Linda Osborne Cynowa

Lighthouses of California

Linda’s Monthly Monday Morning Moaning’s for Monday September 2, 2024

September is an exciting month for me as an author, as my 6th book and 3rd vintage postcard lighthouse book will drop from Arcadia Publishing, ‘Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast’ on Monday the 16th. Here is a sample of Chapter 4.

Along the over 800 miles of California coastline, more than 35 lighthouses still stand proudly above the shore. And while the Global Positioning System (GPS) has rendered them all but obsolete, these iconic structures still serve as nostalgic reminders of a time when only a beacon of light and the booming echo of a foghorn guided mariners along their way. I hope, that here, I can give you a sample of three lighthouses that California has to still to offer.

Alcatraz Island Lighthouse, San Francisco Bay. In 1854, Alcatraz became one of seven lights to be constructed along the Pacific Coast using the same plans for a one-and-a-half-story school house type building with a tower rising from he pitched roof. Stairs were used to get to the second floor and the lanterns room. A third-order Fresnel lens was used to light the tower. There was a head keeper and an assistant. It was during the Civil War that Alcatraz was first used as a prison. With the completion of the lighthouse, the island was soon used as a military base. With the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, the buildings chimneys falling and a crack in the tower brought concern. In 1909, a new reinforced concrete cell house was built with 600 cells. The need for a taller light at ninety-feet was built, using the original fourth-order lens, at the base of the tower, two, two-story wings were added for the use of the keeper and his assistants for housing. Having been used as a military prison until 1933, it was transferred to the US Justice Department to be used as a penitentiary for federal prisoners. Many prison guards and their families lived on what was now called ‘The Rock’. The prison closed as a penitentiary in 1963. After a Native American Indian occupation of the island in 1970, some damage occurred to the housing and tower, where in 1971 the light was once again relit.

Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse, Los Angeles. The San Pedro Breakwater in Los Angeles Harbor is where you will find the light once known as Angles Gate Light. In 1913 a structural steel frame was erected on the pierhead, and a octagonal structure was built and encased in steel plates, with a cylindrical tower build in concrete. Styled with twelve pilaster columns, that would be painted black making the day mark more visible, to be seen against the white tower. The lantern room had a fourth-order Fresnel lens with a visibility of fourteen miles. A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the area in 1933, but the tower sustained the tremors. In 1966 a three-foot-long sea, named Charlie by the keepers, seemed to move in and kept them company for a while. The light was automated in 1975. A modern beacon was installed after the removal of the Fresnel lens in 1987.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pigeon Point. The first to be built was the Victorian styled four-plex and a fog signal in 1871. Then a 115-foot brick tower was built with numerous delays, from difficulty with the spiral staircase, and getting the first-order Fresnel lens, assembled in the lantern room. Both Pigeon Point Light and Port Arena Light share the title of being the tallest lighthouse towers in California. In 1878 one of the children of a keeper fell over the bluff into the sea, so safety was causing anxious times for the families stationed there. By 1906 there were four keepers and their families living at the point, and additional living quarters were needed. In 1960 the original four-plex was demolished to be replaced by four ranch-style dwellings. The name for the point came about when in 1853 a ship named the Carrier Pigeon would run aground at the point and from that time on the point of land closest to where the ship had wrecked was called Pigeon Point. The station was automated in 1974 after a rotating-beacon was placed in the balcony of the lantern room when the Fresnel lens was deactivated. The tower was closed to the public after pieces of the brick and iron cornice fell to the ground in 2001. The lighthouse was transferred to the State of California in 2005 to help with restoration and the reopening of the light to the public. In 2011 the Fresnel lens was removed from the lantern room and is now displayed in the fog signal building.

As I have ‘followed’ these lighthouse around the country in my research, I have always been amazed depending on where you are in the country the styles used to construct these lighthouses is always different, mostly in California these lighthouses are based on high bluffs or cliffs, with always the hope of less erosion over time, and because they are so high on the cliffs the towers can be made shorter, unlike the east coast lights that are built predominately in sand, where the erosion has had a major damaging effect on many of the lights, and being level with the water their tower are usually taller.

On that ‘wee note’ till next month, Monday October 7, 2024

All images used are from the author’s collection.

