In addition to the light, the station was equipped with a 1,600-pound (730 kg) bell powered by a striking mechanism.

This problem was corrected by building a lighthouse at North Head, two miles from Cape Disappointment.

In 1956, the Coast Guard intended to close the station, but retained the light when the Columbia River bar pilots protested.

An observation deck has been built for the Coast Guard to monitor traffic and bar conditions.

The grounds are open to the public through Cape Disappointment State Park.