GPS Coordinates: 42.8370283, -124.5636224

EXPERIENCE > LANDMARK PLACES

The intense weather conditions here are the main reason Cape Blanco has the oldest, continually operating lighthouse in Oregon. Rising more than 250 feet (76.2 m) above sealevel, the tower was positioned here to warn ships away from the deadly reefs below. It has been doing so since 1870.

Despite the light’s impressive reach (it can be seen over 20 miles (32 km) out to sea), accidents still happened. In fact, some of the ships delivering supplies to build the lighthouse were destroyed by storms before they could offload their cargo. The worst shipwreck was an oil tanker called the J.A. Chanslor. In 1919, the ship broke apart on the rocks offshore. Thirty-six people lost their lives within clear sight of the light.

​Related Features: Secrets of Shipwrecks | Lifesaving on the Oregon Coast

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