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‘How Fast Can Uncle Billy Run?’

Linda’s Month Monday Morning Mornings for August 5, 2024

While waiting for the ‘Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast’ to be published I have been researching and working on the last of the lighthouse books for Arcadia Publishing, no firm title yet, but’ Lighthouse of the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States’ is probably a good start. While research North Carolina lights, I came across an amusing story written some time ago, and wanted to share this article, worthy of a smile.

A new lighthouse was built in 1812, in the Outer Banks area of treacherous shoals and beautiful safe harbor. The lighthouse was constructed with an inner brick core and an outer wooden structure, with cedar shingles painted in red and white diagonal stripes. It didn’t take long for it to be realized, that the light tower was not tall enough or bright enough. It wouldn’t be until 1859 before a new and very much improved light tower was constructed called Cape Lookout Lighthouse. With the two lighthouses only 100 feet apart, what should be done with the old light?

A contractor was hired to demolish the structure, normally using dynamite, with the keepers house and the new light, stable and barnes so closed that idea wasn’t good. It was then thought of ‘Uncle Billy Hancock’ considered to be the ‘fastest man in North Carolina’. But, could he out run a falling brick lighthouse? Piece of cake, bragged Billy, “If’n I can get that last brick out, I can outrun her”.

The date was set, the word was put out, Uncle Billy was going to knock down the old lighthouse. People would come from all around, school was let out early and it became a public holiday. This would be the biggest event in those parts for some time.

Uncle Billy set his plan. “I’ll swing with all me might, and when the last brick goes out, then I’ll let go of the hammer and right on aturnin’, then I’ll cut on back to the house, and pocket my five dollars”. Well Billy’s plan worked just fine, he swung the hammer, the brick fell out and the hammer dropped. But while he was aturnin’ his feet got tangled up and he fell onto his hands and knees, right beneath the falling lighthouse……

This story picks up the next day, when Buddy Earl, who had witnessed the event, was over at the Harkers Island ‘Beehive’ the local general store and post office. People were anxious to hear what happened, so when Buddy got to the point where Billy fell, one of the impatient listens said, “hurry up, tell us”, HOW FAST DID UNCLE BILLY RUN? The storyteller spit out his chew of tobacco, took a long pull on his long necked Pepsi then paused for effect. “Wal” he said slowly, “don’t rightly know how fast he kin run- but he kin shore as the devil crawl 35 miles and hour”!

On that ‘wee note’ till next month Monday September 2nd, 2024.

Courtesy of ‘Fishhouse Lies’ by Sonny Williamson, 1996, courtesy of the Carteret County Historical Society, Morehead City, North Carolina, courtesy of Lighthouse Digest, 2023. Artist rendition of the first Cape Lookout, courtesy of Karen Duggan, Cape Lookout National Seashore.

Thank you for visiting and reading today. Please if you haven’t already, enter your email address in the subscription form below and receive my blog by email on the first Monday of each month. Thank you.

The Macomb Twp Dopp Bros Building

Linda’ Monday Morning Mornings for July 1, 2024

Today I have to write about something that is close to my heart, another building, farm, school, church, your name it, that is being demolished for progress? The Macomb Twp Dopp Bros Building is to be demolished because it doesn’t meet the “qualifications of a historic building”.

The Macomb County Road Commission determines which buildings have to be demolished in order to expand the road (Romeo Plank and 22 Mile Road). From the Macomb Township Historical Commission; “we were asked to give our “input” (key word) about the buildings in the area”. “We did indeed try to save the Dopp Brothers building. Everything we suggested was turned down by the Road Commission. Their answer was that even though the area is a historical district, each building has to have “significant” historical reasons to be preserved. We were told that none of the buildings in the area qualified”.

After the general store, that was owned by Peters and Kruth, burned down, Robert Dopp bought the land and in 1908 began construction on a new store. By 1909 the store was taking shape and could envision what it would be like when finished. The cap stone today still reads 1909. The Dopp store when finished included groceries, clothing on the main floor and also an area to sell furniture. Ford automobile sales would take up the second floor. Later the furniture store was out and a dance floor came in. The “Heidelberg Eight” band came from Germany, and played “good” German dance music, much to the satisfaction of all who would attended. Robert Dopp would sell his interest in the property and move on to Canada. Charles Stade bought out his interest and soon time came for the dance hall to depart, as it became more lucrative for Mr. Stade to remodel the second floor into apartments and found plenty of tenants from Selfridge Air base needing places to live. Charles Stade’s son Leon bought the grocery store business from Charles Colparet which included a soda fountain. The clothing department and tavern had now vacated the building so another remodeling would begin. To add apartments where the Stade sons would live for a time. In later times, the basement was partly remodeled into a meeting place, and as years moved on, several businesses would function from this building. This is but a very small taste of what has been apart of the building since 1909, much more will be remembered in the hearts of many. Last view circa 1980’s. (Courtesy of the Shelley Stier Henshaw Collection) (Courtesy of the Macomb Twp Historical Commission).

Yes, this building is most likely in the way, and heaven forbid, the powers that be, find away to put a round-a-bout in with out destruction of this building, but an “insignificant history”, have any of these great minds ever picked up a book and read what history is all about? I dare them! What will you do, when you have wiped it all away?

On that ‘upset wee note’ till next month, Monday August 5, 2024.

Lighthouses of Washington

Linda’s Monthly Monday Morning Moaning’s for June 3, 2024

There are eighteen active lighthouses on the Washington coast line, three are standing but considered inactive, three have become automated towers, and two have been demolished. On September 16, Arcadia will publish ‘Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast’ the third in a series of four vintage postcard lighthouse books and here I hope to bring you a taste of what the state of Washington has to offer with three examples below.

Cape Flattery Lighthouse, in Neah Bay. The lighthouse was built on Tatoosh Island in 1857 in the northwestern point of the United States, as a navigational aid to mariners entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Because of thick fog and especially the strong currants ships could be carried toward the dangerous shores of Vancouver Island. Placing the light on Tatoosh Island allowed marine shipping to enter the strait at night. Tatoosh Island is a 20-acre rock ledge lying one-half mile off Cape Flattery. Because of its height from the water, being 100 feet, landing ships for restocking was a hazardous undertaking. A one-and-a-half story, Cape Cod style sandstone dwelling was built with two-foot-thick walls. The main floor consisted of a dining room, kitchen and living room. Four bedrooms were in the upper story. A 65-foot brick lighthouse tower was built in the center of the building. The first-order Fresnel lens, had a fixed white light with a visibility of 20 miles. In 1883 the telegraph was brought to the island by the longest cable hung, that stretched from the island to the mainland. In 1904 that cable went underground. 1932 had the first-order lens being downgraded to a fourth-order. By 1977 the lighthouse automated.

Ediz Hook Lighthouse, Port Angeles. With Port Angeles, the northwests deepest harbor, is a three-and-a-half-mile long sand spit, an accumulation of sand usually attached to land at one end, and called it Ediz Hook. President Lincoln n 1862 signed an order that the end of the spit be used for governmental purposes. In 1865 the original two-story school-house design lighthouse was constructed with a square tower at the end of the pitched roof. In 1885 a fifteen-foot fog bell tower was built with a one-and-a-half-ton bell that hung from the top beams of the structure. Using a clock mechanism, every fifteen seconds during foggy weather the bell would ring. The years would see changes to the fog bell to make the sound more effective. In 1908 a new a fog signal building with an attached octagonal light tower and a separate keepers dwelling was built at the station. The fifth-order Fresnel lens was removed from the old tower and placed in the new tower. A beacon was used to replace the second lighthouse, placed at a Coast Guard Air Station in 1946. The 1908 lighthouse became a private dwelling after being removed from the station area. The original 1865 light was demolished in 1939. This second lighthouse was destined to last only about forty years, when it was replaced by a modern beacon at the coast Guard Station in Port Angeles. The 1908 light was sold for use as a private residence after being removed by barge across the harbor.

North Head Lighthouse, Port Angeles. At the mouth of the Columbia River channel, mariners found that the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse was often obscured when approaching the river. Concern was great because of the many ship wrecks, along the peninsula. In 1898 the light was first lit with a fixed-white light, while Cape Disappointment Light, just two miles north would use an alternating light of red and white flashes. The new lighthouse on Cape Disappointment would be called North Head Lighthouse. The light was constructed of brick on a sandstone foundation, then using a cement plaster overlay. A 65-foot- tower with lantern room and a first-order Fresnel lens was brought from Cape Disappointment. Soon a keepers residence, two oil houses, barn, and duplex housing for the assistance keepers, would round out the light station. Being a light keeper at North Head Light meant getting used to a very remote and hard life. It helped when there were three keepers in residence to have work schedules of 8 hours at a shift. Usually one keeper worked from dusk till dawn, then others did the maintenance during the daylight hours to keep it in top working order. In 1937 the first-order lens, is changed for a forth-order lens, by this time electricity has been brought to the light station. Because of this being one of the windiest spots in the United States, for a short time a US Weather Bureau was built at the station, but would eventually close by 1955. The light was automated in 1961 and at that time the last light keeper would leave. The lighthouse was transferred to the Keepers of North Head Lighthouse group in 2012 for restoration purposes. North Head has remained the light station with all it’s original buildings still untacked.

On that ‘wee note’ till next month, Monday July 1st, 2024.

All post card images used are from the author’s collection.

Lighthouses of Oregon

Linda’s Monthly Monday Morning Moaning’s for May 6, 2024

There are eleven lighthouses on the Oregon Coast and nine of them are on the National Register of Historic Places, along the 363 miles of that Oregon Coast. This summer Arcadia will publish ‘Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast’ the third in a series of four vintage postcard lighthouse books and I hope to bring you a taste of what Oregon has to offer with three examples below.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse (Cape Foulweather), Newport. The 93 foot tall tower, is the tallest lighthouse tower on the Oregon coast, it was built with bricks from a California brick company. It has been said that over 370,000 bricks were used to complete the project. They used a double wall when building the tower to keep out the dampness and make it more insulated. The tower light shines 162 feet above the water and has a visibility of nineteen miles, with its first-order Fresnel lens by Barbier & Fenestre. By 1872 the keepers residence was built as a two story duplex, with the keeper residing in on one side and the assistant keepers sharing the other side. Maintance and storage buildings were added as needed for use with the three light keepers on duty. By 1920 additional housing was built at the light station.

Yaquina Head, Cape Foulweather Lighthouse, Oregon

Coquille River Lighthouse, Brandon. Originally called the Brandon Light, and because of the shifting sandbars in the Coquille River and the Brandon Harbor had such dangerous area for the marine traffic, a light was soon necessary and started in 1895. Before the light could be started, a leveling of the rocky ground was needed on Rockliff Rock, where stone was cut for the foundation. A cylindrical tower was attached to the octagonal signal equipment room on the east side of the building. A keepers duplex, with three bedrooms, dining room with kitchen and a sitting room, was attached to the tower by a wooden walkway, running 650 feet in length. In 1936 an out of control forest fire swept into the town of Brandon and burn all but sixteen of the towns many hundreds of buildings. With most of the town gone, shipping to the area declined. By 1939 at the south jetty an automatic light was erected and the Coquille River light was shut down. In 1939 the Coast Guard felt the lighthouse was no long needed, and was abandoned and soon in need of major repair.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, Clatsop County. Located just over a mile from Tillamook Head in the Pacific Ocean and 20 miles south of the Columbia River, the lighthouse sits atop an acre of volcanic rock. At times called ‘Terrible Tilly’ because of the terrible weather conditions, isolation, and continuing environmental hazards for all that worked there. Supply’s could be delayed for days or even weeks. Workers would have to dynamite the rocks rounded areas to flatten a portion to hold the lighthouse. Soon a one-story stone dwelling, forty-eight by forty-five-feet with a sixty-two foot tall tower and thirty-two by twenty-eight-foot lantern room with a first-order Fresnel lens. After working for 575 days for the building to take place, the light was first lite in January of 1881. In the following year, on the northeast slope of the rock, a brick engine and supply house was built. A landing wharf was needed and attached to the keepers dwellings along with a tramway to help raising supplies from the wharf to the supply house. There would always be continual repairs to be made to the light and surrounding buildings because of water and storm damage. Tillamook Rock Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1957, with a history of being the most expensive lighthouse to operate.

All images used are from the author’s collection. On that ‘wee note’ till next month, Monday June 3rd, 2024.