Lighthouses of California -  Point Cabrillo Lighthouse
Point Cabrillo Light Station
45300 Lighthouse Road
Mendocino, CA 95460
Point Cabrillo Lighthouse Point Cabrillo Light Station is a beautifully preserved 1909 coastal lighthouse near Mendocino, California, built to guide ships through heavy fog and treacherous reefs along the rugged North Coast.

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Map

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse Keepers (Partial list)
  • Wilhelm Baumgartner – First keeper (1909)
  • Joseph P. Sweeney
  • Edward F. Bowen
  • Station typically staffed by a head keeper and assistant until automation

Location


Located two miles north of the town of Mendocino on California’s dramatic Pacific coastline, overlooking the Mendocino Headlands and offshore rocks.​
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History

Key Milestones
  • 1909 – Lighthouse first lit with a Third Order Fresnel lens
  • 1935 – Station electrified
  • 1973 – Automated by the U.S. Coast Guard
  • 2001 – Transferred to the California State Parks system
  • Present – Operates as a working lighthouse and public historic site
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  • The lighthouse is built of reinforced concrete — unusual for its era and highly durable.
  • The original Third Order Fresnel lens is still in use today.
  • The light is visible up to 13–15 nautical miles (depending on conditions).
  • The station includes restored keeper’s quarters now used as museum exhibits and vacation rentals.
  • It sits along a migration corridor for gray whales and is a popular wildlife viewing location.
  • The name honors Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrilho (Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo).

    In 1914
  • A huge wave surged over the lower coastal rocks near the light station.
  • It destroyed part of the boathouse and landing area used by keepers.
  • Equipment stored near the shoreline was damaged or swept away.
  • The main lighthouse tower and keeper houses — located higher on the bluff — were not damaged.

Photography

You can easily shoot this location with a cell phone.