The Tallest Lighthouse in California Is a Majestic 115-Foot Tall Work of Art

Written by Carrie Woodward
Updated: June 14, 2023
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How do you build a lighthouse that can withstand earthquakes? When the United States Lighthouse Board built one of the tallest lighthouses in the state of California, they provided specific instructions. They told the construction company in San Francisco that the new lighthouse in Mendocino County must be able to survive the earthquakes that shake California’s coast. However, they did so for good reason.

Back in 1870, the company built the first iteration of this new tower, the Point Arena Lighthouse. The location was on a peninsula just two miles north of Point Arena, California. After a devastating earthquake toppled the first tower, the Point Arena community had the chance to rebuild. The second tower was taller and better than before. However, the current Point Arena Lighthouse is not the only tall lighthouse in California.

Rather, it is tied with another, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. The two tie for the tallest lighthouse in California and the 34th tallest lighthouse in the country. Both stand at 115 feet tall.

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse is just down the Pacific Coast. The light station sits on the coastal highway, five miles south of Pescadero, California. However, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is not open to the public for climbs to the top. Because of that, this article will focus on the Point Arena Lighthouse.

History of the Point Arena Lighthouse in California

Point Arena Lighthouse

The large number of shipwrecks prompted the U.S. Government to order a lighthouse be constructed at Point Arena’s endpoint.

© Andrew Zarivny/Shutterstock.com

Back in the 1500s, the Spanish came to California. At the time, they named the peninsula jutting out into the Pacific Ocean “Cabo de Fortunas” after their long journey. Eventually, the cape was renamed “Punta Delgado,” or “narrow point.” Then they called it “Punta Barra de Arena,” or “sandbar point.” Finally, the name changed once more to “Point Arena,” which means “sand point.”

Dating back to the 1500s and before, Point Arena was an important navigational site for traders. With the development of California, people built the first wharf at Point Arena in 1866. After that, Point Arena became a major shipping site for agricultural products and lumber. The Northern California trees were an ample source of wood to be shipped away for building. However, with increased trade came a reputation for the area around Point Arena being a dangerous coastline for ships.

The large number of shipwrecks prompted the U.S. Government to order a lighthouse be constructed at Point Arena’s endpoint. The intention was to provide help to guide ships and reduce shipwrecks. This is when the first lighthouse at Point Arena was built, made from over 600,000 bricks. It was 22 feet in diameter and 100 feet high. The ornate iron balcony on the brick-and-mortar tower allowed four light keeper families to remain in residence to tend to the lighthouse. Thankfully, the lighthouse did its job and provided guidance to ships as far as 19 miles out to sea.

Rebuilding After an Earthquake

However, then the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 devastated buildings in the region. Sadly, the original Point Arena lighthouse was destroyed too. Along with many other buildings in Point Arena, the lighthouse keeper’s residence and lighthouse itself were damaged so severely that they had to be condemned and torn down. 

This did give the community the chance to rebuild even better than before. After the earthquake, the U.S. Lighthouse Service worked with a local San Francisco company to build a new lighthouse. This one would be constructed to withstand earthquakes, incorporating steel reinforcement rods encased in concrete. This was the first lighthouse built in this way. The lighthouse was rebuilt and, starting in September 1908, once again shone its light for ships in the nearby ocean. 

The Legacy of the Point Arena Lighthouse

Today, the Point Arena Lighthouse has been guiding mariners to safety for hundreds of years. Since being acquired by a non-profit association called the Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc., in November 2000, the property has been managed with a focus on historic preservation and education. Visitors can still see the historic lighthouse keeper’s homes on the property. They may visit the 115-foot lighthouse tower and see the 1896 fog signal. Additionally, they can enjoy the 23 acres on which the lighthouse stands. 

Lighthouse Activities

Swimmer near a humpback whale

Not only that, but the Point Arena Light Station is also a premier whale-watching spot. You may spot humpback whales throughout the year.

©anna sanfeliu gozalvez/Shutterstock.com

Visit the Point Arena Light Station today and you can enjoy the Light Station store, indoor museum, and outdoor museum. The Point Arena Lighthouse offers daily tower tours, with special night tours on the Saturday closest to the full moon. Visiting the grounds gives you the chance to learn a bit of local history. Discover the shipwrecks that plagued the area prior to the lighthouse’s construction. Alternatively, dive into the in-depth history of the lighthouse’s features over time.

