California lighthouses

Pigeon Point Lighthouse experienced its first lighting of the lens on November 15, 1872. Located 50 miles south of San Francisco on Highway 1, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of more than 35 light stations in California. It is open year round for viewing. Perched on a piece of land surrounded by the Pacific Ocean stands Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Historic Park.

Also located approximately 25 Miles north of Santa Cruz and 22 miles south of Half Moon Bay, there's a pullout area with a beach and lighthouse view at Ano Nuevos State Reserve. The 115 foot tall Pigeon Point Lighthouse has stood as an active aid to navigation for over 127 years. Its five-wick lard oil lamp, and first-order Fresnel lens, comprised of 1,008 prisms, was first lit at sunset, November 15, 1872. 

First-Order Fresnel lens and 115 foot Tower The Fresnel lens, manufactured by the French firm, Henry-Lepaute, had been in service at the second Cape Hatteras Light Station, North Carolina in 1863. Sometime after this date, the lens was shipped to California for use at Pigeon Point. The lens stands 16 feet tall, 6 feet in diameter, and weighs 8,000 pounds. It sits in a lantern room that had been constructed at the Lighthouse Service's general depot in New York before being shipped around the Horn. The 115 foot, unreinforced tower was built from approximately 500,000 locally produced bricks. Access to the lens is gained by climbing the 136-step, iron spiral stairway and platforms fabricated by Nuttings & Son, San Francisco. Although the original Fresnel lens is no longer in use, the lighthouse is still an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation using a 24 inch Aero Beacon. 

Built in the days of wooden ships to warn mariners of the dangers of the coast, Pigeon Point Lighthouse has become a popular stop for travelers enjoying the beautiful California coast. A self-guided tour of the grounds is available from 8:00AM to sunset daily. Docent-led tours of the tower, including the lens room, are usually available on weekends, except on rainy days.  *Note: The building suffered structural damage and we were unable to tour the inside of the building on last visit and the interior tours were not available. 

The Pigeon Point Light Station was owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and leased to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, which administered interpretive activities. In 2005, the Pigeon Point Light Station was transferred from the U.S. Coast Guard to California State Parks. Established 134 years ago, the historic light station is 115 feet tall, one of the tallest on the Pacific Coast. California State Parks, in partnership with the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), a leading private, public benefit land trust, made an application to acquire the lighthouse in 2002. In March 2004, the National Park Service selected California State Parks to own and manage the lighthouse and supervise the forthcoming restoration efforts.

For more than 100 years, this light station and others kept the rocky shores of California safe for mariners. The State of California preserved the legacy of this historic and picturesque landmark under the National Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. This Act recommended the transfer of historic lighthouses (at no cost) to federal, state or local government agencies, or nonprofit organizations. The law directs the Secretary of the Interior to work with the U.S. Coast Guard, the General Services Administration and the National Park Service to choose the best stewards for long-term preservation.

With 47 State Historic Parks, California State Parks System viewed Pigeon Point Lighthouse as the focal point of a vast network of protected lands. After raising the funds to purchase the land surrounding the lighthouse, deconstructing a motel planned for the property, and transferring it to the state, the lighthouse and the surrounding lands will be viewed from the sea as they were 100 years ago.

Pigeon Point Light Station was closed to the public in December 2001 after two, large pieces of brick and metal fell from the 115-foot tower. Inspections have shown that after many years without upkeep, the structure has deteriorated and extensive repairs are needed. However, through a public/private partnership with California State Parks, the California State Parks Foundation is spearheading a $5 million fundraising campaign to return the structure to a condition that is safe for public use.

State Parks has operated the Pigeon Point Light Station for the past twenty years under a lease from the U.S. Coast Guard and intends to continue that operation within existing resources. For the restoration effort, the funding will come from private donations.

Under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, about 300 lighthouses are to be transferred, because GPS, Global Positioning Satellite technology, has rendered them obsolete. Pigeon Point is the second light station to be transferred to California State Parks.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse 210 Pigeon Point Rd./Highway One Pescadero, CA 94060 Phone: 650-879-0633 Source of information:  pigeonpointlighthouse.org or parks.ca.gov/

Birding - Over one million birds were observed in one season, passing by Pigeon Point.  It is considered a fantastic spot for bird watching. According to the State Parks web site- you can view "the resident American Black Oystercatcher, as well as Wandering Tattlers (August-May), Surfbirds (September-April) and Black Turnstones (year-around). Pigeon Point is one of the reliable locations, especially during spring and summer, for observing Marbled Murrelets. A few pairs are resident in the area and may often be found feeding just beyond the surf when the sea is not too rough. From November through February a few Ancient Murrelets are often seen here just offshore. During summer months feeding masses of Sooty Shearwaters are seen from here and may number in the tens of thousands." parks.ca.gov
 

Northern Elephant Seals - Visit the only mainland breeding colony of this 4,000 pound marine mammal at Año Nuevo State Reserve, 7 miles south of Pigeon Point on Highway One.  Redwood Forests - Hike through majestic redwoods at Butano State Park, 6 miles east, and other nearby parks. Explore tide pools and windswept beaches, watch for migrating whales (Dec.- May), or visit nearby Pescadero Marsh.