Cape Disappointment Light, Navigation lighthouse at Columbia River entrance, Washington, US.
Cape Disappointment Light is a lighthouse at the mouth of the Columbia River in Washington. Its cylindrical brick tower is painted white with a wide black band and shows peeling paint and rust streaks. Two black metal galleries with railings rise above the band, the upper one encircling a glass-paneled lantern room with a dark domed roof. A smaller white building with pilasters and a gabled roof stands in front.
The station began operations in 1856 to safely guide ships through one of the Pacific Coast's most treacherous river entrances. Its establishment marked a major shift in maritime safety, as the region had a reputation for numerous wrecks and groundings.
The name comes from the headland's naming by European explorers, and the station has served Columbia River Bar Pilots since 1956, when their protest kept it open after the Coast Guard planned to close it. The light was automated in 1973, ending the keeper era at this site.
The site can be visited through Cape Disappointment State Park, with parking located near the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The grounds are well signposted and walking paths lead directly to viewing areas and the tower base.
The first-order Fresnel lens proved too large for the tower as built, so the structure had to be rebuilt, delaying the first lighting until October 15, 1856. That lens was later moved to North Head, and a fourth-order lens took its place here.
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