[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 162 (Tuesday, November 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2699-E2700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 101ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE POINT ARENA LIGHT STATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 3, 2009

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 
101st anniversary of the Point Arena Light Station on the magnificent 
Mendocino Coast in northern California.
  A beacon to mariners since the original Point Arena Lighthouse was 
constructed in

[[Page E2700]]

1870, the Point Arena Light Station was rebuilt following its 
destruction by the devastating 1906 earthquake along the San Andreas 
Fault. The old brick and mortar construction was replaced with a new 
design featuring steel reinforcement rods encased in concrete to 
withstand future earthquakes. Point Arena Light Station was the first 
lighthouse to be built in this manner.
  The new Lighthouse stands 115 feet tall and began operation in 1908, 
nearly 18 months after the quake. The Light Station is home to a First 
Order Fresnel Lens built in France and one of very few left in the 
United States. It is six feet in diameter and weighs more than six 
tons. The lens is made up of 666 hand-ground glass prisms all focused 
toward three sets of double bull's eyes. It gave the Point Arena 
Lighthouse its unique ``light signature'' of two flashes every six 
seconds. This incredible optic, that holds an appraised value of over 
$3.5 million, is set in solid brass framework.
  Prior to the introduction of electricity, the lens was rotated by a 
clockwork mechanism. The Keepers, or ``wickies'' as they were called, 
had to hand crank a 160-pound weight up the center shaft of the 
lighthouse every 75 minutes to keep the lens turning. Later, two 1,000 
watt electric lamps were installed to replace the oil lamp, and an 
electric motor was installed to replace the clockworks.
  In 1977, an automated aircraft-type beacon on the balcony tower, and 
the historic First Order Fresnel Lens was discontinued. The 400-pound 
aircraft beacon was recently replaced by a modern rotating light that 
incorporates the Fresnel principles for the efficient projection of 
light. In addition, a radio beacon, with a 50-mile signal that 
originates from the station, also assists mariners. The original oil 
lamp was visible for approximately 18 miles, the 1st Order Fresnel Lens 
for 20 miles and the current modern rotating light can be seen for 16 
miles. In 1978, the fog signal at the station was silenced, and a bell 
buoy was placed nearby.
  In 1984, The Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Transportation 
transferred the Point Arena Light Station to the Point Arena Lighthouse 
Keepers, a nonprofit organization as part of a 25-year land lease. In 
2000, the PALK became the official owners of the property due to their 
diligent historic preservation and educational efforts. Daily 
visitation, gift store sales, memberships and the rental of the 
historic Keeper's homes on the property as vacation houses, provide 
income for ongoing preservation, facility upgrades and educational 
endeavors.
  Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the 
ongoing contribution and historic significance of one of America's 
treasures, the 101-year-old Point Arena Light Station.

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