Text by ANDY ROBINSON
Art by REESE FORD
Lighting the way IT'S TIME TO PRESERVE CALIFORNIA'S LIGTHOUSES
F
OR A LONG TIME, I couldn’t tell you exactly why I loved lighthouses. Maybe it was their architecture that caught my attention: a delightful mix of Victorian stick structures, soaring sentinels and cozy Cape Cod cottages, often topped with a circular lantern housing an intricate lens. Perhaps it was their stunning coastal locations, perched atop towering bluffs and beside spectacular mountain ranges. Most likely, it is the community of people passionate about the structures that helped me maintain my interest for nearly 10 years. Despite this communal strength, the lighthouse — symbolic of human resilience and spirit, of safety and security — is in danger of being discarded and forgotten. Without a new, younger generation of “lighthouse keepers” to preserve and protect California’s lighthouses, we risk losing a chain of cultural and historical centers. When I first saw a lighthouse in a
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cartoon, I asked my parents for a picture maritime commerce or even worked as book of the structures. I remember flipping lighthouse keepers. However, with the adthrough its pages, waiting for my chance vent of GPS and other technologies, travto finally see one in person. Soon after, my eling by water is far safer, often negating parents and I began to explore local light- the need for lighthouses entirely. As such, houses from Point Pinos in Monterey to many young people have little understandPigeon Point, south of Half Moon Bay. I’ll ing of the true importance of lighthouses. never forget the joy I experienced when I But lighthouses remain an essential first rounded the bend on U.S. Highway 1 element of local economies dependent on and saw the Pigeon Point Lighthouse come tourism and continue to educate and exinto view — I couldn’t unbuckle my seat- cite people about local history. The drabelt fast enough. matic coastal locations of many of CaliOver time, as I began to visit more fornia’s lighthouses attract visitors, with lighthouses throughout the state, I found their open-air settings providing a perfect a dedicated community of lighthouse pres- weekend getaway. Ensuring their preservaervationists, aficionados and volunteers. At tion as tourist attractions brings increased every lighthouse I visited, I found people resources to remote coastal communities. excited to share their passion with someone For example, the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse who saw the buildings in Mendocino County as invaluable as I did. was lovingly restored, But as I inter- The lighthouse –– symand is now one of the acted more with the bolic of human resiltop destinations on community, I quickthe Mendocino coast. ly noticed a stark age ience and spirit, of When I visited I fonddifference between safety and security –– ly remember eagerly myself and fellow running down the lighthouse fans. Most is in danger of being ... headland towards the I found were far old- forgotten. lighthouse, watching er than me, with the as a string of cars piled vast majority over the into the parking lot. age of 60. Many of those passionate about Clearly the lighthouse’s tourism campaign lighthouses once worked in the Coast was a resounding success. Guard, came from families dependent on However, this task proves to be in-
