South1Nest Pacific A brief history of U. S. Coast Guard operations by Dennis L. Noble u.s Revenue Culler Joseph Lane 1849-1869 I o- -­5 10 15 20ft. -!'---'-~--'--'.:;..:=fuo~-a:us~tt~l:G~ua :.r:::-:::I-'.==..=..-L.-- rd BicentenniaI Series y the end of the Mexican War in 1848, the United States had taken possession of California, whose coastline w as virtually unknown and devoid of any aids to navigation. In fact, not a single lighthouse existed along the entire West Coast. With gold fever running high and wag­ ontrains full of pioneers pushing west towards California, the federal government tasked four small organizations to aid mariners and provide a federal law enforcement in the wild Southwest. In time, these four agencies would combine to form the modern day U.S. Coast Guard. Reprinting of material in this pamphlet is encouraged. Please credit: U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Staff and the author, Dennis Noble. Design and layout by Victoria T BracewelUor LifeSa~ing Commandant's Bulletin # 5-89 Pt. Arena Station crewman with a horse­ drawn cart carrying a lifeboat down main street during the 1904 4th of July celebrations. u. S. Coast Guard in the Southwest Pacific· 1 The Pt. Arena Life-Saving Service Station crewmen demonstrates the operation of tlile breeches buoy, JUly 4,1904 he story of the U.s. Coast Alcatraz Island, Point Pinos, Point high that egg-pickers were gathering Guard in the Southwest, Lorna, Santa Barbara, Point seabird eggs on the island and selling T begins with the U.S. Conception, the Farallon Islands, them for a nice profit. The Lighthouse Service. Congress, realiz­ Humboldt Harbor, and Crescent City, entrepreneurs strongly felt that a ing that aids to navigation were essen­ in addition to other loca tions on the lighthouse would drive away their tial to maritime trade and the devel­ West Coast. Between 1852 and 1858, source of income and prevented the opment of the West, authorized in sixteen lights were erected in what construction crews from coming 1848 the establishment of lighthouses today is California, Oregon, and ashore. A Coast Survey ship, with along the coast. The primary problem Washington. armed sailors was dispa tched to ascer­ at that time was that the majority of The Treasury Department awarded tain and mediate the situation. Upon the Pacific coastline was unexplored, the contract to build the lights to the seeing the armed landing party, the making it virturally impossible to Baltimore based firm of Francis X. egg-pickers quickly surrendered, loca te sites and build lighthouses. Kelly and Francis A. Gibbons. The deciding that a lighthouse would not The federal government mandated ship Oriole was dispa tched, with men be harmful to the birds. that an exploration survey be conduct­ and supplies, to San Francisco. In California, with its long coastline, ed to insure that the most advanta­ December 1852, the foundation for the needed more and more lights as trade geous lighthouse sites were located. first lighthouse in California was increased throughout the nineteenth The U.S. Coast Survey, la ter U.S. Coast begun on Alcatraz Island. By 1854, century. Some of the lighthouses were and Geodetic Survey, was given the the first light shined from the West a real test of ingenuity and expertise task. It was not until 1849, however, Coast on Alcatraz Island. for nineteenth century engineers. One that a ship was able to conduct the The construction firm's workers of the most difficult to build was at St. survey. Eventually, Congress autho­ that arrived at the Farallon Islands George Reef. Built on Northwest Seal rized the first group of lights in met with an unexpected setback. The Rock, which is only 300 feet in diame­ California at Fort Point, Fort Bonita, cost of eggs in San Francisco was so ter, it is one of the few wave swept 2 • Commandant's Bulletin Bicentennial Series Blunt's Reef Lightship was commissioned June 28, 1905. Often stormy, the lightship was blown off station six times. lights in the country. (A wave swept letters to describe their existence are another had female assistant keepers; light is exposed to the full force of the "loneliness" and "monotony". A and a surprising number had women sea.) During construction, work great deal of a keeper's life centered as principal keepers." This was not, could only be accomplished on every on the mundane duties of keeping the however, because of an enlightened fifth da y due to the cycle of the station and its equipment clean. view on the part of the service. pounding seas. The foundation of St. Lighthouses were by necessity Rather, it was a means of saving George Reef Light is a pier in an irreg­ placed in areas of danger and were in money. It was not unusual to have a ular oval shape, 86 feet in diameter, isolated regions. Before the advent of husband and wife team at a station. faced with cut granite and filled with electricity, the lighting device was a Both wives and children helped in concrete. The tower is also construct­ lamp. Fuel for illumination ranged running the light. For example, Mary ed of granite with the smallest block from whale oil, lard oil, rapeseed oil, Israel raised four children while weighing 17 tons. The light stands and petroleum products. The wick of assisting her husband at the Old Point 144 feet above sea level and was first the lamp had to be carefully trimmed Lorna Light, near San Diego. Another lit on October 20, 1892. All total, it to produce a strong light and watched example, Juliet Fish, keeper of the took an incredible ten long years to constantly throughout the night. This Angel Island station, in San Francisco successfully complete the project, yet constant attention to wicks led to Bay, once manually pounded a fog after 97 years St. George Reef Light lighthouse keepers earning the nick­ bell for twenty hours straight when still stands today. name "wickies.' the mechanical striker failed. The life of a nineteenth century Unbeknownst to most people In additon to lighthouses along the lighthouse keeper, manning a light­ today, many light keepers were California coast, there were two light­ house away from the pressures of life women. F. Ross Holland, one of this ships stationed within the state's may seem idyllic to most modern country's foremost authorities on coastal waters, at Blunt's Reef, near Americans. However, the words most lights, noted that lighthouses going Cape Mendocino, and outside of San used by keepers in their diaries and back to the 1800's "at one time or Francisco Bay. These small, special U S. Coast Guard in the Southwest Pacific· 3 One of the most exposed lighthouses on the Pacific Coast, 51. George Reef is an excel! nt example of a wave-swept lighthouse. ships guarded areas where it was of smoke over the entire region. The no other vessel could get to and work impossible to build a light structure. ship suddenly found itself a haven for through storm, darkness and sun­ If lighthouse duty was monotonous land birds ranging from humming shine. The first tender along the and lonely, light-ships were doubly so, birds to owls. When the smoke finally Southwest oast was also the first with the added danger of being cleared, the birds returned to their nat-I steam powered tender, the Shubrick. rammed by ships in foul weather and ural habitat. Jefferson M. Brown and She anived in San Francisco on May the hazard of sinking. Forced by duty am Miller, of the Point Arena Light, 27,1858. to remain on station no matter how along with a civilian volunteer, won I fierce the storm has caused more than the Gold Life Saving Medal, the high­ he next predecessor agency one lightship to capsize and sink dur­ est award for lifesaving, for their res­ of the modern day U.s. ing heavy gales. The first lightship in cue attempt on ovember 22, 1896. T oast Guard to be stationed California took station outside San The men tried to assist the San Benito along the Southwest coast was the Francisco Bay on April 7, 1898. wrecked near the light. Three times U.S. Revenue Cutter Ser ice. Crews of lighthouses and lightships the men attempted to reach the ship in Established in 1790 by Alexander were also instrumental in saving lives a small boat, "only to be hurled back Hamilton, the fir t Secretary of the of those in distress near their 10 a­ by the force of the sea." Treasury, the service was formed to tions. The annual reports of the U.S. The Lighthouse Service also operat­ stop the loss of badly needed revenue Lighthouse Service are filled with ed their own fleet of ships, called by sea-going smugglers. The first ten accounts of rescues. In 1916, for Lighthouse Tenders. The tenders pro­ small cutters were deployed from example, the small Blunt's Reef vided supplies and work parties to the Maine to Georgia. The Service also Lightship somehow managed to scattered and isolated lighthouses, in soon found itself with a military role, squeeze on board 150 survivors of the addition to maintaining other lesser participating in the Quasi-War with liner Bear. The San Francisco light­ aids to navigation. The work was France 0798-1800). In fact, because ship, in 1902, had an unusual assis­ dangeous, as lighthouses were 10 ated the U.S. avy was disbanded after the tance case. Forest fires were sweeping in hazardous areas. The tenders and Revolutionary War, the U.s.