North Head Lighthouse Note Card
The North Head Lighthouse was put into service on May 16, 1898 as the primary navigation aid at the mouth of the Columbia River. Prior to this time, the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse had served this function; however, ships approaching the Columbia from the north were unable to see the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse until they had nearly reached the river causing ships to runaround at the “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Due to their close proximity, the two lighthouses needed distinct light signatures – North Head was a fixed-white light, while the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse displayed alternating red and white flashes. North Head Lighthouse is still an active aid to navigation today. While lighthouse keepers once tended a flame in the lantern room, today’s beacon is automated. Designed by Carl. W. Leick, the North Head Lighthouse’s lantern room sits 65 feet above the ground and 194 feet above sea level.
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