Ilwaco: Cape Disappointment Lighthouse
Standing proudly at the southwestern tip of Washington are two lighthouses: Cape Disappointment and North Head. The former, lit in 1856, was the very first lighthouse in the state, and remains active to this day. The latter, built in 1897, was built due to complaints by mariners that Cape Disappointment was obstructed by the headland when coming from the north.
Cape Disappointment was named by Captain John Meares, who made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the river bar in 1788. Out of frustration, he christened the cape as such. It wasn’t until 1792 when Captain Robert Gray was the first to successfully cross the bar. Although he initially gave it the name Cape Hancock, he later changed it to Cape Disappointment, as Meares had.
A narrow trail leads all the way up to the top of the hill where the lighthouse stands watch. The only sounds you can hear are the waves crashing below, and the birds singing far off in the trees.