Sunday, May 20, 2012

Heceta Head Lighthouse

The strongest beacon on the Oregon coast has been temporarily extinguished after nearly a century of continuous illumination.   A year long complete restoration of the lighthouse is now underway and the lantern is now hidden behind a bulwark of thick plywood.  Heceta Head Lighthouse is located 13 miles North of Florence Oregon.  The lighthouse has a 1st order Fresnel lens and the light is visible from 21 miles out to sea making it the most powerful on the coast.  I am fortunate enough to be hired to restore the 4 watchtower windows below the lantern and to build (from historic plans) 6 windows to replace the cinder block that now occupies the original openings.


View of the lighthouse from hwy 101 with approaching storm.



Closer view of the job site with scaffolding covering the tower.


Heceta Head Lighthouse-before scaffolding installation


Current state of affairs


Watch tower windows-Note the vegetation growing on the trim


View from the watchtower level of scaffolding.


Whole lot of scaffolding.

Look for more posts about this project and the Cottage Grove Armory throughout the summer and fall.  Some exciting plane making will be happening with the building of the 6 lighthouse windows.