St. George Reef Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
The St. George Reef Light is an inactive lighthouse
located six miles (10 km) off the coast of northern California
near Crescent City
.
. However, this site, battered by stormy waters, presented challenges to the designer as well as hazardous conditions for construction workers and, later, for lightkeepers. Unlike the typical lighthouse design by federal architect Ammi B. Young
, which consisted of a separate keeper's cottage and light tower, the living quarters and light tower at St. George Reef Light were housed in the same medieval fortress-like structure on top of a 50 feet (15.2 m) high foundation.
The light was first illuminated on October 20, 1892. It stands 144 feet (43.9 m) above the waterline. The first complete survey of the rock was done in 1882, and construction began in 1883, with the blasting of the rock into a stepped pyramid to form the core that anchored the caisson to the rock. Construction was erratic for several years due to lack of funds allotted by Congress. Work was finally completed in 1891, but the lighthouse awaited arrival of its lens from France until the following year. When the light finally became operational in 1892, the total construction expense came to $752,000- making it the most expensive lighthouse ever built in the US and more than double the initial estimate.
The lighthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
and was commemorated on a USPS postage stamp in 2007.
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....
located six miles (10 km) off the coast of northern 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...
near Crescent City
Crescent City, California
Crescent City is the county seat and only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California. Named for the crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach south of the city, Crescent City had a total population of 7,643 in the 2010 census, up from 4,006 in the 2000 census...
.
Location
A rare wave-washed sentinel where the ocean hits from all sides, its beacon and fog signal warned ships of the nearby treacherous rocks and reefs. The light's location was selected because the area had a history of serious maritime accidents and its construction was a direct result of the wreck in 1865 of the Brother JonathanBrother Jonathan (steamer)
The Brother Jonathan was a paddle steamer that crashed on an uncharted rock near Point St. George, off the coast of Crescent City, California, on July 30, 1865. The ship was carrying 244 passengers and crew with a large shipment of gold. Only 19 survived the wreck, making it the deadliest shipwreck...
. However, this site, battered by stormy waters, presented challenges to the designer as well as hazardous conditions for construction workers and, later, for lightkeepers. Unlike the typical lighthouse design by federal architect Ammi B. Young
Ammi B. Young
Ammi Burnham Young was an important 19th century American architect whose commissions transitioned from the Greek Revival to the Neo-Renaissance styles. His Second Vermont State House brought him fame and success, which eventually led him to become the first Supervising Architect of the U.S....
, which consisted of a separate keeper's cottage and light tower, the living quarters and light tower at St. George Reef Light were housed in the same medieval fortress-like structure on top of a 50 feet (15.2 m) high foundation.
Construction
Operations
Duty at St. George Reef was among the most difficult of any station, due to its remote location and being surrounded by unpredictable, treacherous seas. Several people died during its construction and operation, dozens resigned or sought transfer, and a few even suffered mental breakdowns. Supplies came by launch and the entire boat was hooked on the large boom and lifted to a boat deck at the base of the caisson. Storms routinely crested over the top deck of the caisson, and in 1952 storm waves even broke the windows in the lantern room 150 feet (45.7 m) above sea level with seawater streaming down the tower's staircase.Termination and preservation efforts
The light station was replaced by a "floating lighthouse" buoy and decommissioned in 1975, and its 8 feet (2.4 m)-high first-order Fresnel lens was removed in 1983 for display at the Del Norte County Historical Museum in Crescent City. In 1996, transfer of the lighthouse to the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society was completed. The society conducts ongoing restoration work as well as tours of the site by helicopter from October through June.The lighthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and was commemorated on a USPS postage stamp in 2007.
Historical Information from USCG web site
Sources
- Sentinel of the Seas: Life and Death at the Most Dangerous Lighthouse Ever Built, Dennis Powers, 2007