Near Port Orford in Curry County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

Lifeline to the Past

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 29, 2021

1. Lifeline to the Past Marker

Inscription. While you're in the Port Orford area, we invite you to visit three historic sites — Cape Blanco Light Station, Historic Hughes House, and Port Orford Lifeboat Station. All three are on the National Register of Historic Places. Together they tell the story of a time when the ocean was both highway and the economic center of life.

You'll discover the area's rich maritime history as you visit each site. You can also take advantage of seasonal tours and beautiful hiking trails.

Photo captions:
Top: Scattered rocks dot the sea floor just off Port Orford, making it extremely hazardous to ships. Cape Blanco Lighthouse was first lit on December 20th, 1870 to guide vessels around the rocks. It is the oldest continually operating light station in Oregon.
Bottom: In 1934, as oceangoing trade and transport expanded, the U.S. Coast Guard established the Port Orford Lifeboat Station. Its crew rescued people from wrecked vessels. Visit the crew's barracks, now a maritime history museum, at Port Orford Heads State Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical date for this entry is December 20, 1870.

Location. 42° 50.521′ N, 124° 32.323′ W. Marker is near Port Orford, Oregon, in Curry County. Marker can be reached from Cape

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Blanco Road, 3.9 miles west of U.S. 101, on the right when traveling west. Marker is near the Historic Hughes House in Cape Blanco State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 91816 Cape Blanco Road, Port Orford OR 97465, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Pioneer Will ... and the Pioneer Way (within shouting distance of this marker); We Have a River in Common (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Toward a New Century (about 400 feet away); Building Community Cornerstones (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Lifeline to the Past (approx. 1.1 miles away); Oregon Beach Gold (approx. 3.2 miles away); Battle Rock City Park (approx. 7.2 miles away); Wreck of the Cottoneva (approx. 7.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Port Orford.

Also see . . .
1. Port Orford Lifeboat Station. Oregon Encyclopedia entry by Shirley Nelson. (Submitted on July 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Cape Blanco. Oregon Encyclopedia entry by Jeff LaLande. (Submitted on July 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 29, 2021

2. Lifeline to the Past Marker

Cape Blanco Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Anita Ritenour / Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-2.0), August 26, 2009

3. Cape Blanco Lighthouse

Coast Guard lifeboat at Port Orford Heads State Park image. Click for full size.

Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, September 2011

4. Coast Guard lifeboat at Port Orford Heads State Park

Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 147 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.