$5,000 reward in Cape Meares Lighthouse vandalism

NEAR TILLAMOOK, Ore. - A $5,000 reward is now being offered to find the person or persons who are responsible for shooting at the historic Cape Meares Lighthouse, leaving thousands of dollars in damage and destroying historic lenses that are irreplaceable.

What Happened?

According to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, sometime between the afternoon of Jan. 9 and noon on Jan. 10, a vehicle drove down a blocked maintenance road and then several rounds were fired at the lighthouse. A total of 15 windows were shattered and historic lighthouse lenses were damaged.

Additional rounds were fired into an active Coast Guard light and surrounding equipment and the vehicle left significant damage in a grassy area.

Significant Damage

The total damage is estimated at over $50,000. According to Cape Lookout State Park Manager Pete Marvin, the lighthouse lenses were of high historical value and are irreplaceable. The Cape Meares Lighthouse went into service in 1890 and the lighthouse lenses were manufactured in Paris, France.

$5,000 Reward

The reward fund began at $1,000 and jumped to $5,000 with donations that were given to The Friends of Cape Meares. Investigators are hoping the increased reward will lead them to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible. Anyone with information is asked to call the OSP Northern Command Center dispatch at (800) 452-7888.

Donations

Donations to help with the repairs are being accepted by The Friends of Cape Meares. An account has been set up at TLC Federal Credit Union in Tillamook. You can also mail a check to:

The Friends of Cape Meares Lighthouse
P.O. Box 262
Netarts, OR 97143
(be sure to specify that your donation is for lighthouse repairs)

What's Next?

Representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office are heading to the site on Tuesday to inspect the damage. The Cape Meares State Scenic Viewing area is closed to visitors.