List of lighthouses in California

Summary

There are several lighthouses in the U.S. state of California, including a few listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lighthouse Friends (California)

Name Image Location Coordinates Year first lit Automated Year deactivated Current Lens Focal Height
Alcatraz Island Light San Francisco
(Alcatraz Island)
37°49′34.5″N 122°25′19.8″W / 37.826250°N 122.422167°W / 37.826250; -122.422167 1854 (First)
1909 (Current)
1963 Active DCB-24 214 214 ft (65 m)
Anacapa Island Light Anacapa Island 34°00′57″N 119°21′34″W / 34.015827°N 119.359548°W / 34.015827; -119.359548 1912 (First)
1932 (Current)
1967[1] Active DCB-24 277 277 ft (84 m)
Ano Nuevo Light Año Nuevo Island 37°06′30″N 122°20′16″W / 37.1083°N 122.3378°W / 37.1083; -122.3378
(Island coordinates)
1890 (First)
1914 (Last)
Never 1948
(Cut down in 1976)
None Un­known
Ballast Point Light San Diego
(Point Loma)
32°41′11.0″N 117°13′57.0″W / 32.686389°N 117.232500°W / 32.686389; -117.232500 1890 Never 1960A
(Demolished)
None Un­known
Battery Point Light Crescent City 41°44′39″N 124°12′11″W / 41.744094°N 124.203099°W / 41.744094; -124.203099 1856 1953 Active
(Inactive: 1965–1982)
375mm 077 77 ft (23 m)
Cape Mendocino Light Shelter Cove 40°26′23.66″N 124°24′21.71″W / 40.4399056°N 124.4060306°W / 40.4399056; -124.4060306 1868 1951 1971B
(Replaced)
None 422 422 ft (129 m)
Carquinez Strait Light Vallejo 38°04′04″N 122°12′50″W / 38.067816°N 122.213832°W / 38.067816; -122.213832 1910 Never 1951
(Replaced by beacon)
None 056 56 ft (17 m)
East Brother Island Light Richmond 37°57′48″N 122°26′01″W / 37.963233°N 122.433643°W / 37.963233; -122.433643 1874 1969 Active FA 251 061 61 ft (19 m)
Farallon Island Light San Francisco
(Farallon Islands)
37°41′56″N 123°00′06″W / 37.698966°N 123.001651°W / 37.698966; -123.001651 1856 1972 Active VRB-25 358 358 ft (109 m)
Fort Point Light San Francisco 37°48′38″N 122°28′38.4″W / 37.81056°N 122.477333°W / 37.81056; -122.477333 1855 (First)
1864 (Current)
Never 1934
(Replaced by bridge)
None 110 110 ft (34 m)
Humboldt Harbor Light Eureka
(Humboldt Bay)
40°46′7.1″N 124°13′15.7″W / 40.768639°N 124.221028°W / 40.768639; -124.221028 1856 Never 1892
(Collapsed in 1933)
None 045 45 ft (14 m)
Lime Point Light San Francisco 37°49′32″N 122°28′42″W / 37.825447°N 122.478321°W / 37.825447; -122.478321 1900 1961 Active None 020 20 ft (6.1 m)
Lions Lighthouse for Sight Long Beach 33°45′37″N 118°11′39″W / 33.7602334°N 118.1941101°W / 33.7602334; -118.1941101 2000[2] Un­known Un­known Un­known 065.62 65.62 ft (20.00 m)[2]
Long Beach Light Long Beach
(Port of Long Beach)
33°43′24″N 118°11′13″W / 33.723237°N 118.186821°W / 33.723237; -118.186821 1949 Always Active Un­known 050 50 ft (15 m)
Los Angeles Harbor Light Los Angeles
(Port of Los Angeles)
33°42′31″N 118°15′06″W / 33.70857°N 118.25160°W / 33.70857; -118.25160 1913 1973 Active DCB-24 073 73 ft (22 m)
Mare Island Light Vallejo
(Mare Island)
38°04′29″N 122°15′02″W / 38.074834°N 122.250464°W / 38.074834; -122.250464 1873 Never 1917
(Demolished in the 1930s)
None 076 76 ft (23 m)
Mile Rocks Light San Francisco 37°47′34″N 122°30′37″W / 37.792765°N 122.510366°W / 37.792765; -122.510366 1906 1966 Active DCB-24 049 49 ft (15 m)
Oakland Harbor Light Oakland 37°46′53″N 122°14′38″W / 37.781335°N 122.243817°W / 37.781335; -122.243817 1890 (First)
1903 (Last)
Never 1966C None Un­known
Parkers' Lighthouse Long Beach 33°45′36″N 118°11′31″W / 33.7598744°N 118.1920629°W / 33.7598744; -118.1920629 Un­known Un­known Un­known Un­known Un­known
Piedras Blancas Light San Simeon 35°39′56.3″N 121°17′03.6″W / 35.665639°N 121.284333°W / 35.665639; -121.284333 1875 1975 Active VRB-25 142 142 ft (43 m)
Pigeon Point Light Half Moon Bay 37°10′54.3″N 122°23′38.1″W / 37.181750°N 122.393917°W / 37.181750; -122.393917 1872 1974 Active DCB-24 148 148 ft (45 m)
Point Arena Light Point Arena 38°57′17.1″N 123°44′25.8″W / 38.954750°N 123.740500°W / 38.954750; -123.740500 1870 (First)
1908 (Current)
1977 Active DCB-224 155 155 ft (47 m)
Point Arguello Light Lompoc
(Point Arguello)
34°34′37.4″N 120°38′49.9″W / 34.577056°N 120.647194°W / 34.577056; -120.647194 1901 (First)
1934 (Last)
1934 1967D None 124 124 ft (38 m)
Point Blunt Light San Francisco
(Angel Island)
37°51′11.64″N 122°25′9.25″W / 37.8532333°N 122.4192361°W / 37.8532333; -122.4192361 1915 (First)
1956 (Current)
1976 Active Un­known 060 60 ft (18 m)
