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Point Vicente Lighthouse

Point Vicente sketch

 

Point Vicente is named after a Spanish friar who assisted Captain George Vancouver, who traveled along the California coast in 1793. The prominent point, some ten miles northwest of Pt. Fermin, was slated for a lighthouse in 1916.

However, due to development in the Palos Verdes area, the Lighthouse Service had some difficulty in acquiring the site. The property was not acquired until 1921. Further construction cost problems delayed completion of the lighthouse until 1926.

The station consists of a 55 foot white tower housing a third-order Fresnel lens. The lens stands 185 above sea level, high atop a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The light has undergone few changes since its inception. During World War II, a smaller lens was temporarily installed and a blackout curtain put in place. The landward side of the lantern room was painted white when locals complained of flashing lights in their homes. The light was automated in 1971.


References (see links)

Umbrella Guide to California Lighthouses, Nelson pp. 25-27

 

Select an image to enlarge

Pt. Vicente

Pt. Vicente - from the east

The cliff at Pt. Vicente

The Tower in November

Tower View

Another Tower View

 

Directions: From Los Angeles, travel south on Highway 1 to Palos Verdes Estates. Continue south along the coast on Palos Verdes Blvd. The lighthouse grounds are on a Coast Guard station and usually closed to the public, but the lighthouse can be clearly viewed from the gate and a nearby park. The Point Vicente Interpretive Center is in the park to the north of the lighthouse. The newly expanded center opened in 2006.

The tower is open for tours on the second Saturday of the month. from 10AM to 4PM. Call (310) 541-0334 to confirm the current schedule. (November 2006)

 

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