What secrets does this formidable structure hold? Welcome to the Los Angeles Harbor Light Station. This lighthouse is not just a tower. It is a sentinel of the sea. It has faithfully guarded Los Angeles Harbor since 1913.
Initially, planners wanted a simple wooden building. Instead, they built this robust steel and concrete tower. It stands as a testament to foresight and resilience. Edward L. Woodruff designed it. He later received an award for his work. No other lighthouse shares its unique design.
Imagine the storms this light has weathered. One furious storm tested the Los Angeles Harbor Light soon after it opened. Seas broke against its walls. Keepers found it hard to walk straight afterward. The concrete block had settled. This gave the lighthouse a noticeable lean. This lean annoyed the keepers. But it did not compromise the structure.
One dark night a keeper was thrown to the floor. A battleship had collided with the breakwater. The incident remained confidential in Navy files for years.
The Los Angeles Harbor Light played a role in World War II. New construction added a degaussing station. It also housed a radio direction-finding unit. Barracks were built for Navy personnel.
Locals knew its foghorn as “Moaning Maggie”. In 1959, it was replaced with a single-tone horn. Mariners disliked the new horn. They called it “Blatting Betty”.
In 1973, the Los Angeles Harbor Light was automated. The keepers departed. Today the Coast Guard monitors the 217000 candle-power light.
The Los Angeles Harbor Light was not without its drama. Keeper John Olsen suspended an assistant for assaulting him. This happened after Olsen returned to the station intoxicated. Olsen was later transferred.
Another time, a storm flooded the lighthouse. It washed everything movable overboard. This included the launch and skiff. Keeper George D. Jeffrey reported the lens nearly toppled over. He kept one man near the lens to keep it burning.
In 1923, a steamer collided with the beacon. Keeper Frank Weller had to swim for shore. He lost his uniform coat and cap. The oil company reimbursed him 46 dollars.
Keeper Irving Conklin shared spooky stories in the 1930s. He spoke of shrieks and screams during gales. Waves sounded like unearthly sobs.
The earthquake of 1933 shook the lighthouse violently. Mercury slopped out of the lens. But the tower suffered no significant damage.
Raymond Wlascinski maintained the equipment in the 1960s. He remembers a harbor seal named Charlie. The seal climbed up the rocks one day. It made its way into the engine room. Keepers would fish to feed Charlie.
In 1987, the original Fresnel lens was removed. The lighthouse became solar-powered. Later, it reverted to using a generator. The Los Angeles Maritime Museum displays the lens today.
In 2011, the Cabrillo Beach Booster Club began a restoration project. The tower was sandblasted and repainted. This work celebrated the lighthouse’s centennial in 2013.
The Los Angeles Harbor Light stands as a symbol. It guided mariners home. Its green light offered a comforting feeling. It served as a wondrous symbol to returning World War II servicemen.
The Los Angeles Harbor Light continues to stand tall. It welcomes all who enter the Port of Los Angeles. It stands as a proud sentinel. It represents resilience. It represents history. It represents home.