Cape Arago State Park occupies the Pacific headland known as Cape Arago on the Oregon coast, southwest of Coos Bay and reached by Cape Arago Highway. The site is significant for combining a dramatic shoreline setting with a long maritime history. In 1579, Sir Francis Drake is said to have sought shelter for the Golden Hind in nearby waters. On March 12, 1778, James Cook named the point Cape Gregory after the saint of that day, and it was later renamed Cape Arago for François Arago. Today it remains a public coastal site within Oregon’s state park system, associated with the nearby Cape Arago Light.