Port Orford Coast Guard Station

Point Orford Heads State Park is a wonderful spot to hike along the bluff above the rocky shore. While enjoying the natural beauty, there is an opportunity to absorb some of the history of this area in the Coast Guard museum at the old lifeboat station. Like the Hughes House and the Cape Blanco lighthouse, the lifeboat station is operated by the Cape Blanco Heritage Society, who do a marvelous job of preserving these historic sites and educating visitors about their fascinating history.

The Coast Guard operated this lifesaving station from 1934 to 1970. When ships were in distress offshore, these incredibly brave men ran down over 500 steps to the boathouse and took 37-foot motor lifeboats out into 80 MPH winds and 20-foot seas to save lives. The museum contains many fascinating exhibits including artifacts from wrecks, a scale model of Orford Heads, restored living quarters of the Coast Guardsmen and one of the motor lifeboats that operated here.

The museum is open from April through October.