| Lighthouse opens with new exhibits, improved facilities
By Jack Carrerow, Staff Writer
On what turned out to be a type of Saturday where its services wouldn’t be needed, the Umpqua River Lighthouse opened its doors for a preview of the coming season, a season that officially begins May 1.
Douglas County Museum Director Gardner Chappell told the gathering of about 30 people, including county commissioners Marilyn Kittelman and Doug Robertson, that an average of 10,000 visitors come to the site each year.
“It’s always been a popular attraction on the coast for visitors and now with new exhibits in the museum and the renovations, the number of visitors to this site should increase,” Chappell said. “All this is due to the hard work of the Umpqua River Lighthouse advisory committee and Gaylyn Bradley, the lighthouse keeper and museum director who was able to acquire a lot of gear from the U.S. Coast Guard.”
The present lighthouse, which is 65 feet high and its light more than 100 feet above sea level, has been in service since the 1890s.
Douglas County Parks Director Jim Dowd said that the $164,000 renovation cost came through several grants, including one from the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office for $12,000 to cover the cost of painting the structures.
“The work took 18 months to complete and it makes the place look like it did back in the 1890s,” Dowd said. “It’s really beautiful, with a really beautiful view.”
Other improvements include new roofing for the museum building, new doors on the workshop, new shutters on the museum, landscaping around the area and the replacement of the fire sprinkler system all through the facility.
While the museum has added a few new exhibits dealing with weather and the shipwrecks that were prevalent on the Umpqua River sand bar, the U.S. Coast Guard’s role in manning the lighthouse in past decades also is depicted.
Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Michael Russell, who is in charge of the Umpqua Lifeboat Station, said the museum exhibit was a nice tribute to the Coast Guard and he hoped people will get a little better idea about what life was like as a lighthouse keeper.
“It was all done so well, very authentic,” said Russell, who will be transferring to his home state of Washington in May. “I’m glad people who visit will get a chance to appreciate how important lighthouses are. They’re more than attractive structures, they save lives.”
Russell said the Coast Guard has planned a $675,000 renovation of its own on the adjacent housing units it occupies on the site.
“We want to make them more attractive for the families that are stationed here,” Russell said. “And it should complement the work that’s been done to the park buildings.”
Kittelman said she hoped the housing that now serves the Coast Guard families could be converted into a bed and breakfast business.
“There was talk about even moving the housing to a nearby location,” Kittelman said. “But if they’re going ahead with their own renovation, we’ll have to wait and see.”
The Umpqua River Lighthouse and museum will be open to the public daily May 1 through October 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost for the lighthouse tours is $3 for adults and $2 for children 6 to 17 years old. Children under 6 are free.
|