Point Bonita Light San Francisco
(Point Bonita)
37°48′56″N 122°31′46″W / 37.815614°N 122.529578°W / 37.815614; -122.529578 1855 (First)
1877 (Current)
1980 Active Second-order Fresnel 124 124 ft (38 m)
Point Cabrillo Light Caspar 39°20′54.97″N 123°49′34.02″W / 39.3486028°N 123.8261167°W / 39.3486028; -123.8261167 1909 1973 Active Third-order Fresnel 081 81 ft (25 m)
Point Conception Light Lompoc
(Point Conception)
34°26′55.51″N 120°28′14.71″W / 34.4487528°N 120.4707528°W / 34.4487528; -120.4707528 1856 (First)
1882 (Current)
1973 Active VRB-25 133 133 ft (41 m)
Point Diablo Light San Francisco
(Golden Gate)
37°49′13″N 122°29′58″W / 37.820171°N 122.499423°W / 37.820171; -122.499423 1923 Always Active Un­known Un­known
Point Fermin Light Los Angeles
(San Pedro)
33°42′20″N 118°17′37″W / 33.705420°N 118.293649°W / 33.705420; -118.293649 1874 Never 1942 None 120 120 ft (37 m)
Point Hueneme Light Port Hueneme 34°08′43″N 119°12′36″W / 34.145176°N 119.210019°W / 34.145176; -119.210019 1874 (First)
1941 (Current)
1972 Active LED 052 52 ft (16 m)
Point Knox Light San Francisco 1900 Un­known 1963
(Demolished)
None Un­known
Point Loma Light (old) San Diego
(Point Loma)
32°40′19″N 117°14′27″W / 32.671983°N 117.240938°W / 32.671983; -117.240938 1855E Never 1891 Third-order Fresnel
(Deactivated)
462 462 ft (141 m)
Point Loma Light (new) San Diego
(Point Loma)
32°39′54″N 117°14′33″W / 32.665071°N 117.242621°W / 32.665071; -117.242621 1891 1973 Active VLB-44 088 88 ft (27 m)
Point Montara Light Montara 37°32′11″N 122°31′10″W / 37.536503°N 122.519311°W / 37.536503; -122.519311 1900 (First)
1928 (Current)
1970 Active FA 251 070 70 ft (21 m)
Point Pinos Light Pacific Grove 36°38′00″N 121°56′02″W / 36.633389°N 121.933783°W / 36.633389; -121.933783 1855 1975 Active Third-order Fresnel 089 89 ft (27 m)
Point Reyes Light Point Reyes Station
(Point Reyes)
37°59′44″N 123°01′24″W / 37.995621°N 123.023215°W / 37.995621; -123.023215 1870 1975 Active First-order Fresnel 265 265 ft (81 m)
Point San Luis Light Avila Beach 35°09′37″N 120°45′39″W / 35.160362°N 120.760882°W / 35.160362; -120.760882 1890 1974 1975D None 116 116 ft (35 m)
Point Sur Light Carmel-by-the-Sea 36°18′22.79″N 121°54′05.36″W / 36.3063306°N 121.9014889°W / 36.3063306; -121.9014889 1889 1972 Active DCB-224 270 270 ft (82 m)
Point Vicente Light Rancho Palos Verdes 33°44′31″N 118°24′39″W / 33.741867°N 118.410738°W / 33.741867; -118.410738 1926 1973 Active Third-order Fresnel 155 155 ft (47 m)
Punta Gorda Light Petrolia 40°14′58″N 124°21′01″W / 40.249433°N 124.350220°W / 40.249433; -124.350220 1912 Never 1951 None Un­known
Roe Island Light Roe Island 38°04′04″N 122°01′41″W / 38.067856°N 122.028166°W / 38.067856; -122.028166 1891 Never 1945
(Later destroyed)
None 041 41 ft (12 m)
Rubicon Point Light South Lake Tahoe 38°59′45″N 120°05′41″W / 38.99583°N 120.09472°W / 38.99583; -120.09472 1919 Never 1921 None 200 200 ft (61 m)
Santa Barbara Light Santa Barbara 34°23′47″N 119°43′21″W / 34.396320°N 119.722625°W / 34.396320; -119.722625 1856 (First)
1928 (Current)
1928 Active Un­known 142 142 ft (43 m)
Santa Cruz Light Santa Cruz 36°57′05.34″N 122°01′36.36″W / 36.9514833°N 122.0267667°W / 36.9514833; -122.0267667 1870 (First)
1967 (Current)
1941 Active? Un­known 060 60 ft (18 m)
Santa Cruz Breakwater Light Santa Cruz
(Santa Cruz harbor)
36°57′38.5″N 122°00′08.0″W / 36.960694°N 122.002222°W / 36.960694; -122.002222 1964 (First)
2002 (Current)
Always Active Un­known 060 60 ft (18 m)
Southampton Shoal Light San Francisco Bay 37°52′54.981″N 122°24′00.837″W / 37.88193917°N 122.40023250°W / 37.88193917; -122.40023250 1905 Never 1960
(Moved to yacht club)
None Un­known
St. George Reef Light Crescent City 41°50′11″N 124°22′33″W / 41.83633°N 124.37587°W / 41.83633; -124.37587 1892 Never Active
(Inactive: 1975–2012)
Un­known 146 146 ft (45 m)
Sugar Pine Point Light Tahoma 39°03′41″N 120°06′50″W / 39.061266°N 120.113971°W / 39.061266; -120.113971 1921 Never 1985D None Un­known
Table Bluff Light Table Bluff 40°41′45.02″N 124°16′26.16″W / 40.6958389°N 124.2739333°W / 40.6958389; -124.2739333 1892 1953 1971 None Un­known
Trinidad Head Light Trinidad 41°3′7.0″N 124°9′5.2″W / 41.051944°N 124.151444°W / 41.051944; -124.151444 1871 1974 Active 375mm 196 196 ft (60 m)
Yerba Buena Light San Francisco
Yerba Buena Island
37°48′26.27″N 122°21′44.29″W / 37.8072972°N 122.3623028°W / 37.8072972; -122.3623028 1875 1958 Active Un­known 095 95 ft (29 m)

