Originally lit at sunset November 15, 1872, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse has a Fresnel lens which is composed of over 1000 prisms and lenses. The lighthouse and the rocky promontory on which it sits are visible through the fog in this aerial photograph and are preserved as Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, a California state park. Located on highway one 5 miles south of Pescadero, it is an important landmark for ships approaching San Francisco from the south. The lighthouse was originally equipped with a lamp that burned refined lard, which was later replaced by a kerosene lamp and in 1926 by a 1000 watt electrical bulb. The Fresnel lens has a range of 24 nautical miles and is now lit only on special occasions though a rotating 24 inch aerobeacon mounted on the front of the tower is still an active navigation aid. An electrically operated fog horn has also been installed.
Image ID: AHLB8220
© Herb Lingl/aerialarchives.com
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