National Register of Historic Places in San Mateo County

National Register #73002300: Point Montara Light Station in San Mateo County, California
  National Register #91001094: Point Montara Light Station District in San Mateo County, California
  National Register #91001094: Point Montara Light Station District in San Mateo County, California 15 May 2005
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National Register #91001094
Point Montara Light Station District
16th Street At State Highway 1
Montara
Built 1875

Point Montara Light Station District covers 73 acres containing three contributing buildings and one contributing structure.

The Light Station was established in 1875 as the Point Montara Fog Signal, and the house was built for the keepers. The first light was not installed until 1900, a simple lantern hung on a post. In 1912, a Fresnel lens was mounted on a skeleton tower, and in 1928, the existing cast-iron lighthouse was built to house the lens. The old-fashioned fog horn continued to be important because the fog on this part of the coast is often thick enough to restrict even the bravest beam.

The district is a California State Park, open to the public. As with many of California's lighthouses, the structures are operated as a reasonably-priced hostel. For more information about hours of access and about the hostel, see the California State Parks website.

Historic lighthouses on the west coast:

Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City
Cape Blanco Lighthouse, Curry County, Oregon
East Brother Light Station, Contra Costa County
Fort Point Lighthouse, San Francisco
Point Arena Light Station, Mendocino County

Point Bonita Light Station, Marin County
Point Cabrillo Light Station, Mendocino County
Point Montara Light Station, San Mateo County
Point Reyes Light Station, Marin County
Pigeon Point Lighthouse, San Mateo County

St. George Reef Light Station, Crescent City
Yerba Buena Island Lighthouse, San Francisco

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