National Register of Historic Places

Coquille River Light

Bandon, Coos County, Oregon
Listed
March 21, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74001682

About this property

Coquille River Light (formerly known as Bandon Light) is a lighthouse located near Bandon, Oregon, United States. It is currently maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department as a part of Bullards Beach State Park. Originally named Bandon Light, Coquille River Light was commissioned in 1895. First lit on February 29, 1896, the light guided mariners past the dangerous shifting sandbars into the Coquille River and harbor at Bandon. The light contained a fourth-order Fresnel lens and connected to the nearby keepers house by a wooden walkway. In September 1936, a large wildfire swept through the surrounding area, and destroyed most of Bandon. The town soon became bankrupt as a result of the decline in shipping. Coquille Light was shut down in 1939 and replaced by an automated light on the south jetty. The light was originally built with a Daboll trumpet for its foghorn, which was used as the light's fog signal for several years. However, at certain times due to specific weather conditions, the sound of the trumpet would fail at sea, and in 1910 the trumpet was replaced by a more reliable fog siren. While mariners liked the new signal, many Bandon residents did not. The siren would eventually be removed along with the Fresnel lens after the light's decommissioning. Over the next 37 years, the condition of the light deteriorated due to neglect and vandalism, until 1976, when its first major restoration began. However, by this time, the keepers quarters and other outbuildings had deteriorated past the point of repair, and were eventually removed. In 1991, a new solar powered light was installed in the tower. In the early 2000s, a new set of renovations was being done to the light as an ongoing project, estimated to finish sometime in 2011. Media related to Coquille River Lighthouse at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Bandon, Coos County, Oregon
43.12056, -124.41780

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Coquille River Life Boat Station
Industrial
0 mi
Breuer Building
Industrial
0 mi
First National Bank of Bandon
Industrial
0.2 mi
Coquille City Hall
Industrial
12.2 mi
Sherwood, A. J., House
Industrial
12.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Coquille River Light listed on the National Register?

Coquille River Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 21, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Coquille River Light?

Coquille River Light is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Coquille River Light?

The period of significance for Coquille River Light is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Coquille River Light?

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