Point San Luis Lighthouse facts for kids
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| Aerial View of San Luis Obispo Lighthouse, March 2016 | |
 Point San Luis Lighthouse
San Luis Obispo Port Harford Location in California
Point San Luis Lighthouse
San Luis Obispo Port Harford Location in the United States
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| Location | Point San Luis Avila Beach, California United States |
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| Coordinates | 35°09′37″N 120°45′39″W / 35.160362°N 120.760882°W |
| Year first constructed | 1890 (first) |
| Year first lit | 1975 (current) |
| Automated | 1974 |
| Deactivated | 1975 (first) |
| Foundation | brick basement |
| Construction | wooden tower (first) metal pole (current) |
| Tower shape | square tower with balcony and lantern attached to keeper's house (first) pole light (current) |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, black lantern |
| Height | 40 feet (12 m) (first) |
| Focal height | 116 feet (35 m) (current) |
| Original lens | Fourth Order Fresnel lens (removed 1969) |
| Range | 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 5s. (night and day) |
| ARLHS number | USA-720 |
| USCG number | 6-0225 |
The Point San Luis Lighthouse, also known as the San Luis Obispo Light Station, is a special building. It is the only lighthouse of its kind, called a Prairie Victorian model, still standing on the West Coast of the United States. This lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. A group of volunteers, called the Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers, are working to fix it up and keep it looking great. You can find this historic lighthouse near Avila Beach, California on the Central Coast of California.
Contents
Why Was the Lighthouse Built?
People realized a lighthouse was needed at Point San Luis way back in 1867. That year, President Andrew Johnson asked his government to look into building one there. In the 1870s, the nearby Port Harford was very busy. About 400 ships arrived there every year, making the need for a lighthouse even clearer.
In 1877, a local newspaper reported that a politician named Romualdo Pacheco tried to get a law passed to build the lighthouse. This first attempt didn't work. But in 1886, the U.S. Congress finally approved the money to build it.
A Shipwreck Helps the Project
Building the lighthouse was delayed for a while. It took a near-disaster with a ship to get the project moving faster. On April 29, 1888, a ship called the Queen of the Pacific started taking on water. It was around 2 AM, and the ship was about 15 miles (24 km) from Port Harford.
The captain tried to steer his ship towards the harbor. But he had to go very slowly because it was dark, and he was worried about hitting rocks at the harbor entrance. The ship made it to within about 500 feet (150 m) of the pier before it sank in only 22 feet (6.7 m) of water. Most of the ship stayed above water, so no one lost their life. However, many people argued that if there had been a lighthouse to guide the ship, it would have easily reached the pier. This event finally pushed the lighthouse project forward.
When the Lighthouse Started Working
The lighthouse was finished in June 1890. Its light shone for the very first time on June 30, 1890. A steam-powered fog whistle, which helped guide ships in foggy weather, started working in 1891.
The lighthouse had a special lens called a Fourth Order Fresnel lens. This lens was designed to create alternating red and white flashes of light every 30 seconds. These flashes could be seen up to 17 nautical miles (31 km) out at sea! In 1969, the original Fresnel lens was taken out and replaced with a new electric light that worked automatically. The old lens is now on display at the Point San Luis Lighthouse. In 1974, the Coast Guard decided the light station was no longer needed for guiding ships.
The Lighthouse Today
In 1992, the Port San Luis Harbor District took over the Point San Luis site from the U.S. government. The agreement was that the lighthouse would be used for history, education, and fun for everyone. In 1995, a non-profit group called the Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers was formed to manage this important task.
In early 2010, to celebrate the lighthouse's 120th birthday, the original Fresnel lens was brought back to the station and put on display. Now, visitors can take a van service to the lighthouse. The Point San Luis Lighthouse offers weekly van tours and guided hikes along the Pecho Coast Trail. It also hosts weddings and special events for the public to enjoy.
Images for kids
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San Luis Obispo Lighthouse, March 2016. Photo: Wolfgang Kaml
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Point San Luis, CA lighthouse and light station, 2009. Photo: Mike Baird
