The Heceta Head Lighthouse

Posted: 10.31.2025 | Updated: 10.26.2025

Is the Heceta Head Lighthouse haunted? Well, you might ask the ghost of Rue, the spirit who is said to wear Victorian-era clothing, her striking figure a wispy bit of gray moving along the hallways. What do you think she would say in answer to the question? 

As the approaching night slowly saps the horizon of color, the moon is reduced to a smudged thumbprint behind wispy clouds, and the enveloping darkness comes to life. 

With the picturesque setting —a delicately placed lighthouse on the cliff face, the ocean stretching infinitely to the horizon — it’s no wonder the spirits linger, their hearts taken by the sea. They leave no doubt about their presence. The sights and sounds of spirits are ever-present. 

Wouldn’t you like to learn more about other Portland hauntings? There is plenty to go around. Why not book one of our Portland Ghosts ghost tours for a ghoulishly good time?

Who Haunts Heceta Head Lighthouse?

Perhaps it’s the loneliness of a lighthouse keeper’s life that has linked this location so strongly with its previous residents. Maybe it’s the tragedy of a child’s death. Perhaps it’s the endless rolling sea that touches the heart. 

Whatever the reason, there is more than one spirit in residence at the Heceta Head Lighthouse. One in particular, named Rue, seems to be searching for something she’s lost—the story is equal parts heart-wrenching and chilling. 

Lighthouse History

For centuries, seafarers have relied on the lifeline that lighthouses provide. Their eyes forever searching the night for that sweeping tongue of light lancing through the darkness, guiding them, protecting them from the secrets of the sea.

The Heceta Head Lighthouse is no different. It was built in 1894 and is a marvel of beauty and ingenuity. The site and grounds were purchased for $80,000, and the lighthouse is flanked by two buildings. One for the lighthouse keeper and his family and the other for the assistant lighthouse keepers and their families. 

The most photographed lighthouse in the state, it stands an impressive 56 feet tall atop a 1,000-foot cliff. Its beacon is visible for 21 nautical miles, calling to lost souls out to sea. 

The lighthouse keepers and their families were responsible for maintaining the light and ensuring it remained lit in the harshest weather the Pacific could throw at them. For over 125 years, they were the sole reason ships and crew remained safe while traversing the merciless coastline. In 1963, the lighthouse was finally automated. Fifteen years later, in 1978, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Its service was far from mere lighthouse duty. It served as a barracks for soldiers during World War II. It also became a Lane Community College satellite campus from 1970 to 1995. Most recently, it has been a popular bed-and-breakfast for more than two decades.

The Grey Lady of Lighthouse

With the high winds whipping around the lighthouse structures as the night closes in, it’s easy to grow uneasy and perhaps a little scared. For it’s in the night that the spirits often come calling.

Don’t mind the sound of furniture moving in the locked attic or the sound of a broom being drawn across the worn wooden planks. It’s just Rue, the lady of the lighthouse, keeping things clean. And while it might seem nice to have a ghost housekeeper, her reason for staying is heartbreaking. 

Rue

Although she is the most frequently seen spirit in the Heceta Head Lighthouse, no one knows her real name or who she is. Records regarding lighthouse keepers and their families weren’t well kept at the time. 

You’re probably wondering why she’s been named Rue if no one knew her real name. Well, we can thank a group of Lane Community College students who held a séance, longing to communicate with the spirits. The Ouija board acted as their conduit to the beyond, the planchet moving of its own accord, spelling out R-U-E, and thus she was named. And while her real name remains unknown, her presence most certainly is.

Those who see her are often overwhelmed with a sense of morose sadness. This shouldn’t be surprising, given why she lingers still. She is said to be searching for something or someone. The answer lies a short distance from the lighthouse structures, the stony tooth of a grave marker standing in stark contrast with the rocky cliff, a reminder of a child’s passing. 

It isn’t clear if the girl drowned in the ocean or in the cistern supplying water to the lighthouse structures. It matters not; the loss of her child keeps Rue’s spirit earthbound, forever searching for her lost little girl. 

She is said to be playful, taking things from rooms before putting them back in a completely different place. Rue never keeps those items, she just borrows them for a bit.

Experiences with Rue

On one particular night, the current property manager heard a window break above, broken glass sprinkling across the floor. A few moments later, she heard the sound of a broom sweeping across the floor. Not willing to go up to check in the dark, she waited until morning, when she discovered something incredible.

That broken glass had been swept into a neat little pile.

A guest and her husband watched in silent awe as Rue slowly slipped across the parlor and up the stairs, the sound of furniture moving coming to their ears. 

Another guest reported that Rue would come into her room and sit on the bed. This ties in with staff reporting that after they finish making the beds, there is always a depression in the comforter when they come back to check later.

Haunted Portland

With a storied history rich with tragedy and lingering loss, the Heceta Head Lighthouse remains a bastion of the spirit world, a lighted beacon for Rue and the others that linger earthbound and wanting. Are you curious about other Portland area hauntings? Why not book one of our Portland Ghosts ghost tours to find out more? They are always a spooky good time, communing with history and haunts on each one.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Portland hauntings.

Sources:

• https://www.pdxmonthly.com/travel-and-outdoors/2024/08/heceta-head-lighthouse-ghost-haunted-oregon-coast
• https://oregondiscovery.com/heceta-head-lighthouse-legends
• https://www.columbian.com/news/2017/nov/02/rue-the-resident-ghost-haunts-heceta-head-house/
• https://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/blog/post/heceta-head-lighthouse/
• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/oregon/haunted-and-historic-place-or