Existing comment:
Point Loma Lighthouse (1855-1891):
San Diego's first lighthouse guided ships along the coast and marked the entrance to the harbor for over 30 years. A captain reported seeing the light from as far as 39 miles (63km). For many years, it was the highest coastal light in the country -- over 400 feet above sea level (120m) -- so high that fog and low clouds often made it difficult to see. A new lighthouse was built at a lower elevation in 1891.
The primary duty of the lightkeeper and his assistant was to keep the lantern burning brightly and steadily from sundown to sunup. They polished the lens, trimmed the wicks, refuelled the lamp, and kept the plate glass windows and metalwork of the lantern spotless. |