Punta Gorda Light

Infobox Lighthouse


caption = U.S. Coast Guard Archive
location = 12 miles south of Cape Mendocino, California
coordinates = coord|40.2493|N|124.3503|W
yearbuilt = 1911
yearlit = 1912
automated =
yeardeactivated = 1951
foundation =Concrete
construction = Reinforced Concrete
shape = Square Cylindrical
marking = white with black lantern
height = 27 ft
currentlens = (removed)
lens = Fourth order Fresnel lens bulls eye 1912 (removed)
range =
characteristic =
ARLHS = USA-679

Punta Gorda Lighthouse is a lighthouse in United States, 12 miles south of Cape Mendocino, California. Access is by vehicle and one and an hour hike on foot. It is now part of State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation

History

Punta Gorda Lighthouse was built in 1911 and was first lit in 1912. After World War II, it was decided that given the remoteness of the station it was too costly to maintain. A lighted buoy was placed offshore, the fourth order Fresnel lens was removed, and the station was boarded up and deactivated in 1951. The keeper's house and all other station buildings were demolished.

Historical Information from USCG web site:

Punta Gorda originally consisted of 22 acres upon which were situated three dwellings, a small two-story concrete lighthouse, concrete oil house, a wooden fog signal building, blacksmith/carpenter-shop, three storage sheds, and a barn. In 1951 all aids-to-navigation were discontinued, the buildings boarded up and personnel was transferred. Whereabouts of the lens is unknown. The property was transferred to the Bureau of Land Management. In the late 1960’s "hippies" moved into the quarters and improved them. Local authorities evicted these people and the Bureau of Land Management burned all the buildings except the Lighthouse and oil house. Punta Gorda was and is a very difficult station to reach. Most of the years it was in operation access was via horse, and during good weather horse-drawn wagon. After the United States Coast Guard assumed command a rough road was constructed (that usually washed out) and a jeep was used for transportation.

External links

* [http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/WEBLIGHTHOUSES/LHCA.html USCG web site]