Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Newport, Oregon–Part 4

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Yaquina Bay Lighthouse Newport, Oregon

Once again have gotten behind in posting blog entries. This entry was started 3 weeks ago but only finished today.

Newport, Oregon is the only town I know of that has two lighthouses. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse that I wrote about back in the blog entry Newport, Oregon – Part 1and the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.

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Yaquina Bay Lighthouse and the Coast Guard Lookout tower.

The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse sits on a bluff above the Yaquina River. There are many unique things about this lighthouse. It is the only surviving wooden lighthouse in Oregon. Since the light tower comes right out of the Keeper’s House, it is one of the few lighthouses where the Keeper’s House has not been torn down.  Based on Lischen Miller's story, "The Haunted Lighthouse," published in an 1899 issue of Pacific Monthly. It is Oregon’s most famous “Haunted Lighthouse”. The brick lighthouses on the Oregon Coast generally take about 3 years to build. The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was built in only 6 months! However, as soon as the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was built the Lighthouse Service started building the Yaquina Head Lighthouse only 5 miles away because the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was hard to see for ships sailing from the north. So the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was first lit in 1871 with a Fifth Order Fresnel Lens (second from the smallest Fresnel Lens, only 1 foot 8 inches high by 1 foot 3 inches wide) and was turned off in 1874 when the Yaquina Head Lighthouse was first lit with a First Order Fresnel Lens (the largest type of Fresnel lens, 7 feet 10 inches high and 6 feet 1 inch wide).

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The original light has been gone since 1874 so here is a photo of a picture of a Fifth Order Fresnel Lens.

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The ladder to the Lens room is blocked off.

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The Lighthouse Keepers Dining Room.

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The Lighthouse Keepers Parlor.

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The Yaquina Bay Bridge at Newport, Oregon is 3,223 feet long and 133 feet high at the road way.

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Right next to the Newport Marina RV Park is the Rogue Distillery. Since we have never been to a distillery we went on one of their daily tours.

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This is definitely a small operation, this is a picture of their one and only still. Every bottle is hand filled and hand corked because they don’t have a machine to do it.

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Yet they make 2 kinds of Gin, 3 kinds of Rum and 3 kinds of Whiskey. They claim all kinds of awards for their products. They also do what we thought were some pretty unusual things like: use Spruce needles to flavor the Gin and they make Whiskey out of the mash they use to make Dead Guy Ale. They also make some very unusual drinks like a Martini made with cucumbers and rosemary.

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Mash from the Dead Guy Ale is brought over from the brewery across the parking lot in these 270 gallon containers.

8 comments:

  1. I've really enjoyed reading about all the lighthouses you've visited this summer. Very interesting.

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  2. Did you get to sample any of the goodies? hehe....Gotta say.....I am still is awe of your header pic, LOVE opening your page to that view! Hugs to the three of you, love, Glo

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  3. Hi guys, how much longer in OR? We're in Escalante, UT another month. Lovin it here. Picacho peak outside of Tucson starting in Nov. Hope to see you this winter.

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  4. Did you get a shot of Whiskey while you were there?
    Love all the photos you take!! Are those beds feather beds?
    I wish I had me a feather bed...I loved sleeping on one as a child
    nothing beats a feather bed and a tin roof when its raining.....zzzz

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  5. What a beautiful lighthouse! Newport sounds interesting and must be a really neat place to visit. A haunt lighthouse would be on my list of must sees.

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  6. only a few words..I miss the Oregon Coast!

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  7. YOU KEEP OUT DOING YOURSELF ON YOUR POST.!!!
    I normally don't like white houses but the color of the shutters on this one make it absolutely beautiful. I enjoyed the commentary and the pics of the rooms.
    Keep up the good work and, again, let me know when you publish your book. LOL
    Hugs HiC and Madi

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  8. I'm just stopping over from Kit's blog (Dog Daze) and I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for the loss of your precious boy Raider. Having lost 4 Goldens in the last 6 months,(one just over a week ago) I know the ache your heart is feeling. I hope you find comfort in all your memories of him that can never be taken away and peace in knowing that you will see Raider again one day--And what a day that will be.

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