The peninsula known as Cape Blanco, the most westerly point on the coast of Oregon, was named by Spanish explorers because of its high, light-colored cliffs. The reefs around the cape were a hindrance to navigation, leading to the establishment of a lighthouse in 1870. The brick tower, 59 feet tall with its light 256 feet above mean high water, still stands. It’s the oldest continuously operated lighthouse in Oregon, and also the highest above sea level. The lantern room originally held a fixed first-order Fresnel lens.

Cape Blanco Lighthouse, photo by Jeremy D'Entremont.

The still-active Fresnel lens at Cape Blanco. Photo by Jeremy D'Entremont.

Today, the Cape Blanco Heritage Society works cooperatively with several partners to manage three historic sites on the southern Oregon Coast: the Hughes House and Ranch, Cape Blanco Light Station, and the Port Orford Lifeboat Station. Five people took part in the interview in this episode: Rebecca Malamud-Evans, executive director of the Cape Blanco Heritage Society; Brian and Katherine Zimmerman, and also Mike and Theresia Hewitt, all active volunteers at the lighthouse.

L to R: Katherine Zimmerman, Brian Zimmerman, Rebecca Malamud-Evans, Theresia Hewitt, Mike Hewitt.