Yerba Buena Island Lighthouse

On Yerba Buena Island, a curious blend of mint and sea air once greeted visitors. This island, once known as “Isla de las Alcatraces” by Spanish explorers, later bore the name “Goat Island” thanks to its four-legged inhabitants. Today, we know it as Yerba Buena Island, home to the Yerba Buena Island Lighthouse. This Victorian-style lighthouse, an octagonal wooden structure, first illuminated the San Francisco Bay on October 1, 1875. The year of its completion, 1875, is proudly displayed above its doorway. Initially equipped with a fifth-order Fresnel lens, a hand-me-down from the decommissioned Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, it received an upgrade to a fourth-order lens in 1912. The Yerba Buena Island Lighthouse wasn’t just a beacon in the fog. It was also the heart of the West Coast lighthouse operations. From 1873, the island housed the Lighthouse Service’s district depot. Lighthouse tenders, like the Shubrick, Manzanita, and Madrono, embarked from this depot. They carried supplies and the ever-watchful lighthouse inspector to stations along the California coast. Imagine the mixed emotions of keepers awaiting their arrival: relief at the sight of provisions mingled with apprehension of the impending inspection. The island’s fog signal, originally a fog bell relocated from Point Conception, evolved. A ten-inch steam whistle replaced the bell in 1875, fueled by water painstakingly hand-pumped from a spring at the depot to a 10,000-gallon tank. Later, a 16,000-gallon tank and steam pump eased this burden. In 1934, a type “C” diaphone and electric siren took over fog-warning duties. The Yerba Buena Island Lighthouse has witnessed dramatic events. In 1909, a fire, spotted by a passing navy tug, ravaged the keeper’s dwelling. Quick action by the crew and naval trainees saved the structure, though the roof and upper rooms suffered significant damage. The island itself underwent transformations. The Bay Bridge, with its tunnel through Yerba Buena Island, connected the east and west in 1936. Nearby, a new island arose from dredged bay mud and delta silt, christened Treasure Island. Intended as an airport, it hosted the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939 and served as a naval station during World War II. Through it all, the Yerba Buena Island Lighthouse stood firm. Automated in 1958, it remains a vital aid to navigation. Today, the keeper’s dwelling serves as the home of a Coast Guard admiral, a testament to the enduring legacy of this historic landmark. The Yerba Buena Island Lighthouse stands as a reminder of a bygone era, a beacon of resilience amidst change.