Piedras Blancas lighthouse (circa 1930) prior to removal of upper three levels.
The first-order Fresnel lens at Piedras Blancas was first illuminated on February 15, 1875.[7] The Piedras Blancas lighthouse was originally 100 feet (30 m) high to the top of the ventilator ball, but earthquakes damaged the structure over the years. On December 31, 1948, final damage from an earthquake centered 6 miles (9.7 km) off the point led to the decision to remove the upper three floors: the fourth landing, watch room, and lantern. Missing the ornate upper floors, the truncated lighthouse now stands about 70 feet (21 m) tall. The lens was moved and is on display in the nearby community of Cambria.[8]
A sound signal was added in 1906.
In 1939, management was transferred from the United States Lighthouse Service to the United States Coast Guard. In 1975, the light was automated, the sound signal removed, and the light station was unmanned. A group of biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received permission to establish a biological research station in 1977. In 2001, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) assumed management of the site and was tasked to offer structured public access, allow site-specific research to continue, and restore the light station to its period of greatest historical significance (1875 to 1940). The Piedras Blancas Light Station Association is a non-profit partner of the BLM, helping to raise funds for restoration and maintenance.
The lighthouse continues to serve as an aid to navigation. A Vega VRB-25 produces a flash every 10 seconds. The light station is managed as a historic park and wildlife sanctuary.
In 2013, a replica 50 foot water tower was completed to hold public safety communications equipment.
Access to the 19-acre (7.7 ha) site is by guided tours, available every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (except federal holidays) year round. From June 15 through August 31, tours are offered Mondays through Saturdays (except federal holidays). The fee is $10 for adults; $5 for ages 6 to 17; and free for ages 5 and under. Special tours for parties of 10 or more may be arranged. The tour lasts two hours and includes the historic lighthouse and support buildings, wildlife viewing, and spectacular scenery along an easy half-mile interpretive trail.
Elephant seal rookery and marine protected areas
The largest elephant seal rookery on the West Coast is located about a mile south of the lighthouse along California Highway One.[10] A few animals began using the rookery in 1990.[11] A large parking area and boardwalk offer easy access to view the elephant seals. Docents from Friends of the Elephant Seal provide insight as to what the visitor is viewing.[12] Open year-round.[13]
The 1959 movie The Monster of Piedras Blancas was not shot at Point Piedras Blancas. The lighthouse locations in the movie were filmed at the Point Conception Light lighthouse near Lompoc, and the town is the seaside town of Cayucos, about 30 miles south of Piedras Blancas.
Gallery
Piedras Blancas, 2014.
Tours of the Piedras Blancas Light Station are offered regularly.
Native plants ablaze with color in early summer.
Piedras Blancas Light Station viewed from the beach below, May 2020
Sea otters rest and feed in the waters surrounding Piedras Blancas.
Panoramic view from the top of the lighthouse, 2019. The lighthouse lost its original top in a major earthquake in 1948.
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