Point Arguello Light facts for kids
| Location | Point Arguello Santa Barbara Channel California United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°34′37.4″N 120°38′49.9″W / 34.577056°N 120.647194°W |
| Year first constructed | 1901 (first) 1934 (second) |
| Year first lit | 1967 (current) |
| Automated | 1967 |
| Foundation | concrete base |
| Construction | wooden tower (first) metal skeletal tower (second) post light (current) |
| Tower shape | square tower with balcony and lantern (first) pyramidal tower with balcony and lantern (second) |
| Height | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
| Focal height | 124 feet (38 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens (original), aerobeacon (current) |
| Range | 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 15s. |
| Fog signal | 2 blasts every 20s. continuously |
The Point Arguello Lighthouse is a famous lighthouse in California. It stands on Point Arguello in Santa Barbara County, California. This lighthouse helps guide ships in the Santa Barbara Channel, which is part of the Gaviota Coast. It's also near Vandenberg Space Force Base and the city of Lompoc, California.
The first lighthouse here was built in 1901. It had a white square tower connected to a house for the lighthouse keeper. It used a special Fresnel lens to make its light bright. This lens was moved from the Point Hueneme Lighthouse. Later, in 1934, a new tower made of steel was built. Today, the light is on a simple post.
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History of Point Arguello
The land around Point Arguello was first known as "Nocto" by the Chumash people. They were Native Americans who lived in this area.
In 1769, a Spanish group led by Gaspar de Portolá camped nearby. They found many good flint stones there. So, they named the spot Los Pedernales, meaning "The Flints." This name was used on Spanish maps for many years.
Later, in 1793, George Vancouver named it Point Arguello. He did this to honor José Darío Argüello. Argüello was a leader at the Presidio of Monterey at that time.
Building the Lighthouse
The first lighthouse at Point Arguello was built in 1901. It was managed by the lighthouse service. Because of erosion, the tower was replaced in 1911. This new tower stood on its own.
Between 1934 and 1938, more ships were sailing along the coast. This meant a lifeboat station was needed. In 1934, the old tower was taken down. A new, skeleton-like tower was put up instead.
In 1939, the Lighthouse Service joined with the Coast Guard. This added many people to help with lighthouses. During World War II, the Coast Guard ran the lighthouse and lifeboat station. They also set up a new LORAN Station. In 1958, the lifeboat station was closed. It was decided that it was no longer needed.
Famous Shipwrecks
The area around Point Arguello has seen many shipwrecks. It's even been called the "Graveyard of the Pacific."
One sad event was the wreck of the "Yankee Blade." This happened on October 1, 1854. The steamship hit rocks close to shore. About 415 people lost their lives. The ship was carrying a lot of gold, which was later found.
In 1911, the ship "Santa Rosa" ran aground. This happened north of the lighthouse. The ship's officer thought railroad lights were the lighthouse.
In 1923, a major U.S. Navy accident happened here. It's called the Honda Point Disaster. Seven Navy destroyer ships made a mistake. They thought Point Arguello was Point Conception. Sadly, they sank, and 22 sailors died. Sailors say that bad weather makes this area very tricky. It's like trying to sail through the eye of a needle.
Rockets and Space History
Point Arguello is also special for another reason. It has one of the few rocket launch sites in North America. This is at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Many rockets have been launched from here since the start of the Space Age.
How the Light Works Today
The Point Arguello Light is important for weather reporting. The National Weather Service uses it to share information. This helps people know the weather conditions for the western Santa Barbara Channel.
The light itself is very powerful. It has a 36-inch (910 mm) revolving beacon. This light is 1,100,000 candle power strong. You can see it from about 17 miles (15 nmi; 27 km) out at sea. The light is 124 feet (38 m) above the water.
There is also a special fog signal. It makes two blasts every 20 seconds. This signal turns on when you can see less than 5 miles (8.0 km). When the fog signal is on, it works with a radio beacon. This helps ships figure out how far away they are.
Head Keepers
- William A. Beeman (1900 – 1908)
- William A. Henderson (1908 – at least 1913)
- George A. Hussey (at least 1915)
- Gottfrid Theodor Olson (at least 1917 – at least 1930)
- John O. Lunden (at least 1940 – 1941)
- Leo Y. Kellogg (1941 – at least 1948)
