August 4, 2026 3:40 a.m. 

Douglas County Commissioners Tom Kress and Tim Freeman were on location in Winchester Bay on July 29th for a special presentation for National Coast Guard Day and National Lighthouse Day.

In a county release said Commissioner Kress said, “On behalf of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, I want to express our sincere gratitude to the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard serving in North Bend, Coos Bay and at the Umpqua River. Your professionalism, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to protecting our waterways and coastal communities do not go unnoticed. We are honored to recognize your service and celebrate alongside you each year”. Kress thanked the museum staff and the many volunteers at the Umpqua River Lighthouse and Coastal History Museum for preserving and sharing the rich maritime history of the region. History celebrates August 4th, 1790, as the official birthday of the United States Coast Guard.

Commissioners also recognized National Lighthouse Week and Day. They are celebrated each year during the week of August 3rd through 7th and on August 7th. 237 years ago on August 7th, 1789, Congress approved an Act for the establishment and support of lighthouses, beacons, buoys and public piers in the United States. The release said the county is honored to have the 130-year-old, 665-foot-tall Umpqua River Lighthouse. It is one of eleven historical lighthouses that have guided ships to safe passage along the Oregon Coast for over 100 years.

A copy of the live video presentation from the event can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page which is linked with our story at: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment