The 53 foot high Cape Disappointment Lighthouse was built in 1854. Unfortunately it wasn't lit until 1856. The light that was ordered was too large for the original tower, so it had to be rebuilt and a different lens installed.
The French civil engineer and physicist, Augustin-Jean Fresnel developed a compact lens system that was used in lighthouses. His compound lens system was much more efficient at focusing light. In addition to providing a stronger, more focused light, they were smaller and lighter than the conventional lenses being used in the early 19th century.
The original light secured for this lighthouse was a first-order Fresnel light. It was about 8 1/2 feet high and 5 feet wide. When it couldn't be used in this lighthouse it was installed in the nearby North Head Lighthouse when it was built in 1898. A smaller fourth-order Fresnel light was installed in the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.
Beyond the light, across the Columbia River is the South Jetty and Oregon.
No comments:
Post a Comment