Point Piños Lighthouse, Pacific Grove, California
Built in 1855.
POINT PIÑOS LIGHT
Location: SOUTH ENTRANCE TO MONTEREY BAY, NEAR PACIFIC GROVE, CALIFORNIA
Station Established: 1855
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1855
Operational? YES
Automated? 1975
Deactivated: N/A
Foundation Materials: STONE
Construction Materials: BRICK TOWER ON STONE HOUSE
Tower Shape: CONICAL ON SQUARE HOUSE
Markings/Pattern: WITE
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER FRESNEL
HISTORICAL INFORMATION:
- Point Piños Light is the oldest active lighthouse on the West Coast. Even the original lens is still operational.
- The first keeper was Charles Layton. After his death, the local Customs Collector sent letters and petitions from the local citizens to the Lighthouse Board in Washington to appoint Charlotte Layton, Charles’ wife, head keep. Charlotte was followed by another woman Emily Fish.
- Robert Louis Stevenson visited the Point Piños light. He wrote about the light in his book “From Scotland to Silverado”.
- The light remains an active aid to navigation and is open to the public.
Researched and written by Melissa Buckler, a Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Light House Society volunteer.