Lae o Ha La'au Point Light, southwest point of Moloka'i, Moloka'i, Hawaii
LAE O HA LA'AU POINT LIGHT
Location: SW end of Molokai Island, Hawaii
Station Established: January 2, 1882
Year Current/Last Tower(s) First Lit: 1972
Operational: Yes
Automated: 1912
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials:
Construction Materials: steel
Tower Shape: pole
Height: 20’
Focal Plane: 151’
Markings/Pattern: white
Characteristics: Flashing white every 2.5 sec.
Relationship to Other Structure:
Original Lens: 4th order fresnel
Foghorn:
Historical Information:
- Also known as Kalaeokala’au and La’au Point
- Named for a La’au - a club that had supernatural powers and was given by the gods to Palila, a hero of Kaua’i
- 1878 - H.N. Carleton wrecked on W. end of Molokai
- 1880 - $2500 appropriated for lighthouse on W. end of Molokai
- 1881 - Construction of first lighthouse completed. Lighthouse was a white stone tower with a red lantern.
- 1882 - Light first exhibited
- 1902 - Stone light tower rebuilt and repainted.
- 1906 - Original stone tower replaced by 35’ white, square, pyramidal wooden tower.
- 1912 - Light automated and placed on 20’ cast iron pyramidal skeleton tower. Characteristic changed from fixed white to flashing.
- 1972 - Solar powered light installed on 20’ steel pole with diamond shaped dayboard.
Keepers:
- John W. Burrows (Head Keeper, 1882 - 1898)
- J.R. Burrows (John’s son, Head Keeper, 1898 - 1912)
Researched and written by Marie Vincent, a volunteer through the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.