Point Arena Lighthouse
and Vacation Rentals

45500 Lighthouse Road
P.O. Box 11
Point Arena, California 95468

(707) 882-2777
Toll Free: (877) PALIGHT (725-4448)
Fax: (707) 882-2111
Email: palight@mcn.org

History

Increasing shipping traffic, dangerous reefs, and several tragic shipwrecks all combined in the mid-19th century to prompt the construction of a series of lighthouses along the California coast. One of the most impressive of these was the original Point Arena Light, which began operation in 1870. Located at the tip of a narrow peninsula, it guided ships faithfully for 36 years until it was destroyed by an earthquake.

In April of 1906, a devastating quake struck San Francisco. The movement of the earth was even more powerful near the town of Point Arena, 130 miles north, which was nearly destroyed. The brick and mortar lighthouse was fractured so badly that it was ultimately condemned and torn down. The once-ornate Keepers' residence was also damaged beyond repair. Only the wood-framed Fog Signal Building survived.

Construction of a new tower soon began. The government contracted with a company specializing in factory smokestacks to design a quake-proof structure. The result was the first steel-reinforced concrete lighthouse in the United States. The new 115-foot lighthouse made use of the salvaged iron spiral stairs and lens room from the original light and began operation in January of 1908. The original residence was replaced by four new homes.

Through the years, many changes took place at the Point Arena Light Station. The Lighthouse Service was eliminated, and the Coast Guard took over the task of maintaining the light. In 1977, the Coast Guard automated the light by installing a rotating beacon on the tower balcony, and the 2-ton crystal and brass First Order Fresnel lens went dark. Automation also signaled an end to public access as staff was reduced at the station. The lighthouse remained inaccessible for many years until a group of local enthusiasts approached officials with the idea of allowing public tours. In 1982, this group became a non-profit corporation known as the Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc.

Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc. (PALKI) is a private, non-profit corporation governed by a 7-member board of directors, who serve without financial compensation and are elected by and from the membership. PALKI invites anyone interested in lighthouses and the goals of historical preservation and public access to join with them.

The goals of the Lighthouse Keepers are simple: to preserve this historic lighthouse and station, and to keep them open to the public. In 1984, the Coast Guard and Department of Transportation granted the Lighthouse Keepers a 25-year renewable license to occupy, maintain, and develop Point Arena Light Station as a historical recreation area. In October 1996, the Light Station was deeded to PALKI by federal law, under the charge that it continue to be maintained and preserved as a historical site opened to the public. The Coast Guard will continue to maintain the aids to navigation, and the site will remain a working station.

The Point Arena Lighthouse is open for public tours every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and weekdays in December and January. A modest site admission fee is required for entry. A museum, located in the Fog Signal Building, includes displays of historical equipment and pictures, Coast Guard and ship wreck artifacts and charts, geographical maps and information on the area, and examples of local plants, birds, and whales. Additionally, the work of local artists and photographers is displayed, with occasional special art exhibitions. Tours of the lighthouse tower and museum are conducted by professional docents. Nature tours and bus and school tours are available with advance reservation.

Maintenance and development of the Point Arena Light Station is funded by admission fees, memberships, and lodging fees. The Lighthouse Keepers have total financial responsibility and have never received government assistance or tax dollars. To aid in financing the project, the three Keepers' homes on the property have been renovated and are available year-round to the public as vacation lodging. They offer an unusual opportunity to stay at a working Light Station and to enmesh oneself in the history and natural wonders of the site.

Point Arena Lighthouse hosts over 30,000 visitors annually. It has been featured in two films (Treasure - 1982, and Forever Young with Mel Gibson - 1992), as well as numerous television commercials. Located on a magnificent peninsula with fantastic scenery, the location is a natural draw for whale-watchers, bird-watchers, ocean-watchers, and lighthouse enthusiasts

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