San Luis Obispo Lighthouse, also known as Port Harford Light, is a lighthouse

Lighthouse

A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....

 in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, on the San Luis Obispo Bay, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

History

The lighthouse at San Luis Obispo was completed in 1890 and is a 40 feet (12.2 m) tower attached to a Victorian style dwelling. The area was originally known as Port Harford. The area was very difficult to access by land. Supplies were by brought in by steamer.

The Fresnel lens

Fresnel lens

A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...

was replaced with a modern beacon in 1969 and the light was automated in 1974. In 1976, the lens was moved to the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society. After restoration, the Fresnel lens was returned to the lighthouse in 2010.

External links

• The Point San Luis Lighthouse Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers