History

Hiram E. Leslie lay suffering in what was then called Dugout Gulch by everyone in southeastern Oregon. Lightning had reached out and touched the accused cattle rustler after he had declared his innocence to friends. “If I’m guilty of stealing my neighbor’s cattle, may the Lord strike me dead on the spot,” Mr. Leslie fumed.

On May 10, 1872, President Ulysses Grant signed An Act to promote the Development of the mining Resources of the United States, which Congress had passed the previous month. It declared "all valuable mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United States ... free and open to exploration and purchase ... by citizens of the United States and those who have declared their intention to become such ... ." 

Since the lighthouse was built in 1871, Yaquina Head has been a landmark and navigational beacon. But it wasn’t always protected by public land. When a nearby quarry threatened the lighthouse and the very rock it stood on, two local women banded together to preserve the outstanding natural area for future generations.