lighthouse & Museum. Across from the lighthouse, facing the Pacific Ocean is the Gray Whale ‘spy hopper’ viewing station compete with maps, charts and binoculars to help visitors spot migrating whales. The viewing station, still under the authority of the Coast Guard, changed from Douglas County Parks management to Douglas County Museum management in 2022. With the help of many volunteers, young and mature alike, the area was cleaned up and repainted to welcome visitors. The Lighthouse and Museum are also host to a number of special events including monthly public swap meets, wine tastings, art exhibits, community events, kids camp and the grounds are also available to rent for intimate wedding ceremonies.
Recently the Umpqua River Lighthouse, Coastal History Museum and Gift Shop were recognized by Tripadvisor as a 2022 Traveler’s Choice Award Winner. Every year, Tripadvisor celebrates attractions that consistently deliver amazing experiences with a Travelers' Choice Award—and this year, the Umpqua River Lighthouse, Coastal History Museum and Gift Shop made the list. That means that they have earned positive reviews and ratings over the past year that places them in the top 10% of attractions worldwide.
“The breathtaking hill top overlook above Winchester Bay that is home to our Umpqua River Lighthouse, Museum, Gift Shop, Art Gallery and whale viewing area is truly a treasure for Douglas County and our citizens. Beyond the fact that I think it is one of the best properties in Oregon, this gem represents a collective of individuals who have fought hard to keep it alive and prospering for over 125 years. Kudos to Jamie and his dedicated team of employees and volunteers for helping to make this an internationally recognized tourist attraction that brings visitors from far and wide,” stated Douglas County Museum Liaison, Commissioner Tom Kress.
The Umpqua River Lighthouse, Coastal History Museum, Gift Shop & Cafe, Art Gallery and Gray Whale ‘spy hopper’ viewing station are located atop the hill facing the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Umpqua River at 1020 Lighthouse Road in Winchester Bay, Oregon, six miles south of Reedsport off Oregon Hwy 101. The Lighthouse, Museum, Gift Shop and Cafe are open daily October to February from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and March to September from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and they are closed Christmas Day. It takes roughly an hour to tour the museum and lighthouse depending on your pace. The Art Gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Admission is free for members, ages 0-4 are free, students 5-17 are $4.00, adults are $8.00, seniors and veterans are $5.00. Admission includes a guided tour of the historic 1890 Umpqua Lighthouse and famous Fresnel lens. For more information or to volunteer at our Umpqua River Lighthouse & Coastal History Museum check out our website at https://umpquavalleymuseums.org/ or call the Umpqua River Lighthouse & Coastal History Museum at (541) 271-4631 museum or the Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum Café & Gift Shop and Art Gallery at (541) 271-1894.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Photo Collage Attached: Individual Photos Available Upon Request
