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Home , Point Cabrillo Light

Our Mission Point Cabrillo The mission of the Department of Parks and Recreation is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the oint Cabrillo Light Light Station people of California by helping to preserve P the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, Station has ensured protecting its most valued natural and State Historic Park cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. the safety of thousands

of ships traveling the treacherous waters off Point Cabrillo. California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (707) 937-5804. This publication is available in alternate formats by contacting:

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P. O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service

www.parks.ca.gov Discover the many states of California.TM

Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park 13800 Point Cabrillo Drive Mendocino, CA 95460 (707) 937-5804

© 2008 California State Parks Printed on Recycled Paper Northern harrier photo courtesy of Ron LeValley P oint Cabrillo Today Pomo Francisco and to construct the Station State descendants Light Station. Historic Park is occupy parts of The Light Station a living link to their ancestral The Point Cabrillo Light Station was built California’s history, lands and have following the 1906 earthquake, which had featuring a beautifully revived their ravaged San Francisco. The Light Station was rehabilitated 1909 language and needed to guide small “Doghole” schooners and 11 traditions. that plied the coastal waters, carrying lumber other structures, The Wreck of to rebuild San Francisco. The earthquake including three the Frolic Family of lightkeeper Albert Scott, ca.1911 severely damaged the Point Arena lightkeepers’ homes. In 1850, the clipper Lighthouse, leaving no between In a nearby cove rest brig Frolic, on its and Bodega Bay. the remains of the Frolic, the most important way to San Francisco with a cargo of Chinese Construction of the Point Cabrillo Light Gold Rush-era shipwreck in California. housewares, struck a reef just north of what Station building began in 1908 and was Located four miles north of Mendocino, later became Point Cabrillo. After securing completed in early 1909. The Light Station, the park’s 296.5 acres of open space include the wrecked ship in what is now called Frolic comprising 30.5 acres and 15 structures, was an impressive variety of wildlife and hiking Cove, the captain and some of the crew took managed by the U.S. Lighthouse Service. trails. long boats to carry word of the wreck south The Head Lightkeeper was in charge of the to Fort Ross. In 1851, Harry Meiggs, a San PARK HISTORY Light Station, overseeing the work of the Francisco lumber dealer, sent Jerome Ford Native People First Assistant (the Wickie) and the Second north in hopes of salvaging cargo. By then, For thousands of years, the rich waters and Assistant (the Timer). Daily tasks included the ship had sunk, but not before the Pomo headlands around Point Cabrillo were the maintaining the Lighthouse lantern room, had removed Chinese ginger jars, bolts of summer hunting and gathering grounds of lens, kerosene oil lamp, clockworks, the other silk, camphor, lacquered trunks, housewares the Pomo people. The Pomo moved here 14 buildings and the raised garden beds and other items. Ford found Pomo women from their inland encampments in early where food was grown. The U.S. Coast Guard wearing splendid silk shawls, but there was summer to harvest abalone, mussels, seals (USCG) assumed command of the Point no cargo left to salvage. and sea lions, deer, kelp and salt. These Cabrillo Light Station in 1939 and managed it Ford told his employer about the lack foods were carried to their permanent until 1991. of salvageable cargo, but noted that there villages and stored for the winter. were groves of redwood and Douglas fir in In the late 1850s, settlers and lumbermen the area. A year later, Meiggs had sawmill began using the lands for grazing and equipment shipped around and harvesting timber for railroad ties. As the erected a mill at Big River. This led to the influx of settlers increased, the Pomo way of founding of Mendocino and the beginning of life was forever altered. the timber industry in Northern California. Local mills supplied wood to help build San

Frolic Cove The Lens Carpenter Shop and Oil House. tours and guided site tours each Sunday. The British-built Fresnel (fra-nel) lens—the California State Parks acquired the Light Contact the park for details at (707) 937-6122. most advanced example of lens technology Station and surrounding property in 2002. Accessible Features Rehabilitation of three lightkeepers’ houses at the time—was first lit on June 10, 1909, Two parking lots near the Museum and Inn and three other structures began in 2002. by Wilhelm Baumgartner, the first Head are reserved for cars with disabled placards Rehabilitation of the Lighthouse and the Lightkeeper. The British-built lens, one of or plates. The Visitor Center, Museum, grounds has been overseen by the nonprofit only twelve in the U.S., was manufactured Blacksmith Shop/Marine Science Aquarium, Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association, by and shipped around the and the first floors of the Inn and the by agreement with State Parks. The Point Horn. The lens has 90 glass prism pieces; Lighthouse are all accessible. Cabrillo Restoration Project received the the original lens was turned by a wind-up 2007 Governor’s Historic Preservation Award PLEASE REMEMBER clockworks mechanism. and the California Preservation Foundation’s Water Safety—Stay back from the water’s Preservation Design Award. edge to avoid large rogue waves and strong With 12 of its original 15 buildings, Point currents that can sweep people out to sea. Cabrillo is one of the most complete Light • All of the park’s natural, underwater Stations in the U.S. Currently, four of its and cultural features are protected by buildings are open to visitors, and the Inn is state law and may not be disturbed or open to registered guests. removed. • Pets must be kept on a six-foot leash. NATURAL HISTORY • Driving off designated roads is not The Light Station sits on the second of five Volunteer with today permitted. coastal terraces that were pushed up from • Bicyclists must stay on paved trails. The oil lamp and clockworks were the ocean floor by plate tectonics. Native • Fishing is not allowed within the park. replaced by electric lamps and motors in plants have adapted to high winds, drenching 1934 and 1935, respectively. In 1972 an winter rains, foggy summers and salt spray. Nearby STATE PARKS automated beacon replaced the Fresnel Native grasses are evident today, but • Mendocino Headlands SP, 725 E. Main St., lens. Then, in 1999 the USCG allowed are usually covered by planted Mendocino, CA 95460 (707) 937-5804 • Russian Gulch SP, 9500 N. Highway One, relighting of the original Fresnel lens. European grasses. Look for Mendocino CA 95460 (707) 937-5804 Today’s lens is powered by a 1000-watt lamp, more than fifty species of operational around the clock. On a clear birds, including northern night, the 10-second flash can be seen 14 to harriers, white-tailed Northern harrier 15 miles at sea. kites, osprey, black oystercatchers and This park receives support in part from a Rehabilitation and Restoration cormorants. From the bluff tops, visitors may nonprofit organization. For more information, contact The California Coastal Conservancy see gray whales, orcas, humpbacks, dolphins, Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association supported and funded the acquisition of seals, sea lions, and, rarely, a blue whale. PO Box 641, Mendocino, CA 95460 the property in 1991. They provided grants, EVENTS AND PROGRAMS (707) 937-6122 www.pointcabrillo.org joined with private donations, to rehabilitate The Light Station hosts an annual Whale the Lighthouse, its lens, the Blacksmith/ Festival in March, four summer Lantern Room