San Diego in San Diego County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Point Loma - The Early Years

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2015

1. Point Loma - The Early Years Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

The old lighthouse you are approaching protected sailors off the San Diego Coast for 36 years, from 1855 to 1891. It was a lonely outpost on a barren headland. In January 2004, the National Park Service completed restoration of the grounds of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse to resemble their historic appearance, when the lighthouse was operational. The first lighthouse keepers lived in the windblown world of scrubby chaparral, rocks, and fog. San Diego was more than 10 miles (16km) away via a wagon road that climbed the spine of the peninsula. The lightkeepers had to haul in firewood, water, and supplies by wagon, fighting potholes and ruts much of the way.

(photo captions)
• Despite the ruggedness of the journey, the view was rewarding, and the lighthouse grounds became a destination for weekend excursions. Just as they do today, visitors enjoyed the fine view of the harbor and the ocean.
• Shore whalers hunted gray whales off the coast from a station at Ballast Point from the 1850’s to the late 1880’s.
• Capt. Robert Israel was keeper of the lighthouse for nearly 20 years.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2015

2. Point Loma - The Early Years Marker

Lighthouse in background.

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in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 2004.

Location. 32° 40.355′ N, 117° 14.445′ W. Marker is in San Diego, California, in San Diego County. Marker can be reached from Humphreys Road just south of Cabrillo Memorial Drive, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located at the Cabrillo National Monument, along the walkway overlooking the lighthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego CA 92106, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Old Point Loma Lighthouse (here, next to this marker); The Bayside Trail (here, next to this marker); Point Loma Lighthouse (here, next to this marker); The Civilian Conservation Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); Army Radio Station (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Heart and Soul of Lighthouses (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named Army Radio Station (about 500 feet away); Harbor Lights (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Diego.

Also see . . .
1. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The

Photographed By Adam Margolis, March 18, 2018

3. Point Loma - The Early Years Marker

The marker can be seen to the right of the sidewalk, near the middle of the image.

Old Point Loma Lighthouse is a reminder of simpler times - of sailing ships and oil lamps and the men and women whom day after day faithfully tended the coastal lights that guided mariners. In 1851, a year after California entered the Union, the U.S. Coastal Survey selected the heights of Point Loma for the location of a navigational aid. The crest seemed like the right location: it stood 422 feet above sea level, overlooking the bay and the ocean, and a lighthouse there could serve as both a harbor light and a coastal beacon. (Submitted on October 7, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse Gallery. (This link presents a collection of vintage Point Loma Lighthouse photographs) (Submitted on October 7, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Life at the Lighthouse - Family Memories. The Lighthouse was a bustling family home, with Captain Robert Decatur Israel's three boys and a niece all growing up there. The Israel’s lived and worked on Point Loma for 18 years, where they watched their children and grandchildren grow up. My great grandfather kept the Old Point Loma light longer than any other keeper, and he was also the last keeper. He extinguished the light for the last time in March 1891. (Submitted on October 7, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Old Point Loma Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2015

4. Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 7, 2015

5. Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Credits. This page was last revised on February 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 88 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 7, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on February 16, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 4, 5. submitted on October 7, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.