Cape Arago Lighthouse Viewpoint - Coos County, OR
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 43° 19.751 W 124° 22.845
10T E 388059 N 4798296
Along Cape Arago Highway is this newly enlarged scenic look-out offering the best view available of Cape Arago Lighthouse.
Waymark Code: WMCVY4
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 10/17/2011
Views: 5
The first lighthouse was built on this jutting headland in 1855, a second one in 1909, and this, the third lighthouse at this location was erected in 1934. Originally the octagonal tower supported a class four fresnel lens but was automated in 1966 and the lens eventually replaced. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 2006 without explanation.
This piece of land had long been sacred to the Coos Indians who inhabited this area of the Oregon Coast, and they eventually gained control of the land. Even though the provisions of the legislation stipulated that the lighthouse must remain accessible to the public and made available for educational purposes, the access road remains barred and locked.
This newly enlarged and paved roadside area offers the best view of the lighthouse looking from the south. There is now a gravel path leading about a hundred feet from the parking area to a single bench where one may sit and enjoy the view of the lighthouse and the rock formations around it. One may also look for the geocache here, of course.
The Cape Arago Lighthouse has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.