Oregon lighthouse quiz: leave a light on if you ace it

The lens inside the Cape Blanco lighthouse, built in Paris in 1935 by Henry LePaute and still in use.
Oregonians love their lighthouses, but how much do we know about them?

See if you can pass this quiz from www.visitthe

Of the nine original lighthouses on the Oregon coast, seven are open to the public and most are still active working lighthouses.

Lighthouses starting from the north:

* Tillamook Rock, a mile offshore of Tillamook Head and visible from Cannon Beach (one of the two privately owned and not open to the public)

* Cape Meares, in a state park scenic area west of Tillamook.

Yaquina Bay lighthouse in Newport, which also served as the keeper's house.
On the central coast:

* Yaquina Head, in a BLM "outstanding natural area" three miles north of Newport.

* Yaquina Bay lighthouse, a state park on the north side of the bay with a nearby view of the U.S. 101 bridge.

* Heceta Head near Florence, maintained by state parks.

* Umpqua River near Winchester Bay, a Douglas County park.

On the south coast:

* Cape Arago, not far from Charleston (it's the other lighthouse not open to the public, still controlled by the U.S. Coast Guard)).

* Coquille River near Bandon, part of Bullards Beach State Park

* Cape Blanco, six miles north of Port Orford and four miles out into the Pacificon Cape Blanco State Park's magnificent headland.

There also are two privately built lighthouses, both certified by the U.S. Coast Guard as official private aides to navigation. They are Cleft of the Rock at Cape Perpetua near Yachats and Pelican Bay near the harbor at Brookings.

Here's the quiz about Oregon lighthouses:

1) Which is the oldest lighthouse still standing? Hint: It's also the most westerly on the Oregon coast.

2) Which is the tallest lighthouse at 93 feet? Hint: It's close to a town that has more than one lighthouse nearby.

3) Which is the shortest lighthouse? Hint: It's located on the Three Capes Scenic Loop.

4) Which entailed the most hazardous duty? Hint: Think waves.

5) Which was built with living quarters within the same structure as the lighthouse? Hint: It's made of wood and resembles a house.

6) Which is the most photographed lighthouse on the Pacific Coast? Hint: It's located near Sea Lion Caves.

7) Which has a large, first-order lens that emits a red and white flash? Hint: It's located next to its namesake state park.

8) Which is the most difficult to find and get a good view of? Hint: Think three state parks on a dead-end road.

9) Which had the shortest duration of active duty as a lighthouse? Hint: Another lighthouse was built only four miles away.

10) Which lighthouse has a distinctive octagonal shape, as well as a cylindrical tower? Hint: It's part of a state park, but the nearby town claims it, too.

Answers : 1) Cape Blanco; 2) Yaquina Head; 3) Cape Meares; 4) Tillamook Rock; 5) Yaquina Bay; 6) Heceta Head; 7) Umpqua River; 8) Cape Arago; 9) Yaquina Bay; 10) Coquille River (Bandon Light).

Source: Oregon Coast Visitors Association

-- Terry Richard