The Point Arena Light Station also offers a special guest experience. Six on-site vacation cottages allow guests to experience the beautiful Point Arena peninsula at all times of day and night. As the weather changes, visitors can take in the Pacific coast and nearby wildlife. Sometimes the weather is brilliantly sunny. At other times, you may find the lighthouse shrouded in fog and oozing mystery and romance.

Not only that, but the Point Arena Light Station is also a premier whale-watching spot. From late November through May, you can watch the migration of gray whales. You may catch sight of humpback whales throughout the year. The Light Station’s tower, bluffs, gazebo, and walking trails provide the ultimate opportunity to watch birds and whales travel by.

Visitor Information

Visitors aged 12 years and up must pay the Site Visit Fee of $5 per person for admission. This grants access to the Light Station Store, Fog Signal Building Museum, and a 23-acre Outdoor Museum. Tower Tours are available to guests 6 years and older for an additional fee of $5. The Point Arena Light Station is open daily. Please visit the website to learn more about special full moon night tours, self-guided tours, and events.

Geographic Location of the Point Arena Lighthouse in California’s Mendocino Coast 

The Point Arena Lighthouse is located on the Point Arena peninsula, which is on the Mendocino coast of California, about 150 miles north of San Francisco.  This area has three marine protected areas, which include a diverse marine environment. These include the Point Arena State Marine Reserve, Point Arena State Marine Conservation Area, and the Sea Lion Cove State Marine Conservation Area. The marine area by Point Arena features rock walls, reefs, pinnacles, sheer cliffs, caverns, and sandy seafloor. The coastline offers tidepools, rocky shorelines, and beds of kelp. As a result of Point Arena’s great biodiversity, the region is a hotbed for visitors, and the area is a key destination for scuba divers, whale watchers, and birdwatchers.

As part of the Mendocino coast of California, the area is known for its natural beauty. This part of Northern California is geographically diverse, and has tall Redwood trees, beautiful beaches, coastal cliffs, and immense biodiversity. The area is home to numerous state parks, reserves, camping grounds, and botanical gardens. The Point Arena State Marine Reserve and Point Arena State Marine Conservation Area are among them, as two connected protected areas offshore of the coast. Together, these areas comprise 11.11 square miles. These are two of California’s 22 marine protected areas, reserved under the Marine Protection Act Initiative.  

Wildlife Around the Point Arena Lighthouse

Giant Pacific Octopus

Over 250 species of invertebrates, many fish, seabirds, and marine mammals call this part of California home, including giant Pacific octopus.

©karen crewe/Shutterstock.com

The ocean and land surrounding the Point Arena Lighthouse are teeming with diverse wildlife. In fact, over 250 species of invertebrates, many fish, seabirds, and marine mammals call this part of California home. In the water, rocky reefs, kelp forests, and underwater caves are home to red abalone, yelloweye, vermillion rockfish, lingcod, and giant Pacific octopus. Each year, marine mammals like seals and sea lions come to the rocky reefs along the coastline. Whale watchers look for the migration of gray whales, humpback whales, and blue whales that travel near the Point Arena area. If you are lucky, you may even see some more unusual visitors, such as orcas, northern elephant seals, and river otters.

On land, Point Arena is also home to numerous endangered species. These include the Point Arena mountain beaver, which has been on the Federal Endangered List for over 30 years. 

In the sky surrounding Point Arena, look out for the many birds that fly overhead and make stops in the oceanside bluffs. At the Point Arena Light Station, you may see pelagic cormorants, great blue herons, ravens, sharp shinned hawks, peregrine falcons, bald eagles, western screech owls, and ospreys.

Where is the Point Arena Lighthouse in California Located on a Map?

The Point Arena Light, situated in Mendocino County, California, is located just two miles north of Point Arena itself. It belongs to the Fort Point Group of lighthouses and is positioned approximately 130 miles north of San Francisco. Visitors to the lighthouse can explore a small museum and browse through the gift shop, adding to the charm of the site.

Here is the Point Arena Lighthouse in California on a map:

The photo featured at the top of this post is © travelview/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Carrie is a writer and fan of all types of plants and animals. Her apartment is home to more than dozen different houseplants and she aspires to adopt more in the near future. You can find Carrie taking long walks or reading a book under the trees in the park.

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