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Carquinez Strait lies approximately 20 miles inland from the
mouth of the San Francisco Bay. To get there by water, a
ship enters the San Francisco Bay, sails northeast through
San Pablo Bay, and continues east. Carquinez Strait separates
San Pablo Bay from Suisun Bay, which in turns leads to the
Sacramento River. In 1901 the Lighthouse Board reported to
Congress the need for a new lighthouse to serve shipping
between the San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River.
Nearby Mare Island
Lighthouse was proving insufficient for
this task.
From 1908-1910, a new lighthouse was constructed. The
lighthouse was constructed at the end of a 1.5 mile pier
jutting out from Carquinez Heights. The magnificent
three-story residence with attached 30-foot tower was lit on
January 15, 1910. The tower housed a fourth-order Fresnel
lens. Air sirens served as a fog signal.
Vertical mushroom trumpet fog signals (horns with mouths
pointed upward, with a cowl on top to reflect the sound
outward) were tested at Carquinez Strait. The idea was that
this type of signal would direct the signal in all
directions, rather than just one. With most lighthouses, the
signal was directed to sea. This new type of signal would
be useful to island stations and lightships. Carquinez
Strait, at the end of along pier, was a good test area.
These signals can be seen aboard some of the retired
lightships which exist today as museums. (Shanks, p. 242)
The lighthouse was closed in 1951. An automated beacon and
fog signal were placed at the end of the pier. The old
structure was subject to years of neglect, and the
fourth-order lens was smashed by vandals. The building was
ultimately saved by investors who moved the residence to Glen
Cove Marina in Vallejo. The residence (sans tower) now
serves as the marina office and a yacht sales show room.
Guardians of the Golden Gate, Shanks pp. 239-247
Umbrella Guide to California Lighthouses (2nd ed.), Nelson pp. 135-137
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