Tillamook Lighthouse and the Ghosts that Haunt it...

Now, because of my recent release, Heart of the Storm my thoughts have once again, turned to haunted lighthouses!

Department of the Treasury. U.S. Coast Guard. Thirteenth Coast Guard District. (ca. 1944 - 04/01/1967)

More specifically, The Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, off the coast of Oregon. They built this lighthouse on the top of a jagged rock that, according to the native indians in the area... is inhabited by spirits. Despite the legend, on January 21, 1881, the lighthouse entered service. The terrible weather conditions plaguing the waters gave rise to her nickname, "Terrible Tilly."


Stories of ghosts began to surface even before they laid the cornerstone. At that time, several fishing boats sank in the turbulent waters. Twenty-five men died. The witnesses said they saw a ghostly ship picking up the souls of the deceased. But the question is... did they get them all? Not long thereafter, spine-chilling moans could be heard on the stairwell. Oh, and by the way? The first surveyor of the project, a man by the name of John Trewavas, was swept into the sea during an attempted landing on the rock. They never found his body.

Skilled laborers from the area refused to work on the project, so Trewavas's replacement, one Charles Ballantyne, had to look for outside help. He kept those men cloistered in the keeper's quarters so local legends wouldn't cause them to "abandon ship," if you get my drift...(ahem). Trouble followed them anyway. A dreadful tempest stranded the crew and during that period of time they all but froze to death and were attacked by sea lions.

Various reports tell us of two ghosts that inhabit Tillamook and they are opposite in nature. Both of them are former lighthouse keepers. The benign ghost loved the lighthouse and the coast of Oregon during his mortality. No one is surprised that he chooses to spend his afterlife inside the Lighthouse. The other keeper is not so nice. During his tenure he threatened to kill anyone who tried to replace him. Enter the new replacement. In the heat of anger, the keeper chased him up the stairs. In defense of his life, the replacement pushed him down the stairs. The local officials deemed him mad and took the keeper away...in a straight jacket. He returned after his death, and from all accounts he is still not happy...

So what do you think? Moans and groans created by the waves and the wind? Or are they made by otherworldly spirits who have a fondness for lighthouses...