point arena lighthouse

Click Here to Order a Ready to Frame Luster Print From what I have been lead to believe this is the tallest lighthouse in California. The first Point Arena Lighthouse was constructed in 1870. In April of 1906, a devastating earthquake struck the tower. Everything was damaged so severely that they were rendered condemned, and ultimately torn down. The United States Lighthouse Service contracted with a San Francisco based company to build a new lighthouse here to withstand any future earthquakes. The new design featured steel reinforcement rods encased in concrete, and was the first lighthouse to be built in this manner. The new Lighthouse began operation in 1908, nearly 18 months after the quake. It stands 115 feet tall, and features a 1st Order Fresnel Lens, over six feet in diameter and weighing more than six tons. The lens actually has 258 hand ground crown glass prisms which make up 666 prism faces on it. Wonder what that means? Prior to the introduction of electricity, the lens was rotated by a clockwork mechanism. The Keepers, or "wickies" as they were called, had to hand crank a 160 pound weight up the center shaft of the lighthouse every 75 minutes to keep the lens turning. Light was produced by a "Funks" hydraulic oil lamp, that needed to be refueled every four hours, and whose wicks would have to be trimmed regularly. In 1978, the fog signal at the station was silenced, and a bell buoy was placed nearby. June of 1977 brought the installation of an automated aircraft-type beacon on the balcony tower, and the historic 1st Order Fresnel Lens was discontinued. The 400 pound aircraft beacon has recently been replaced by a 40 pound modern rotating light that incorporates the Fresnel principles for the efficient projection of light. The original oil lamp was visible for approximately 18 miles. In 1984, a nonprofit organization called the Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers acquired the light station as part of a 25 year land lease from the Coast Guard and the Department of Transportation. In November of 2000, the nonprofit group became the official owners of the property due to their diligent historic preservation and educational efforts. Daily visitation, gift store sales, memberships and the rental of the historic Keeper's homes on the property as vacation houses, all provide desperately needed income for ongoing preservation, facility upgrades and educational endeavors.  TITLE point arena lighthouse PHOTOGRAPHIC EDITIONS 750 editions CANVAS EDITIONS 300 editions CREATED ©November 2011