The Tillamook Rock Lighthouse and its history can be traced back to 1881 when it was lit for the first time by then Principal Keeper, Albert Roeder. The construction of the lighthouse took 500 days and it was known to be the most expensive lighthouse ever built during that period.

However, the lighthouse was not strong enough as violent storms came and went over the years after its construction. The original lens was destroyed in 1934 from a damaging storm and communication was shut down. The keepers back then installed their own makeshift radio to communicate with officials for assistance for the damages left by the storm.

Today, the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse is not operational. Most of what is heard from the Rock are the sounds coming from the sea lions and birds. The lighthouse is now included in the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and is fully registered at the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

While the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse is now a protected area, the historians strived to continue to collect more information about the men and a few women who served as the light keepers of the said lighthouse. Documentation of the early keepers is of great importance as it will shed more light on how many years they spent as keepers of the lighthouse. Those who want to contribute and share stories about an Oregon Keeper, particularly in this lighthouse, may visit the Oregon?s Light Stations.

While documentation is taking place, the United States Lighthouse Society on the other hand is pushing forward the restoration and preservation of the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse and other destroyed lighthouses around the US.

For educational purposes, the State of Oregon established the Junior Lighthouse Keepers to teach and give young children an insight about the lighthouses and lighthouse keepers - including the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.