Old Point Loma Lighthouse (San Diego, California)

 landmark, lighthouse, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, interesting place

On November 15, 1855, the light in the tower of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse sprang to life, marking the beginning of safe maritime activities in San Diego Bay. The lighthouse would provide mariners with a nightly beacon for 36 years. But it was destined to fail.

By 1891, the fog-shrouded light finally bowed to the new lighthouse located 300 feet below. The unused building was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Time, lack of care and vandalism accelerated the process of decay. Within a few years, the building had become a liability for the federal government.

In 1913, when a civic group called the Order of Panama approached the government with a proposal to establish a monument commemorating Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, they found little resistance to the idea of creating Cabrillo National Monument on a one-half-acre plot of land containing the old lighthouse. Perhaps fortunately, their dream of erecting a 150-foot statue of Cabrillo on this site never came to be, and today, it is possible to get a glimpse of what life might have been like in this old Cape Cod-style lighthouse.

From 1913 to 1933, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse underwent several minor restorations. Records indicate that the United States Army, who then had the responsibility for the old building, allocated $350.00 for “repair.” What “repairs” were completed is not known, but the Army encouraged soldiers and their families to live in the old building in an attempt to halt further decay.

Later, the lighthouse was used as a museum depicting the time period when Mr. and Mrs. Robert Israel, the last lighthouse keepers, lived and worked in the building. Furnishings were gradually gathered and placed in the rooms.

The picture frames above the parlor fireplace and on the wall were made by Mrs. Israel and later donated to the park. They demonstrate her ingenuity in fashioning works of art from local materials.

On October 14, 1933, Cabrillo National Monument was transferred to the National Park Service. Using all available records, drawings and observations in existence, restoration began. Rotten wood was replaced. The lean-to was rebuilt. The flooring was replaced. Certain modern concessions were made because of the intended use of the building. Electrical fixtures and plumbing were installed. The basement was completely refinished. All wooden treads and risers in the tower stairway were replaced with metal. Upon completion, a concessioner set up operation in the parlor and operated a tea room in the kitchen. He also lived in the building.

Many visitors remember the early days when you could climb the stairs to the tower and look out across San Diego.

For some, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse and Cabrillo National Monument represent their return from their wartime experiences. For others, this old building presents a glimpse into the past.



A 230-page historic structure report prepared by F. Ross Holland, Jr. and Henry G. Law can be found here: www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/cabr/lighthous...

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