FORT POINT LIGHTHOUSE
San Francisco, California
It isn't often that you can drive over a lighthouse but millions probably do every year with Fort Point Light House. Although decommissioned in 1934, the old iron tower still stands beneath the Golden Gate Bridge at the south end. Fort Point has a very colorful past. The government built it second in California, but then tore it down before it ever got its lens. They finished construction in 1853 along with Alcatraz Island and were waiting for the two 3rd order Fresnel lenses to arrive. But then the military figured they should fortify the bay area and Fort Point was the best choice. So they tore down the lighthouse which was a Cape Cod style structure identical to Alcatraz's first light. Built the fort (Fort Winfield Scott) and decided they still needed a light there, so a second, wooden tower was built between the fort and a seawall and finally in March of 1855, Fort Point began marking the entrance to the bay. That original 3rd order lens, by the way, was sent to Point Pinos, and now 146 years later, it still shines to mark the entrance of Monterey Bay from the south.
However, the sea proved too relentless and the seawall had to be replaced, so they tore down the wooden tower, built a new seawall, and then built the third lighthouse at this site on top of the fort, the only of its kind in California. This began service in 1864, shining its beacon through a 5th order lens. When the Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1934, the lighthouse at Fort Point became unnecessary. Partially because the light was somewhat obstructed by the bridge and mainly because the bridge itself, is one very big lighthouse. It is probably the most recognizable landmark and seamark on the planet.
The site is now the Fort Point National Historic Site. You can drive right to it from Lincoln Boulevard in San Francisco. Turn off at Long Ave. and drive down to the water. Sometimes the surf is up and big waves crash along the seawall, send spray high into the air. The fort has a gift shop with some excellent books on lighthouses. From Fort Point, I could see Point Bonita, Mile Rocks, Lime Point, Alcatraz, and Point Blunt. I could almost see Yerba Buena. Bring both wide angle and telephoto for this place.
Here's how I saw it:
OF THE MOUNTAINS
John B Caddell
Copyright 2001