#heceta head lighthouse

[booqueenofslime]

got to visit my fav place this weekend

[minimalistartshop]

Bring the magic of the Oregon Coast into your home with this Heceta Head Lighthouse Art Print, created from an original photograph by Jessie Dysart and transformed into a Vincent van Gogh–inspired print. The swirling skies and vibrant ocean tones capture the raw beauty of the Pacific and the timeless strength of one of Oregon’s most beloved lighthouses. Why it makes a great gift: Perfect for coastal art lovers, travelers, or anyone captivated by Oregon’s rugged shoreline — this piece evokes wonder, adventure, and artistic spirit. Heceta Head Lighthouse Wall Art: Oregon Coast Seascape – Van Gogh Inspired

[geese-in-the-sky]

Heceta Head Lighthouse

[its-rapturous]

𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘵𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦

[spaciousreasoning]

A Visit to the Pacific Coast

Saturday morning’s blood sugar was up a couple of points to 164. Since we planned to get on the road early for our fifth anniversary trip, we only managed the Spelling Bee with our coffee. We did the other brain games when we got home this evening.

The first place we stopped was Our Daily Bread in Veneta, just a dozen miles west of Eugene, for a nice breakfast. During a brief conversation with one of the employees, we were saddened to learn that the place had been broken into four times in the last three months. They are now contemplating puts bars over all the windows.

Then we continued to Florence on OR 126 and turned north on OR 101. Before leaving Florence entirely behind we stopped for a cold brew at Ocean Grinds, a nice local coffee shop.

Just about 13 miles north of Florence is the state park where the Heceta Head Lighthouse is located. The lighthouse, built in 1894, is midway up a 205-foot-tall headland. The 56-foot-tall lighthouse shines a beam visible for 21 nautical miles, making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast.

The light is maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, while the assistant lighthouse keepers’ house, halfway up the headland, is operated as a bed-and-breakfast inn. It is maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, and there were tents in place for a wedding that was taking place later in the day.

The interior of the lighthouse itself was open, but only the first floor. A few exhibits were located there and in an adjacent building, and there was also a gift shop on the corner of the keepers’ house grounds. We bought a magnet for our fridge, and a sticker for granddaughter Kathleen and a pin for sister Deborah.

We also walked a little bit along the beach where Nancy picked up a few small pieces of driftwood, since the traditional fifth anniversary present is “wood.”

Then it was on to Yachats, where we spent a couple of hours walking check out some of the town. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the name comes from the Siletz language and means “dark water at the foot of the mountain.” It was originally named Oceanview. It was renamed Yachats in 1917.

The “Gem of the Oregon coast” has an official population of about 1,000, but the Yachats area has been inhabited for at least 1,500 years. Today, tourism is the city’s main industry.

On the way to a park overlooking the ocean we passed by the Little Log Church, a historical museum displaying Yachats artifacts. The church, built in 1926, was designed in the shape of a cross. The museum is now owned by the city, and the exterior logs are all being replaced due to rot. We did not visit the museum. We will save that for a future trip to Yachats.

A little after 3 p.m. we went to The Drift Inn for an early dinner. It was recommended by a couple of friends, and we were pleased with the food and atmosphere of the popular place. Nancy and I both got cheeseburgers and fries. Nancy got a local IPA.

According to a couple of pages of history included in the menu, The Drift Inn was built in 1929, with wood brought down the beach from Toledo, another 30 miles north along the coast. The bar “shut down” and became an ice cream parlor during prohibition, with a dance hall, drinking and card playing upstairs.

The Yachats Covered Bridge is about nine miles outside of town. Built in 1938 over the north fork of the Yachats River it was renovated in 1989 after an accident caused serious damage. At 42 feet long, the bridge is one of the shortest in Oregon and it is one of only two covered bridges in Lincoln County open to vehicular traffic. The bridge was on our list of things to see, but that will wait until our next visit to the area.

On the way back home, we drove up to see the Cape Perpetua Overlook. Cape Perpetua is a large forested headland projecting into the Pacific Ocean. The land is managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the Siuslaw National Forest. The cape was named by Captain James Cook on March 7, 1778, as he searched for the Pacific entrance to a Northwest Passage. Cook named the cape Perpetua because it was discovered on St. Perpetua’s Day.

At its highest point, Cape Perpetua rises to more than 800 feet above sea level. From its crest, you can see 70 miles of Oregon coastline and as far as 37 miles out to sea on a clear day. Unfortunately, by the time we reached the top, fog had enveloped us and we could see no more than a few yards from the viewpoint. We could still hear the waves crashing on the shore below.

We finally arrived home a little before 7 p.m., and shortly afterwards I took off for another walk around the neighborhood that went for two miles. Once home, we finished the evening with an episode of “Midsomer Murders.”

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Heceta Head Lighthouse, Central Coast Oregon

Photographer: Steve Giardini

[dailylighthouse]

Heceta Head Lighthouse

Florence, Oregon, United States

Source: Wikimedia Commons | Wikimedia Commons | Wikimedia Commons | Wikimedia Commons

Constructed: 1892

Automated: 1963

Have a favorite lighthouse? Curious about lighthouses in general? Send an ask!

Bonus Fresnel Lens Pictures:

First Order Fresnel Lens:

Source: Wikimedia Commons | Wikimedia Commons

[jazmatazzzzzz]

I deeply enjoy this bridge 🌲