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Humboldt Bay Lighthouses

Humboldt Bay sketch

 

Humboldt Bay is the largest harbor in California north of San Francisco, and site of a pair of lighthouses. In the 1850's the area became an entry point for miners searching for California gold. The bay was one of the locations chosen for California's first seven lighthouses.

The $15,000 light was completed and lit in 1856. The light was built on the north spit of Humboldt Bay. The station was a single dwelling with a tower built through the center of the roof. The original tower was eventually raised to improve visibility. The tower housed a fourth-order Fresnel lens visible for fourteen miles. A steam whistle was added in 1874.

The lighthouse at the north spit served until 1892. The light was battered by a combination of erosion, storms, and earthquakes. By 1876, the keeper reported waves within 20 feet of the lighthouse. An 1877 earthquake cracked the tower and dwelling. The cellar flooded in an 1880's storm. In 1882, another earthquake separated the south gables from the rest of the building. Ultimately it was deemed "unsafe for occupancy" by the Lighthouse Board. The fog signal continued to operate for some time afterwards. Finally, in the 1930's, the north spit light collapsed during a storm. (According to Lighthouse Digest, the structure was bulldozed in the 1930's.)

A new light was planned for a high bluff well south of the harbor entrance. When the government tried to purchase the site, the owner's $5000 price was deemed too high. After attempting to acquire the land by eminent domain, the sides agreed on a price of $2226. The site included 10 acres, right of way, and access to water from a nearby spring.

The replacement light began service in 1892 at Table Bluff. The station was identical in design to those at Ballast Point and San Luis Obispo. The bluff set the focal plane of the light at 187 feet (176 feet according to the Keeper's Log), and increased visibility to twenty miles. The station included the keeper's dwelling and tower, a duplex for assistant keepers, and fog signal building.

The new station was popular to visitors. In the 1930's the light was open to visitors during the week, but access was restricted on the weekends due to the number of visitors. During World War II, the visitors were replaced by a Coast Guard beach patrol, coastal lookout station, and Navy radio compass station.

After World War II, the Keeper's residence was torn down, leaving only the tower. The tower was automated in the 1950's, and abandoned altogether in 1975. The station was turned over to the Bureau of Land Management, who sold it to a private organization helping people deal with substance abuse.

The deteriorating tower was rescued thanks to a local resident named Ray Glavich, who organized a group of volunteers to move the tower to Eureka. The tower was cut in half, transported by truck to Woodley Island, and reassembled. The tower still stands today at the Woodley Island Marina.

The cupola from the original light on the north spit was found at Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay in 1987. The restored cupola and the fourth-order lens are displayed at the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum in Samoa, near Eureka.


References (see links)

Umbrella Guide to California Lighthouses, Nelson pp. 157-160
California Lighthouses, Roberts and Jones p. 16
The Keeper's Log Spring 2003, Summer 2003

 

Select an image to enlarge

Table Bluff

Table Bluff

Only the Tower Remains

Only the Tower Remains

On Woodley Island

On Woodley Island

The Old Tower

Another View

North Spit - Lens

North Spit - Lens

North Spit - Cupola

North Spit - Cupola

 

 

Directions: To reach the Table Bluff tower at Woodley Island, take Highway 101 to 255 North in Eureka. Cross the Samoa Bridge to get to the marina. The lighthouse tower is at the southwest end of the island. The Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum is located at 77 Cookhouse Lane, next to the Samoa Cookhouse in Samoa, near Eureka. (The museum moved from Eureka to Samoa in 2006.) For museum information, call (707) 444-9440, or visit the museum website (see links). (September 2006)

 

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