Pescadero in San Mateo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Light Up the Future
The Campaign to Save Pigeon Point Lighthouse
Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, August 15, 2021
1. Light Up the Future Marker
Click on the photograph to see additional historical information with the inset pictures.
A Tower at Risk
Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of one the oldest and most treasured landmarks on the California coast, a marvel of high-tech design when it was first lit in 1872. Its first-order Fresnel lens, the most powerful lens of the day, warned passing ships of the dangerous reefs along the San Mateo coast.
Today, the future of the lighthouse is in peril. After a lifetime of exposure to wind, rain, sun, fog and salty sea mist, the tower is literally crumbling. Closed to the public since a portion of its iron belt course broke off in 2001, it may not stand for the years ahead without immediate action.
Become a Keeper of the Light
California State Parks officially acquired title to the Pigeon Point Light Station from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2011, and we now have the opportunity to give the lighthouse a renewed future. The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) is spearheading a major fundraising campaign to restore Pigeon Point Lighthouse to its original glory and reopen it to the public. But we must begin today, before time takes and even greater toll.
Please join CSPF in saving this California treasure. To
this page online
Erected by California State Parks Foundation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1872.
Location. 37° 10.92′ N, 122° 23.63′ W. Marker is in Pescadero, California, in San Mateo County. It can be reached from Pigeon Point Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 210 Pigeon Point Road, Pescadero CA 94060, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area and on the Coast Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim,
Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, August 15, 2021
2. Above the keepers cottage
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A Bright Beacon (here, next to this marker); Savage Seas (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Light Up the Future (within shouting distance of this marker); Pigeon Point Lighthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Methodist Episcopal Church of Pescadero (approx. 4.7 miles away); a different marker also named Methodist Episcopal Church of Pescadero (approx. 4.8 miles away); Duarte's Tavern (approx. 4.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pescadero.
More about this marker. One of two markers for this theme. This one is at the front of the lighthouse near the cliff. The other is to the rear, near the bookstore.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 9, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 15, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. This page has been viewed 255 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 15, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
