United States lightship Columbia (WLV-604)

United States lightship Columbia (WLV-604) is a lightship located in Astoria, Oregon, United States of America. Columbia was formerly moored near the mouth of the Columbia River.

Lightship Columbia
History
US Lighthouse Service United States
NameUSCGC Columbia (WLV-604)
NamesakeColumbia River
BuilderRice Brothers Corporation, Boothbay, Maine
Launched1950
Commissioned1951
Decommissioned1979
HomeportAstoria, Oregon
StatusMuseum ship
General characteristics
Displacement617 long tons (627 t)
Length128 ft (39 m)
Beam30 ft (9.1 m)
Draft11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion1 × 550 hp (410 kW) Atlas-Imperial direct reversing 8-cylinder diesel engine
Speed10.7 knots (19.8 km/h; 12.3 mph)
Complement17 enlisted, 1 warrant officer[1]
Anchor: 7,000 lb (3,200 kg) mushroom anchor
Light: 600 kilocandela lens, 1,200 watt light (13 nmi (24 km; 15 mi) range)
Foghorn: Diaphone foghorn (5 mi (8.0 km) range)
Lightship WAL-604, "Columbia"
United States lightship Columbia (WLV-604) is located in Astoria OR
United States lightship Columbia (WLV-604)
Location1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon
Coordinates46°11′25″N 123°49′26″W
Built1950
ArchitectRice Brothers
NRHP reference No.89002463
Significant dates
Added to NRHPFebruary 17, 1978[2]
Designated NHLDecember 20, 1989[3]

History

Commissioned in 1951, Columbia was the fourth and final lightship stationed at the mouth of the Columbia River. Built by Rice Brothers Shipyard in Boothbay, Maine, Columbia was launched with her sister-ship, Relief (WLV-605). The new WLV-604 replaced the aging vessel LV-93, which had been in service on the Columbia River since 1939. From 1892 until 1979, the Columbia River lightships guided vessels across the Columbia River Bar and an area known as the Graveyard of the Pacific. Columbia was the final lightship to be decommissioned on the U.S. West coast. She was replaced by an automated navigational buoy soon after. The buoy has since been retired.

Because of its importance, the Coast Guard had a permanent 18 man crew stationed on board, consisting of 17 enlisted men and one warrant officer who served as ship's captain. Everything the crew needed had to be on board. In the winter, weeks of rough weather prevented any supplies from being delivered. Life on board the lightship was marked by long stretches of monotony and boredom intermixed with riding gale-force storms. The crew worked two to four week rotations, with ten men on duty at all times.[4][5]

In 1978, Columbia was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was removed from the Register in 1983 due to relocation from its historic location. She was returned to the Register in 1989 when she was declared a National Historic Landmark, listed under the name Lightship WAL-604, "Columbia".[3][6] WLV-604 is now located at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, alongside the navigational buoy that replaced her in 1979.

See also

References
  1. "U.S. Lightship Station Assignments". U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  2. "Department of the Interior, Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service: National Register of Historic Places; Annual Listing of Historic Properties", 44 FR 7416 (February 6, 1979), at p. 7569.
  3. "LIGHTSHIP Wal-604 "COLUMBIA"". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on March 1, 2007. Retrieved November 19, 2007.
  4. "WLV-604-Columbia Lightship". rudyalicelighthouse.net. Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  5. "WLV-605-Lightship RELIEF". rudyalicelighthouse.net. Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  6. Delgado, James P. (June 30, 1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Lightship WAL-604 "Columbia" / Columbia WLV-604". National Park Service. Retrieved February 25, 2016. and
    Delgado, James P. (June 30, 1989). "Accompanying 5 photos, exterior, from c.1960, 1980, 1982". National Park Service. Retrieved February 25, 2016.

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