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CAPE BLANCO
August 29, 1868: "Preparations are making for building a lighthouse at Cape Blanco, on the southern coast of Oregon. The contract has been let for clearing the ground, for furnishing the brick and for doing other portions of the work. Next summer the lighthouse will be erected. Until the acquisition of Alaska, Cape Blanco was the most westerly point in the United States." (Morning Oregonian)
January 29, 1869: "Some time ago we mentioned that a lighthouse is to be erected at Cape Blanco the coming summer. Colonel Williamson, U.S. Engineer in charge of the Lighthouse Department, informs the San Francisco Board of Underwriters that the lighthouse at the mouth of the Umpqua is to be replaced, and that a light of the first order is also to be established at or near Cape Foulweather." (Morning Oregonian)
August 27, 1869: "Col. R.S. Williamson, U.S. engineer and T.J. Best, assistant, are on their way to Cape Blanco, to examine the work on the lighthouse in course of erection there." (Morning Oregonian
June 8, 1870: "The Roseburg Ensign says: Intelligence reached Empire City on the 24th ult., that the schooner Bunkulation was burned at Cape Blanco on the 22nd. She had touched at that point to discharge a cargo of brick, lime and other material for the construction of a lighthouse, when she dragged ashore and is supposed to have been set on fire by the lime on board. She was owned by A.M. Simpson, and was sold for $250. This is the third vessel lost by the same party since the first of February." (Morning Oregonian)
July 19, 1870: "In the general appropriation bill as passed by Congress there are the following items for Oregon:
For a new lighthouse at Cape Blanco, Oregon (in addition to former appropriations), $20,000." (Morning Oregonian)
December 7, 1870: "The light-house at Cape Blanco will be completed Dec. 10th." (Weekly Oregon Statesman)
December 23, 1870: "Col. Williamson, Lighthouse Engineer, publishes the following:
Notice is hereby given that a fixed white light, of the 1st order of the system Fresnel, will be exhibited for the first time on the evening of December 20th, 1870, and every evening thereafter, from sunset to sunrise, from the tower recently erected on Cape Blanco, Oregon. The tower is 50 feet in height from base to focal plane, built of brick, painted white, and situated about 200 yards from the western extremity of the Cape. The dome of the lantern is painted red, the other parts of it white.
The light is elevated 256 feet above the mean level of the sea, illuminating an arc of 240 degrees of the horizon, and should be seen in ordinary states of the atmosphere, from the deck of a vessel, 15 feet above the water, at a distance of 22 nautical miles. The keeper's dwelling is a two story building, painted white with green blinds, and placed about 100 feet to the south of the tower." (Morning Oregonian)
July 9, 1873: "Cape Blanco is the most westerly point of the United States, and a conspicuous point from which a commanding view of the coast can be had for many miles north and south. It is situated ten miles north of Port Orford, and twenty miles south of the Coquille river. The Government erected a first-class light-house on this cape three years ago, that has proved of great value to the shipping trade of the coast. The lighthouse is built on a point 256 feet above the level of the sea, the lighthouse itself 56 feet high, and the light can be seen for twenty-two miles at sea. It is kept in excellent order, and may be considered a model one for neatness and cleanliness. Mr. A.P. Burnap is the superintendent, aided by two assistants. The Government has provided a very comfortable house for the officers, and land sufficient for grazing milch cows and raising vegetables. The cost of the lighthouse and dwelling house was $125,000." (Morning Oregonian)
August 13, 1885: "The light-house tender Shubrick, says the Recorder, was at Port Orford a few days ago, and landed supplies there for the Cape Blanco light-house, because the wind was too strong for her to make a safe landing at the cape. Among the things put ashore were tents, surveying instruments and other working equipment for use in the proposed bulkhead to be erected there to prevent further destruction of the point by the action of the sea. J.S. Polhemus, assistant engineer to Capt. Powell, will probably direct the work." (The Coast Mail)
July 30, 1892: "The lighthouse tender Manzanita has arrived at Astoria, from Port Orford. She passed out of the Columbia a week ago.
And Monday left for Port Orford (from Cape Arago) and landed supplies at that place for Cape Blanco. The supplies are hauled by team to Cape Blanco, a distance of seven miles.": (Morning Oregonian)
October 16, 1894: "The lighthouse tender Columbine landed about 50 tons of freight at Port Orford last week. The material is for the improvement at Cape Blanco." (Coquille City Herald)
March 14, 1899: "T. J. Stitt, late of Cape Blanco lighthouse and recently sent to Heceta Head, near Siuslaw, has been promoted to first assistant at Cape Flattery and will leave for that place soon." (Coquille City Herald)
March 20, 1900: "The board of lighthouse inspectors have, for a second time, recommended an appropriation of $4500 for a new building for quarters at Cape Blanco light station." (Coquille City Herald)
June 11, 1901: "Oscar Werin who has been for some time employed as one of the assistant keepers at the Tillamook Rock lighthouse, passed through town yesterday on his way to Cape Blanco, having been transferred to that place. Mr. Werin seems very much pleased with the change, and from what we learn of Tillamook Rock, we are not surprised. This light is supposed to be located in the most exposed and roughest place on the coast if not in the world. Mr. W. tells us that during a storm last winter that one rock weighing 158 pounds was thrown to the roof of the lighthouse which is 110 feet above the sea level, and one 8-pounder went over the tower which is 136 feet high." (Coquille City Herald)
February 11, 1902: "It begins to look as though Cape Blanco will get a new lighthouse building, a bill having passed the senate appropriating $4,500 for that purpose." (Coquille City Herald)
April 19, 1902: "A.E. Withers, Government Inspector of Lighthouse construction work was in Marshfield the first part of this week. He left for Port Orford Wednesday to inspect the improvements at Cape Blanco." (The Coast Mail)
May 28, 1909: "Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Denning and daughter, Miss Alice, returned yesterday from Seattle where they have been for the past four years, Mr. Denning being in charge of one of the Sound lighthouses. They will make their future home here, Mr. Denning having a position at the Cape Blanco lighthouse." (The Coos Bay Times)
May 2, 1910: "James Laughead, inspector of construction of lighthouses, who has been at Cape Blanco for the past 6 or 7 weeks, arrived in Bandon Monday, Mr. Laughead was accompanied by his wife who has been with him during his stay at the cape." (The Coos Bay Times)
January 9, 1913: "The keeper at the Cape Blanco light house reports that considerable damage was done around the light house by the last storm, the wind tearing down fences and damaging the small outbuildings." (The Coos Bay Times)
September 25, 1915: "James Langlois, the keeper, is the veteran lightkeeper of the United States, as well as the country's superlative Westerner. Probably no other man has been so long as he in the service and certainly no other man has been so long at one light. He has been 40 years at Cape Blanco. Curiously enough, he has never in all his life been in another lighthouse. On August 12 he rounded out two score years' of service as keeper of this one light." (The Coos Bay Times)
April 29, 1932: "Frank Story, who has been first assistant keeper at the Yaquina Head lighthouse has been transferred to that rating at Cape Blanco, and with Mrs. Story will move to his new post at once." (Siuslaw Oar)