Warrior Rock Light

Infobox Lighthouse

---

caption = Warrior Rock Light in 2008
location = Sauvie Island, Oregon, U.S.
coordinates = coord|45.84858|-122.78835|display=title,inline|region:US-OR_type:landmark
yearlit = 1877/1889/1930/1970s
automated = 1930
yeardeactivated = 1969-1970s
foundation = sandstone
construction = wood frame originally, concrete since 1930
shape = octagonal
height = convert|25|ft|m
elevation = convert|20|ft|m
lens =
range =
characteristic = Wht Fl 4s cite web
url = https://www.lhdepot.com/database/uniquelighthouse.cfm?value=1614
title = Warrior Rock Light
publisher = Lighthouse Depot
accessdate = 2008-04-30 ]

Warrior Rock Light is a lighthouse on Sauvie Island in the U.S. state of Oregon, which helps guide river traffic on the Columbia River around the Portland, Oregon area. It once contained the Pacific Northwest's oldest fog bell. It is Oregon's smallest lighthouse, and one of only two Oregon lighthouses still operating which are not on the Pacific Ocean. cite web
url = http://www.stjohnssentinel.com/Archive/StJohnsSentinelMarch2006.pdf
format = PDF
title = Sauvie Island’s Warrior Rock Lighthouse: Oregon’s smallest lighthouse keeps going
author = Patricia L. MacAodha
work = St. Johns Sentinel
date = March 2006
publisher = Sydhonda Media, LLC
pages = 13, 19
accessdate = 2008-04-30 ]

History

By 1877, navigational needs near Sauvie Island caused the United States Lighthouse Board to place two small red post lanterns at Warrior Rock. cite web
url = http://www.rudyalicelighthouse.net/NWLts/Warrior/Warrior.htm
title = Warrior Rock Lighthouse
publisher = Rudy and Alice's Lighthouses
accessdate = 2008-04-30 ] U.S. Congress authorized a lighthouse for the site in 1888. [ cite web
url = http://bluebook.state.or.us/cultural/history/history17.htm
title = Oregon History: Uncle Sam's Handiwork
work = Oregon Blue Book
publisher = State of Oregon
date = January 9,2008
accessdate = 2008-04-30 ] The structure was designed by Carl Leick and constructed in 1889 as a small, wood frame building atop a sandstone base, it had living quarters below and an oil lamp beacon light with lens and a hand-cranked fog bell on top. cite web
url = http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=136
title = Warrior Rock Light, OR
publisher = Lighthouse Friends
accessdate = 2008-04-29 ] The light was placed to warn of a bedrock reef cite web
url = http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/Lnm/d13/lnm13322007.pdf
format = PDF
title = Local Notice to Mariners
date = August 8,2007
publisher = US Coast Guard
pages = 3
accessdate = 2008-04-30 ] which projects into the Columbia at the east tip of Sauvie Island, cite web
url = http://www.oregonlive.com/portlandoregon/oregonian/related.ssf?/outdoors/hiking/hike29.html
title = The way of the Warrior: A weedy parking lot turns into a blooming oasis, thanks to volunteers
author = Bill Monroe
work = The Oregonian
accessdate = 2008-04-29 ] at Columbia river mile 87.2 (km 140.3).

The fog bell was cast in 1855 at the J. Bernhard & Co. foundry in Philadelphia [ See ] and first installed at the Cape Disappointment Light at the mouth of the Columbia River, though the noise level of the ocean and winds led to its retirement in 1881Fact|date=May 2008 for a louder model. It was subsequently installed at the West Point Light in Seattle, but removed in 1887 to make way for a steam whistle. [ cite web
url = http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=33
title = West Point Lighthouse, Washington
publisher = Lighthouse Friends
accessdate = 2008-04-30 ] It was installed at Warrior Rock in 1889.

Lightkeepers used a skiff to approach the island from St. Helens, and the lighthouse itself in times of high seasonal water. The 1920s-era lightkeeper rigged an aerial cable to get to the lighthouse from the keepers quarters during such times.

The wooden house was replaced with a convert|28|ft|m|adj=on tall octagonal concrete tower in 1930 on the original sandstone foundation.Around the same time, the light was electrified.The site was an official water level gaging station from October 28,1937 to November 18,1937 and again from July 20,1938 to September 9,1938. [ cite web
url = http://www.flaterco.com/xtide/nos_station_list.txt
title = Index of Water Level Stations for Oregon
author = National Ocean Service (NOAA)
date = August 15,1996
accessdate = 2008-04-30 ]

The lighthouse was struck by a barge on May 27,1969, destroying the foundation and disabling the light and bell. While the Coast Guard was evaluating whether to repair or replace the tower, the fog bell was removed. It fell into the river and cracked, putting it out of commission. It is now outside the Columbia County Courthouse in St. Helens, close to a half-scale replica of the original Warrior Rock Light without foundation. The replica is one mile (1.6 km) NNW of the original site at coord|45.86302|-122.79631|type:landmark_region:US-OR|name=replica of original Warrior Rock light building.

The lighthouse presently operates with an automated beacon and bell. The exterior of the site is open to the public, and can be visited by a short boat ride from St. Helens, or a three-mile (5 km) hike from the north end of Reeder Road.

See also

* Browns Point Light, a similar lighthouse near Tacoma designed by Carl Leick
* Coquille River Light, another Carl Leick lighthouse on the Oregon Coast
* List of lighthouses on the Oregon Coast

References