Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Point Vicente Lighthouse

Photographed By Eric Polk, January 9, 2008

1. Point Vicente Lighthouse Marker

Inscription. The site was explored by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo on Oct. 9, 1542, and named Pointe Vicente Bante Maria by Captain George Vancouver in 1793. Placed in service by the U.S. Lighthouse Service on May 1, 1926, it was renamed Point Vicente by the Pacific Geographical Society in 1933. Operation was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939. Radio distress monitoring capability was added in 1942.

Erected 1979.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1961.

Location. 33° 44.512′ N, 118° 24.645′ W. Marker is in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, in Los Angeles County. Marker can be reached from Palos Verdes Drive West, half a mile south of Hawthorne Boulevard. The plaque is located on the wall adjacent to the gate into the lighthouse grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 31550 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Palos Verdes Peninsula Habitat (approx. 1.8 miles away); Portuguese Bend (approx. 1.8 miles away); Santa Catalina Island (approx. 1.8 miles away); Harden Gatehouse

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(approx. 2.1 miles away); Villa Francesca (approx. 2.4 miles away); Portuguese Bend Whaling Station (approx. 3.3 miles away); Site of the First Japanese American Farm on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (approx. 3.6 miles away); Malaga Cove Library (approx. 4.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Also see . . . Sites of San Pedro. Photos and history of the lighthouse. (Submitted on May 2, 2011.)

Point Vicente Lighthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Baker, 2018

2. Point Vicente Lighthouse

Open on the 2nd Saturday 10-3 (if available) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Baker, 2018

3. Open on the 2nd Saturday 10-3 (if available)

Photographed By Craig Baker, March 24, 2020

4. Point Vicente Lighthouse Marker

Photographed By Eric Polk, January 9, 2008

5. Point Vicente Lighthouse

The lighthouse as seen from the nearby Point Vicente Interpretive Center. As the light is on a Coast Guard Reservation, it is impossible to get close to the lighthouse.

Union Oil Company's Natural Color Scenes of the West

6. Point Vicente Lighthouse

Description on postcard:
Point Vicente Lighthouse on the southwest tip of the Palos Verdes Peninsula offers unrestricted view of the Pacific Ocean to the west and south

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2011, by Eric Polk of Lakewood, California. This page has been viewed 980 times since then and 17 times this year. Last updated on March 27, 2015, by Linda Walcroft of Woodstock, Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on May 2, 2011, by Eric Polk of Lakewood, California. 2, 3. submitted on March 24, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on March 31, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 5. submitted on May 2, 2011, by Eric Polk of Lakewood, California. 6. submitted on May 5, 2011. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.