California Lighthouses

California’s iconic lighthouses beckon visitors with their dazzling coastal vistas and heaps of seaside charm. The towering beacons were once an essential safety aide to 19th century mariners who braved the treacherous, fog-bound coastlines of the Golden State. Today, they’re time pieces brimming with maritime history and enthralling stories of shipwrecks and heroism.

With a coastline that spans more than 800 miles, the state’s lighthouses are as diverse as its geography and culture. While some are still in use as official aids to navigation, others have been repurposed for recreation and tourism. Still others are in disrepair, and yet some have been adopted by non-profits dedicated to their preservation.

The oldest active lighthouse on the West Coast, Point Pinos Lighthouse has been guiding ships to safety along the Pacific coast since 1855. One of the first lighthouses to be built in California, its original third-order Fresnel lens is still used to this day. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and is now part of the Point Sur State Park. The keeper’s house, now a museum, provides a glimpse into the life of a late-nineteenth century lighthouse keeper.

The California Lighthouse Society is devoted to preserving and defending the state’s historic lighthouses through education, advocacy, community outreach, and fundraising. The organization supports local lighthouse-related projects, institutes new lighthouse-related events, and raises awareness of the value and significance of these historic beacons to the public.