Notable Faux Lighthouse edit

Name Image Location Year built Status Lens used Height
Passamaquoddy Lighthouse
(Used in the 1977 movie Pete's Dragon)
Los Osos[3] 1976 torn down after filming[4] Fresnel Lens
(Replica)
052 52 ft (16 m)

Notes edit

A.^ Ballast Point Light was moved in 1960 to the bell tower which had served as a fog signal building as the 1890 tower had been declared unsafe. The light shone from the top of the bell tower until 1961 when it was replaced by an offshore light.
B.^ The tower was abandoned in 1971 when the beacon was moved to a nearby modern pole. This light was discontinued in 2013 fifteen years after the old tower was moved to a new spot and restored.
C.^ Parts of the old structure now have separate owners, today an automated beacon is in active service.
D.^ Light moved to a pole.
E.^ Old Point Loma Light was built a few months after the lighthouse at Point Pinos making it the second oldest in the state still standing.

References edit

  1. ^ "Anacapa Island Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "The Lions Lighthouse for Sight, Long Beach | 1209333 | EMPORIS". Emporis. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  3. ^ Pete's Dragon. Bonus Features: Film Facts (DVD). Disney Enterprises (distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment).
  4. ^ Stacy Conradt (March 4, 2016). "12 Brazzle-Dazzle Facts About Pete's Dragon". Mental Floss. Retrieved October 9, 2017.