Haunted Heceta Head Lighthouse: A Ghost on the Oregon Coast
© Imaginexxus LLC
Visitors to the central Oregon coast have certain expectations, such as seeing miles of endless beaches or driving along Saharan-like dunes. However, few come here with the idea they’ll see a ghost.
Twelve miles from Florence, Heceta Head Lighthouse sits on a rocky forested bluff above the Pacific. It’s considered to be one of the state’s most picturesque locations. And it’s haunted. From 1894 until the 1960s someone worked here to keep the light on for mariners and lived in the adjacent four-story home. Though there are no official records, it’s believed that one of the keepers shared the place with his wife and two children. One of them drowned and the family moved away.
The reconstructed keeper’s house now serves as a bed and breakfast inn. Some guests have reported seeing apparitions of a Victorian dressed woman roaming through the rooms looking for her lost daughter. Neither of us saw the forlorn mother when we stayed there. Perhaps that was our good fortune or maybe our misfortune.
If you enjoyed this story in our series, you may also enjoy two other stories about Haystack Rock and Bandon’s rocky coast. We also encourage you to check out any of our books.