Humboldt Harbor Light
Location | north side of entrance Humboldt Bay California United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 40°46′7.1″N 124°13′15.7″W / 40.768639°N 124.221028°W |
Tower | |
Constructed | 1856 |
Foundation | brick basement |
Construction | brick tower |
Height | 45 feet (14 m) |
Shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
Markings | white tower, black lantern |
Light | |
Deactivated | 1892 |
Focal height | 14 m (46 ft) |
Lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens |
Range | 13 nautical miles (24 km; 15 mi) |
Characteristic | F W |
The Humboldt Harbor Light was an early lighthouse marking the entrance to Humboldt Bay.[1] Plagued by fog, earthquakes, and flooding, it was eventually abandoned and left to deteriorate in favor of a new light at Table Bluff.
History
Humboldt Bay is reached through a narrow gap between two long sand spits, and the founding of
The light was situated in a sandy area towards the tip of the northern spit; the intent was for the light to serve both as a marker for the entrance and as a warning for the spit. It was immediately discovered that the low-lying site was vulnerable to the waves, and by 1867 the Lighthouse Board was already making plans to relocate the light to a new site on the south side of the entrance. In the meantime a log breakwater was placed around the light. Fog was a major problem, and a steam fog whistle was installed in 1874.
The move was delayed for some decades, and in interim the light experienced numerous injuries from the elements. It was damaged by earthquakes in 1877 and 1882, subsequently leading to substantial bracing and reinforcement. High water in 1885 caused such severe damage that the house was deemed unfit for occupancy, and a temporary shelter was built to house the keeper until a replacement light could be built.
The appropriation for the
See also
References
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Northern California". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- ISBN 9780870622014. 978-0870622014.
- Foster, Robert. "Humboldt Harbor Light". Humboldt County Historical Society Newsletter.
- Joe Follansbee (2010). The Fyddeye Guide to America's Maritime History. Fyddeye Media. pp. 318–. ISBN 978-0-615-38153-4.
External links
- United States Coast Guard
- "Humboldt Harbor Lighthouse". lighthousefriends.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2008-11-20.