Cape Blanco is a spur that stretches one and a half miles off the Oregon Coast.  At the end of it, Cape Blanco's lighthouse sits majestically on a 200 foot cliff.  It is no wonder this lighthouse was among the first built along this coastline.  Heavy wind and rain are common to this area, and the rocky terrain below is very sharp and dangerous.  There have been a few shipwrecks in years past in the waters below.  One such tragedy off these shores was the steamship "South Portland" that claimed the lives of 21 people on a trip to San Francisco in the early 1900s.

This Lighthouse lit its lamp on December 20th, 1870.  The first principal keeper was H. B. Burnap.  He and two of his assistants were responsible for the lighthouse.  As the years drifted by, there were a number of keepers of the Cape Blanco Lighthouse - there were also a number of terrific stories.  One such story details a submarine that sat off the coastline and launched a float plane that used the lighthouse as a navigation tool for bombing runs.

Be sure to take some time and visit this beacon of history on the southern Oregon Coast.  This is a tremendous spot for some family pictures!  If you visit during normal hours on weekdays, it is likely that you will get an opportunity to take a glimpse inside.

Cape Blanco is located between mile post 296 and 297, six miles off Highway 101.  This is approximately four miles north of Port Orford on the Oregon Coast.