Piedras Blancas Light Station Presentation at Cambria Luncheon

Volunteers are seen painting the buildings next to the water tower replica at the Piedras Blancas Light Station. Photo by Keith Pendleton

By Connie Pendleton 

Piedras Blancas Light Station manager Ryan Cooper gave a fascinating presentation at the monthly Cambria Neighbors Club luncheon meeting on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Cambria Pines Lodge. 

The historic light house, located six miles north of Hearst Castle in San Simeon, is coming upon its 150th anniversary in February 2025. The light station, which has two employees, is managed as an historic park and wildlife sanctuary. One of a few managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), it is part of the Federal Outstanding Natural Area and California Coastal National Monument giving it an extra layer of environmental protection. 

The lighthouse tower and four of the surrounding buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The BLM took over management of the light station from the U.S. Coast Guard and has established partnerships with a variety of agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which help support the light station’s protection; as well as to support programs for scientific research, education, cultural recognition, scenic and recreational value, emergency services communication systems (used by federal, state and local agencies), interpretive programs, cross-training of volunteers and other efforts. 

Cooper shared that construction of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse began in April 1874 and after an amazingly short 10 months on Feb. 15, 1875, it was first illuminated. Over time, several structures were built around the site some of which included housing for lighthouse keepers, a water tower, tank house, a blacksmith shop, and a fog signal building. The lighthouse was originally 100 feet tall. After a few earthquakes, a 1948 trembler significantly damaged the structure requiring the upper three levels to be removed reducing the height to 70 feet. 

The first order Fresnel lens, which was originally built in France in 1872 by Henri Lapaute, was loaned to the Cambria Lion’s Club through an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard and installed along the town’s Main Street next to the Veteran’s Memorial Building. The lens, which is the largest of six sizes, was designed with flat and curved panels of overlapping glass providing both fixed and flashing lights, which allowed it to be seen much further out to sea than earlier designed lighthouse lenses. 

An enclosure was built around the fragile Fresnel lens in Cambria. It was repaired this past year, due to age and severe storm damage, through generous donations from local residents and organizations. It continues to need repair. 

Cooper showed historical photographs of workers precariously hanging from or positioned on the lighthouse conducting maintenance that he said would most definitely not fall under OSHA guidelines today, bringing chuckles from the audience. The light station, which played a vital role in maritime navigation years ago, is now an outstanding location for research, guided visitations and restoration, which Cooper said the public has wanted. 

Today, researchers stay at the light station to study migration and count numbers of wildlife such as birds, bats, deer mice, gray whales, sea otters, and elephant seals. Tide pools, upper atmospheric wind monitoring and seismic analysis are also done. 

The goal for restoration, Cooper said, has been to get the light station back to the way it looked in the early 1900s. Volunteers have built replica buildings, using historical photographs and plans. With each endeavor, an archaeologist must be brought in and sand sifted to locate and identify any Native American artifacts which are then returned to the tribes who traditionally used the area. 

So far, the  historical fog signal building was stabilized with a new foundation and floor. Grout was injected into the sandy earth around both the inside and outside perimeter of the structure to stabilize it. Cracks in the brick walls were repaired with high tension grout, rusted steel plates were replaced under the roof beams, and steel beams were attached at the top of the walls to protect the structure from earthquakes. Visitors today can see a newly painted lighthouse along with other structures that have been restored. 

The lighthouse, fog signal building, oil/fuel building and fuel/storage building are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Largely through volunteers, over 800 tons of non-native ice plant has been removed from the light station allowing native plants and animals to return and thrive. 

Cooper shared that the original 1906 light keeper’s cottage was purchased for one dollar by an industrious lady, who had it lifted up and moved to the Moonstone Beach area in Cambria. It was then restored as a charming Victorian short-stay rental. 

Through the support of the Piedras Blancas Light Station Association, volunteers offer education and delight to fourth grade students and school staff who are bussed in from at least seven different schools around the area as far away as Paso Robles and Atascadero. Cooper mentioned that it has been the first time some students have ever seen the ocean. 

Public tours have increased in popularity with volunteers providing education to visitors three to five days per week depending upon the season. In addition, other special events are offered. 

Born and raised in Atascadero, Cooper graduated from the University of California at Davis where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture systems and environment. He taught high school agriculture and was a shop teacher before working as an outdoor recreation planner for the Bureau of Land Management at the Carrizo Plain National Monument beginning in 2007. He has managed the Piedras Blancas Light Station for the BLM for over nine years. 

For more information, go to piedrasblancas.org and blm.org. 

The Cambria Neighbors Club is a non-profit social organization that meets monthly hosting interesting guest speakers and fun events. More information may be found on the club’s website cambrianeighbors.org.