Umpqua River Lighthouse

Historical marker location:

1020 Lighthouse Road, Reedsport, Oregon

( Marker is on Lighthouse Road west of Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 101), on the right when traveling north.)

The name "Oregon" comes from a mistake. The name was first used by French Canadian explorers who mispronounced the word "Ouragan" which means "hurricane" in French. They used it to describe the powerful Columbia River, and the name stuck.