Point Conception Light Station, Santa Barbara California
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Ancient mariners affixed the name "California's Cape Horn" to bold Point Conception. Its sinister appearances reminded old salts of that internationally known bastion of rock at the bitter end of South America. Like Cape Horn, the waters about it are fickle in character. The wind-whipped seas driving in from the Pacific snub their noses against its seagirt walls and explode, there being no outcrops to break the impact.
Point Conception was one of those landmarks the old Spanish navigators searched for on returning from the Philippines. It is little wonder that the point was chosen as the site for one of the early U.S. government lighthouses. A guiding light has shone from its awesome climes for a century and a quarter. But that goes back to the day a contract for this and other lighthouses was penned with two Baltimore Irishmen, Francis A. Gibbons and Francis X. Kelly. They booked passage on the bark ORIOLE, as was earlier mentioned, and were more than four months at sea before arriving in San Francisco with their cargo of building materials. One of their most difficult assignments was to construct a lighthouse at isolated Conception.
These pioneering craftsmen, despite many difficulties, managed to complete the lighthouse, including a story and a half dwelling, situated on the crest of the point, by midsummer 1854. But before the contractors were paid, the government inspector, Major Bache, had to place his stamp of approval on the project. Then the sparks flew. On the official's arrival, he vented his wrath on the builders for what he termed "inferior workmanship."
Pointing out that much of the mortar had wasted away from between the bricks and that the wind had torn loose some of the gutter troughs, Bache demanded restitution. Additionally, the tower was too small to support the intended first-order lighting apparatus which had been ordered. No cure, no pay, so the contractors were forced to tear down the tower, enlarge its diameter setting it back five inches in order to get the front door open. Only after the alterations were made was the bill paid in full.
In the interim, the appointed lighthouse keeper, George Parkinson, arrived at Point Conception only to find the lighting apparatus had yet to be installed. He found the building full of curious Indians who were using it as a base for their hunting activities. Fortunately, they were not of a hostile nature or it may have been Parkinson's last stand. When he became insistent, the intruders reluctantly agreed to leave and the attendant settled down to his duties, without a light to maintain and without any stipend. He wrote his congressman to get action on both, and at the same time complained that his major concern was in, "retrieving and nailing on pieces of the structure which the incessant winds keep blowing off."
After several frustrating weeks, on September 11th, the schooner GENERAL PIERCE arrived with the lens, the oil lamp, and appendages. Mother nature, in one of her rare good moods, smiled on the operation, affording an unusual spell of flat ocean permitting the lighterage of the equipment through the surf, hazardous transport even under favorable conditions. A few fittings were lost and some were damaged by exposure to salt water.
Bache was soon back on the scene as all available hands worked frantically to keep the target date for turning on the light, Christmas day 1855. Missing parts, however, canceled out that date, and subsequently, a notice appeared in the ALTA CALIFORNIA that, "The light up will be postponed till February 1st, 1856."
When light up time came, shipowners, seafarers, and merchants were jubilant over the new lighthouse, and within a fortnight of Parkinson's lighting of the concentric wicks, he got a testimonial from the skipper of the steamer GLODEN GATE who had reported sighting, fee and clear, the beam from the lens an amazing 42 miles at sea.
This, however, was but brief consolation to the unhappy keeper who often referred to his domicile as, "this dreadful promontory of desolation." Nevertheless, he pursued his duties and welcomed the very occasional visitors until 1875. In that year, a section of the lighthouse settled and some large cracks developed. Parkinson mended them the best he could but on subsequent visits, inspectors became alarmed with the deterioration, and seven years later funds were appropriated to build an entirely new lighthouse to seaward and more than 100 feet lower in elevation than the original structure.
Further lending to this decision were the low-hanging clouds, which had often obscured the high light. The second lighthouse still stands today, a squat white tower displaying a massive lens and turned by a tiny 1/12 horsepower electric motor.
The lamps at Conception went through several changes of illuminants before electricity took over, sperm (whale) oi1, colza, lard, and finally kerosene in 1888. Then an incandescent oi] vapor light was installed after the turn of the century. Weights cranked up by hand were used to turn the lens.
The need for a powerful light at Conception is obvious. A vast ships' graveyard exists between bold Point Conception and lesser Point Arguello. Though it is well : stocked with ships and men, the light has prevented many tragedies. In olden times when there were no radar and radio beacon facilities the light was of little use in blinding rains and foggy mists.
Despite the population growth of California, Point Conception is still wild country. The wind is usually blowing hard and the land is rough, but in season, wildflowers enhance the lonely lighthouse which sits solitary on timeless Conception.
The U. S. Coast Guard Light Station at Point Conception is on a portion of the "Rancho Punta de la Concepcion", sometimes called "El Cojo", as patented by the United States to Anastacio Carrillo, his heirs, and assigns, on the 10th day of June, A.D. 1880, and recorded in the County Recorder's Office of Santa Barbara County, F State of California, on the 20th day of December, A.D. 1880.
Point Conception was once the site of an Indian camp. Numerous artifacts have been found in the vicinity.
Point Conception Light Station Reservation comprises about 29.6 acres of rough terrain including the entire point of land called Point Conception in Santa Barbara County, in the State of California. It is bounded on the shoreside by the holdings Of the Bixby Ranch Co., bluffs on the seaside, except in the area where the well is. The highest hill has the keeper's dwellings on top. The Light and Fog Signal are accessible from these dwellings by means of a long stairway going down to the point. There has been some erosion, but not enough to endanger the light structure.
Site Description
Point Conception Light Station is a complex of buildings and associated facilities situated on 29.6 acres of land located in Santa Barbara County.
The area surrounding the district is bordered by wind and sea eroded cliffs on the ocean side with ranchlands bordering the station on the inland side.
The broken terrain surrounding the station is covered by rolling sandy mounds which flourish with ice plant and other types of wild vegetation, and has numerous archaeological sites.
The complex contains several buildings, including:
Keepers dwelling with light tower located at the lowest point of the land mass protruding out to sea, consists of a white, rectangular, one-story, stuccoed brick structure with a peaked roof built in 1881. The light portion of the building is an attached circular structure that reaches a height of 52 feet above the ground, and still utilizes its original lens. All windows of the keepers quarters have been sealed up.
Coal house located approximately fifty feet northeast of the lighthouse is a white, rectangular, one-story, one-room, stuccoed brick structure with a peaked roof. It is used primarily for storage.
Family quarters built in 1912 consists of a 1600 square foot, two-story, white stuccoed residence. It is uninhabitable at this time and has been boarded up. A 12 X 26 foot one-story wood-framed garage is located near the quarters and is used for storage and parking of automobiles.
Caretakers quarters is located on the inland side of the upper knoll of the station shielded from the high winds and is a two-bedroom, one-story, white stuccoed structure with numerous paned windows. A caretaker now lives in the building and is responsible for the maintenance of the aids to navigation.
Three-car garage located on the highest point of the station is a white, one-story, wood-framed structure used for storage and automobile parking.
Power house located on the knoll is a white, one-story brick stuccoed structure with a flat roof. Commercial power is supplied by the local utility company while the Coast Guard maintains a backup diesel generator.
Water tank located on the knoll was built in 1881 and is approximately 50 feet in height. It maintains a 10,000 gallon capacity by utilization of two separate holding tanks. The entire structure is constructed of redwood.
Navigational aids at the station include the fog horn and visual aid.
