Pigeon Point Light Station
The Pigeon Point Light Station is a lighthouse that was built in 1871, and, at 115 feet, is one of the tallest lighthouses in the United States. Pigeon Point, itself, was named after the ship, Carrier Pigeon, that wrecked there in 1853. Pigeon Point Light Station is located on Highway 1, about 5 miles south of Pescadero, between Santa Cruz and San Francisco. If “Pescadero” sounds familiar to you “Terminator” fans, Sarah Connor (played by Linda Hamilton) was in a psychiatric hospital in Pescadero in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day“. The real-life maximum-security hospital (the all-male Atascadero State Hospital) is in Atascadero.
The Pigeon Point Light Station is still equipped with the original 4-ton Fresnel lens, which is illuminated only for demonstration purposes. In 1972, the United States Coast Guard installed a 24-inch Aerobeacon, which continued the assigned “one-white-flash-every-10-seconds”, characteristic of the lighthouse. The tower has been closed to tours since December 2001, as the result of a collapse of brickwork that supported the exterior access walkways. The Light Station is now part of the Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park.
The restored housing for lighthouse keepers also serves as a Hostel for travelers, which is operated by the Golden Gate Council of Hostelling International.
Pigeon point also has scenic views to the south and southeast, and the stretch of Highway 1 in the area can make for an enjoyable drive or ride.
-Bill at Cheshire Cat Photo™
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