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    Point Piedras Blancas
    Point Piedras Blancas
    Point Piedras Blancas
    Ebook174 pages23 minutes

    Point Piedras Blancas

    By John H. Bogacki and Carole Adams

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    About this ebook

    For thousands of years, Point Piedras Blancas, located along the central coast of California, has attracted people to its rocky, windswept shores. In ancient times, it was used by Native American cultures. Since 1875, it has been the site of a First Order Lighthouse, warning ships to steer clear of its rocky shoals, a duty it continues to fulfill. Although the years have not been kind to this stunning area nor to the lighthouse, new life is being breathed into it by a partnership of enthusiastic community volunteers and government agencies. Their common goal is to restore this magnificent site to its original state while reintroducing the natural environment that was almost obliterated during the past four decades.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439636350
    Point Piedras Blancas
    Author

    John H. Bogacki

    Authors Carole Adams and John Bogacki are both deeply involved with the efforts to restore Point Piedras Blancas. Adams is a volunteer at the Piedras Blancas Light Station, and Bogacki is a former site manager. They have created a visual representation of the story of Point Piedras Blancas using photographs, illustrations, and architectural drawings that are part of the Bureau of Land Management Piedras Blancas Light Station Collection. The authors� proceeds go to the Piedras Blancas Light Station Association for restoration and education.

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      Book preview

      Point Piedras Blancas - John H. Bogacki

      information.

      INTRODUCTION

      Piedras Blancas is a rugged, windswept point located along California’s central coast, near San Simeon. Blended together in a dramatic meeting of land and sea is a saga comprised of human and natural history.

      The human history of Point Piedras Blancas began long ago. An archaeological examination of the site conducted in October 2005 yielded an artifact about 3,300 years old, although the site was probably used by Native Americans prior to that. After the arrival of the Europeans, Point Piedras Blancas was part of Mission San Miguel and later became part of Rancho Piedra Blanca. Piedras Blancas means white rocks in Spanish.

      Following the Gold Rush, there was a dramatic increase in coastal shipping, and it was necessary to construct lighthouses as aids to navigation. Two shipwrecks occurred just north of Point Piedras Blancas in 1869, highlighting the need for a lighthouse at Point Piedras Blancas. In April 1874, the U.S. Lighthouse Establishment began construction of the lighthouse, and in less than 10 months, the structure was completed. The first-order Fresnel lens was lit for the first time on February 15, 1875. A two-story Victorian house was built in 1876 to house the keepers and their families. In 1906, a fog signal building and a head keeper’s dwelling were added.

      In 1939, the U.S. Coast Guard absorbed the U.S. Lighthouse Service, including responsibility for coastal navigation and maritime safety. During that period, many changes were made at light stations, including Piedras Blancas. Earthquake damage over the years made it necessary to remove the upper portion of the tower in 1949, including the lantern room and the first-order Fresnel lens. The Victorian-era keeper’s quarters were removed in 1960 and replaced with a row of four ranch-style block houses, sturdy enough to withstand the blustery winds associated with Piedras Blancas. In 1975, the station became automated, and it was no longer necessary to house personnel on site.

      In 1977, after the station became unmanned, biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service applied for and received permission from the coast guard to occupy the site and establish a biological research center. For almost 25 years, Point Piedras Blancas served as an active research center.

      Piedras Blancas continues to host a broad spectrum of research projects, including the biannual range-wide southern sea otter census, the collection of sea otter stranding data for the entire state, and information on the local Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery by the U.S. Geological Survey. The site also hosts the annual gray whale cow/calf survey by National Marine Fisheries Service. Other ongoing research includes tide pool monitoring by the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather gathering.

      In October 2001, the Bureau of Land Management assumed management of the Piedras Blancas Light Station (PBLS). This change in management and stewardship signaled an exciting, positive change in the destiny of this amazing site.

      One of the reasons the BLM assumed management of the Piedras Blancas Light Station was the creation of the California Coastal National Monument in 2000. The monument, which is comprised of rocks and islands off the California coastline, is also managed by the BLM. Piedras Blancas was chosen as an interpretive gateway to educate the public about the monument’s attributes. BLM offers public tours on a limited basis, which will undoubtedly increase. Even in its decapitated condition, the lighthouse beckons the public, who pass by on busy, scenic Highway 1.

      Before the upper portion of the tower was removed, it was undoubtedly one of the most architecturally significant lighthouses along the entire West Coast. Today the lighthouse and the entire light station stand in need of repair. The BLM has completed a comprehensive site management plan, which identifies a significant site restoration program that will include restoration of the lighthouse and historic buildings, as well as natural area restoration. To assist with this project, a nonprofit organization, the Piedras Blancas Light Station Association, has been formed and is charged with raising the funds necessary to support BLM’s restoration efforts. The light station will be restored to its period of historic significance, which was 1874–1940.

      A major vegetative miracle is occurring at the Piedras Blancas Light Station thanks to the hard work

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