Yaquina Bay Lighthouse
Ghost stories have haunted this old lighthouse for a century, but are they truly just stories?
Ghost Stories of
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse
- Ghostly lights are seen outside the lighthouse
- Screams have been heard around the building at night
- Shadow figures have been spotted in the windows
- Phantom bloodstains purportedly appear and disappear
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse’s Storied Past
On the salty Pacific shores of Newport, Oregon, you can spot a few old lighthouses. But one, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, looks different from the others.
A short, small lighthouse, Yaquina Bay Light’s tower barely creeps above the chimneys of the attached light keeper’s house.
Locals only used the little lighthouse for a few short years in the 1800s, but the light’s colorful past also includes a few unique ghost stories.
But do ghosts really linger around Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, or are they all just spooky stories?
Timeline of Yaquina Bay Lighthouse's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Yaquina Bay Lighthouse through the years
1871
Originally built in 1871, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse came to life for the same reason as any other lighthouse: to aid navigation. At the time, the Yaquina Bay region of Oregon was one of the largest seaports between San Francisco and Seattle. But it didn’t have the navigational light needed to make the treacherous passage possible for the increasing amount of boat traffic. When the new lighthouse was first lit, it made a significant difference in bay safety. But, it wouldn’t be very long at all before the lighthouse’s future came into question.
1874
Just three years after its completion, in 1874, a new, taller lighthouse went up nearby, right on the Pacific coast. Yaquina Head Lighthouse was a significant improvement over Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, so the decision was made to shutter the original bay lighthouse. The tower’s light went dark in October, 1874, and the governing Lighthouse Board quickly tried to sell the property. But, the offers they got were far too low for them to sell, and so Yaquina Bay Light was left in limbo.
1906
Eventually, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse served as a home for US Army engineers for a while, and then became quarters for a crew of the US Lifesaving Service in 1906. When the Lifesaving Service became the US Coast Guard in 1915, a crew continued to man the old lighthouse. They even built an observation tower nearby that still stands. The Coast Guard continued to use the lighthouse as quarters until 1933.
1955
After the Coast Guard abandoned the lighthouse, it fell into disrepair. By the late 1940s, there was interest in demolishing the old light. But as demolition plans were being finalized in 1951, a campaign was underway to save the lighthouse. The campaign succeeded, and in 1955 the lighthouse was leased to the Lincoln County Historical Society for refurbishment and use as a museum. For almost two decades, the lighthouse would serve as a local museum. But in the 1970s, the lighthouse was set to have its light relit.
1974
In the early 1970s, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was found to be a prime candidate for total restoration. Started in 1974, the process took two decades to reach the end. But in 1996, the lighthouse’s light lit up again after over a century of darkness. Since then, the building has continued to operate as a navigational aid. But, over its life, Yaquina Bay Light has become more than that to the community. It has been a museum, a treasured relic, and perhaps even a haunted hotspot. That is, if the ghost stories about the building are to be believed.
Is Yaquina Bay Lighthouse Haunted?
Ghost stories have lingered like a thick fog around Yaquina Bay Lighthouse for over a hundred years. The vast majority of these spooky tales all have to do with one ghost in particular: Muriel Trevenard.
The story goes that, in the late 1890s, Muriel was a teen who went exploring in the abandoned lighthouse with a group of friends.
After exploring, the group came across a hatch in the floor leading far down a pit. They tossed burning scraps of paper down, but still couldn’t see the bottom. The group quickly got scared and left, but Muriel soon announced she had left her handkerchief behind and went back to get it.
But, after a few moments, the rest of her group heard blood curdling screams. They rushed inside, only to find a pool of blood and Muriel’s handkerchief beside it. As the story goes, Muriel was never seen or heard from again. Now, it’s said Muriel’s ghost haunts the property.
Fact vs. Fiction at Yaquina Bay
The tale of Muriel Trevenard has been traced back to an 1899 short story published in a local paper near Newport. At the time, the old lighthouse was in a state of prolonged disuse, and with its faded exterior and dark, lifeless windows, it looked like a prime local haunt. And so, it became the focal point of a piece of creative fiction.
But, over the years, the tale of Muriel was told and retold until her tragic story became one of lore. Retellings changed the time period, added characters, changed aspects, but in the end, they all resulted in Muriel’s death and ongoing haunting of the lighthouse. Many retellings made the story out to be true. And it wasn’t long before reports of paranormal encounters at Yaquina Bay Lighthouse followed.
Bloodstains & Banshee Screams
One of the earliest claims of a real haunting inspired by Muriel is of the bloodstains left behind after her disappearance. Some visitors to the lighthouse through the early 1900s claimed to see bloodstains appear just where the story said they were, only to return shortly after to find them mysteriously gone again.
While encounters around the lighthouse started with these unexplained blood stains, the reports quickly expanded from there. It wasn’t long until locals also claimed to hear Muriel’s shrieking screams from the lighthouse on quiet nights.
Or is that screaming coming from you?
Shadow Figures & Ghostly Lights
From the 20th century into modernity, passersby have claimed to see shadowy figures around Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. Most often, the figures are seen in the dark windows of the keeper’s house, silently and motionlessly watching them walk by. Many reports of these dark apparitions say they appear to be the figure of a young woman, apparently connecting to the long-held legend of Muriel Trevenard.
Additionally, some passersby noted unexplainable lights appearing outside the lighthouse on still, foggy nights. Some suggested the lights shifted in ways that had to be paranormal. Others said the effect was caused by city lights behind the lighthouse being obscured by the descending fog. Considering they were often noted on especially foggy nights, this could well be the case. But, some still figure the strange lights of Yaquina Bay have a more haunting explanation.
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse:
Creepy Local Cornerstone
While it once served as a public museum, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse today remains closed to the public. Since relighting in 1996, its main purpose is as a navigational aid.
But, the historic lighthouse remains a cultural staple in Newport as well, a contributing structure to the region’s long and storied past. Of course, the occasional ghostly tale still comes up.
Though the source of many of Yaquina Bay Lighthouse’s paranormal claims seems to be a fictional story from the 1890s, countless people have reported real life encounters with some paranormal force at the lighthouse.
Whether it’s just a century of tricks of the brain, or something more, may forever be a mystery. But if you’re ever walking by the old lighthouse, keep an eye on the windows, just in case you spot a shadowy figure. Maybe they’ll even be waving a handkerchief at you.
