Pigeon Point Lighthouse Marks 154 Years: Nov. 14 Celebration Lights the Fresnel Lens Up Close
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, perched on the central California coast in San Mateo County, 50 miles south of San Francisco, celebrates the 154th lighting of the lighthouse's Fresnel lens on Saturday, November 14, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Admission and parking at the park are free.
The celebration includes lighthouse crafts and games, a look at how the Fresnel lens works, a presentation about whales, a bird walk and a walking tour around the historic lighthouse grounds. Visitors can also talk with local historian JoAnn Semones about her newest book on the history of Pigeon Point.
Visitors who stay late can see the Fresnel lens lit up close inside the historic Fog Signal Building, for the last time before the lens returns to the tower next year. The first-order lens, made of 1,008 prisms, stands 16 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter and weighs 2,000 pounds. It was first lit at sunset on November 15, 1872.
The 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in America, has guided mariners since 1872. The original lens is no longer in use, and the lighthouse remains an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation with an automated LED beacon. The lighthouse itself is closed while restoration, which began in February 2024, continues, but the tower can be viewed from the grounds.
Dogs are not permitted on the lighthouse grounds, except for service animals, and smoking and drones are not allowed in the park. Restrooms and a few picnic tables sit near the parking lot, a park store operates in the historic carpenter's shop, and a small public beach lies 100 yards from the main parking lot. Guided history walks of the grounds are also offered on Sundays at 2 p.m.
(Source: California State Parks)
Source: California State Parks
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片来源：Wikimedia Commons「Pigeon Point Lighthouse (2016)」（CC BY-SA 4.0），图中为Pigeon Point灯塔 Image: Wikimedia Commons, "Pigeon Point Lighthouse (2016)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), showing the Pigeon Point Lighthouse
