Trinidad Head Light facts for kids
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| Trinidad Memorial Light (replica) in 2004 | |
 Trinidad Head Light
Location in California
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| Location | Trinidad California United States |
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| Coordinates | 41°3′7.0″N 124°9′5.2″W / 41.051944°N 124.151444°W |
| Year first constructed | 1866 (first) |
| Year first lit | 1871 (current) |
| Automated | 1974 |
| Foundation | stone basement |
| Construction | brick |
| Tower shape | square pyramidal tower |
| Height | 25 feet (7.6 m) |
| Focal height | 196 feet (60 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens (1898) |
| Current lens | 14.8 inches (375 mm) optic |
| Range | 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) |
| Characteristic | Oc W 4s. |
| Fog signal | original: bell current: horn, 1 blast every 30s. |
| Admiralty number | G4408 |
| ARLHS number | USA-855 |
| USCG number | 6-0525 |
The Trinidad Head Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located in Trinidad, California. It stands about 20 miles (32 km) north of Eureka, California. This important lighthouse was first built in 1871 to guide ships safely along the coast.
Contents
History of Trinidad Head Lighthouse
The Trinidad Head Lighthouse was built in 1871. It has a low, square, brick tower painted white. The light itself is only 20 feet (6.1 m) above the ground. However, it sits on a high piece of land called a headland. This makes the light shine from 196 feet (60 m) above the sea.
The Giant Wave of 1914
Even though the lighthouse is very high up, huge ocean waves have sometimes reached it. In 1914, something amazing happened. The lighthouse keeper, F.L. Harrington, saw a giant wave. He reported that the wave was "of unusual height."
When this massive wave hit the cliff, it shook the lighthouse. The light's lens, which usually spun around, stopped moving. The wave shot up the cliff face and over it. The keeper said the solid water seemed to reach as high as where he stood in the lantern room. The wave then crashed onto the land around the tower. It hit the lighthouse tower near its balcony. The entire area between the tower and the cliff was covered in water.
This wave was the tallest ever recorded on that coast. After it hit, the lighthouse light went out. But Lightkeeper Harrington, who worked there from 1888 to 1916, quickly fixed it. He had the light working again in just four hours!
Buildings and Structures at the Lighthouse
When it was first built, the lighthouse station had a small, two-story light tower. It also had a house for the lighthouse keeper and a small barn.
Fog Signals and Bells
In 1898, a special building called a bell house was added. A very heavy 4,000-pound (1,800 kg) bell was put inside. This bell was operated by weights and helped ships find their way in foggy weather. Because of the new bell, a second keeper was needed. So, the living quarters were made bigger for two families.
In 1947, the fog signal changed from a bell to an air horn. This horn made a loud sound to warn ships.
The Memorial Lighthouse
In 1949, the Trinidad Civic Club built a copy of the lighthouse tower. This copy is in a park overlooking the harbor. They put the original lens from the real lighthouse inside it. This memorial was made to remember people lost at sea. The 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) bell is also displayed next to this memorial tower.
Changes Over Time
In the late 1960s, the Coast Guard removed the original keeper's house and barn. They built a new building with three apartments for the keepers.
The fog signal was stopped in 1974 when the lighthouse became automated. This means machines took over the work. However, people in Trinidad Head complained a lot. So, the Coast Guard had to put in a new fog signal. This new signal, called an ELG 300, uses a fog detector. It now works from the original bell house. The main lighthouse tower itself has stayed mostly the same over the years.
Head Keepers of the Lighthouse
- Jeremiah Kiler (1871 – 1888)
- William A. Henderson (1888)
- Frederick L. Harrington (1888 – 1916)
- Josephine I. Harrington (1916)
- Edward Wiborg (1916 – at least 1930)
- Malcolm Cady (at least 1932 – 1940)
- Perry S. Hunter (1940 - at least 1946)
National Register of Historic Places
The Trinidad Head Lighthouse is a very important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1991. Its official name on the list is "Trinidad Head Light Station." The old fog-signal building from 1900 is considered a "contributing building." This means it adds to the historical importance of the site. The 1871 lighthouse tower is also listed as a "contributing structure." However, the keeper's building built in 1969 is not considered part of the original historic listing.
