Pigeon Point Lighthouse (California)

 On June 6, 1853, the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon was shipwrecked on the rocks of a point just south of Half Moon Bay. Funds to build a Lighthouse were appropriated for the lighthouse at the end of 1870, and construction began in 1871. The tower, over 100 feet high, was built with “separate inner and outer walls with an airspace between which insulates the interior ironworks against corrosion.” The walls were 4.5 feet thick. 500,000 bricks were used to build the tower. In fact, it took over a million, since the builders rejected the first batch of 500,000 as being of unacceptable quality. A fog signal and Victorian dwelling for four families was also built at the point. The first-order Fresnel lens was first lit on November 15, 1872. The lens consists of 1008 separate lenses and prisms and weighs over 8000 pounds. The lamp ran on oil until about 1926 when it received electricity. The whistle required large quantities of water, collected in nearby rainsheds, to maintain pressure. In 1911, it was replaced by an air siren. In 1935, a diaphone replaced the air siren. The diaphone was operational until 1976, when it was superseded by silent directional devices, such as radar. In 1939, the Coast Guard assumed control of the station. A radio beacon was installed in 1943. The beautiful old Victorian dwelling was demolished in 1960 and replaced by four cottages. By the 1970’s the signal was automated. An aerobeacon was installed outside the lantern room in 1972. In 1992-1993, the lighthouse underwent a major restoration project. The lighthouse was transferred to the California Parks Department on May 25, 2005, as part of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.

Sponsored by: The Liesen and Quiggle Families
Building Craftsmen: Members of the Lighthouse Club
Lighthouse Dedication: April 05, 2016
GPS: 34º 43′ 10.82″ N – 114º 31′ 56.45″ W
Beacon: Green – Flash: 20 times per minute.
Location: California Bay