8-22-2016 Lighthouse and Cheese Making

We explored the town of Tillimook, home of Tillimook Cheese and Ice Cream and Naval Air Museum.

 The Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum formerly housed blimps that patrolled out of Tillamook to guard against enemy submarines.  Completed in 1943, the two hangars that housed them were the largest wooden clear-span structures ever built.  One of the hangars burned in the 1990's.  Each hangar could house 8 blimps.  The area under roof is equal to seven and half football fields.

 This shows the location of 17 naval air stations during WW2 that housed blimps.

 This is the inside of the building.  No poles--all arches, made of wood.

 This is the end of the hangar.  Outside is a "mini guppy" plane that could be toured.

Inside the "mini guppy".

Jeff decided he would have never qualified as a naval pilot as he stands beside a "trainer."

It was on to the Cape Meares area, home of the Cape Meares Lighthouse.

 This is called the "octupus tree", a Sitka spruce.  The shape could have been determined by Native Americans, or weather.  It is estimated to be 250-300 years old.

 Pacific Ocean from Cape Meares.

 Cape Meares Lighthouse.

 Doug and Mildred inside the lens area of the lighthouse.

Homes built to enjoy the view.

 Have you ever purchased Tillamook Cheese?  It has great flavor.

 Blocks of cheese moving on the line.

 Family sized packages of cheese moving on the line.

These blocks were approximately 41 pounds; each block were being sealed.

We learned that there are approximately 26,000 dairy cows in Tillamook County!

Of course we bought two cheeses--pepper jack and colby!