Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Rose Red
N 46° 16.550 W 124° 03.128
10T E 418936 N 5125233
Cape Disappointment Historic District is located from 0.5 miles south of Ilwaco to Washington/Oregon boundary, Ilwaco.
Waymark Code: WMTEX
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 10/07/2006
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 25


Cape Disappointment Historic District is located from 0.5 miles south of Ilwaco to Washington/Oregon boundary, Ilwaco. The Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is my token historic structure within this district.

I went on a field trip to Waikiki Beach where I took several photos of Cape Disappointment Lighthouse perched on a 287-foot Rocky Headland. Afterwards I visited the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Fort Canby to photograph the huge Fresnel lens.

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is located a few miles southwest of Ilwaco within the Fort Canby State Park. It commands a panoramic view of the juncture of the mighty Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. Built in 1856, this is Washington State’s oldest lighthouse and it is still in use (but without the first-order Fresnel Lens). The 53-feet-tall structure is best known as the “Guardian to the Mouth of the Columbia.”

The lighthouse was operated by the U.S. Lighthouse service until 1939, when the U.S. Coast Guard took command.

The first-order Fresnel lens has been removed from the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. The Fresnel lens was manufactured in 1822 in France for about $3,000. The lens was lighted with 18 wicks which burned five gallons of oil in a night and produced a light that could be seen 20 miles out to sea. It is estimated it would cost more than $6 million to make another lens like it today. In 1937, a fourth-order lens was installed, reducing the range to 17 miles. The lighthouse is now automated. The first-order Fresnel lens is currently on display at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Fort Canby.

Instructions for logging waymark: a photograph is required that shows you (or your GPS receiver, if you are waymarking solo) and the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.

Street address:
from 0.5 miles south of Ilwaco to Washington/Oregon boundary
Ilwaco, WA USA
98644


County / Borough / Parish: Pacific

Year listed: 1975

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Information Potential, Event

Periods of significance: 1800-1824, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924

Historic function: Defense, Transportation

Current function: Landscape, Transportation

Privately owned?: no

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
The A-Team visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 06/10/2019 The A-Team visited it
justmom97 visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 06/02/2019 justmom97 visited it
Emerald_Jewel visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 07/10/2018 Emerald_Jewel visited it
3rd times the charm visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 07/12/2015 3rd times the charm visited it
blenz visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 07/03/2013 blenz visited it
ddtfamily visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 01/27/2013 ddtfamily visited it
Cool Cow Cachers visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 01/20/2013 Cool Cow Cachers visited it
shadow101 visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 01/08/2012 shadow101 visited it
dingo262 visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 07/12/2009 dingo262 visited it
stormwind visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 05/28/2008 stormwind visited it
Volcanoguy visited Cape Disappointment Historic District, Ilwaco, Washington 10/15/2006 Volcanoguy visited it

View all visits/logs