New Point Loma Lighthouse

The New Point Loma Lighthouse (officially Point Loma Light) is a lighthouse at the southern tip of the Point Loma peninsula in San Diego, California.

History
It was first lighted on March 23, 1891, replacing the Old Point Loma Lighthouse which is atop the 400 ft cliffs of Point Loma; the old lighthouse was often obscured by fog. The new light is only 88 ft above the water. The first lighthouse keeper was Robert Decatur Israel, who had been keeper at the old lighthouse for 18 years.

The original light was 600,000 candlepower and could be seen at a distance of approximately 15 nautical miles. There was also a two-tone diaphone fog horn and living quarters for several families.

The structure is the only pyramidal skeletal lighthouse remaining on the West Coast. It is very similar to Coney Island Light, Plum Island Range Rear Light, La Pointe Light, and Duluth South Breakwater Inner Light, all of which were built at about the same time. The latter three of these are all on the National Register of Historic Places.

The light was automated in 1973. In February 2013, the light that had been in use since 1999 was replaced with a VLB-44. The LED apparatus reduces the maintenance cost of the lighthouse and is brighter than the previous light.

In Popular Culture
The living quarters at the New Point Loma Lighthouse were featured in the 1986 movie Top Gun as Viper's home (played by actor Tom Skerritt)