WHO ARE WE?

SGRLPS is a non-profit organization formed in 1988 whose goals were to first acquire and then preserve the St. George Reef lighthouse. The Government Services Administration (GSA), and Del Norte County completed the final transfer of St. George to the Society in 1996. The aim of the Society is to preserve this historic structure for future generations and to tell the story of the role this lighthouse played in the maritime history of the West Coast.

SPECIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The St. George Reef Lighthouse (SGRLPS) was a recipient in the 1994 "Take Pride in California" competition, sponsored by the California Department of Parks and Recreation and in the same year sponsored, in cooperation with Assemblyman Dan Hauser, HR#37 which established "California Lighthouse Recognition Week" for the second week of August each year. Through the efforts of the Society, St. George has also been featured in the PBS productions "California Gold", "Legendary Lighthouses" and the History Channel's "Save Our History: American Lighthouses".

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ST. GEORGE

In July,1865,the coastal steamer Brother Jonathan sank on St. George Reef, with the loss of over 150 lives. As a result, planning was begun to place a lighthouse in these treacherous waters. The light was constructed 1882-1892, St. George is called America's most expensive lighthouse, costing in excess of $700,000. The light was built on a small wave washed rock 6 miles off the coast near Crescent City, CA. The lighthouse is composed of hundreds of individually cut granite blocks which were quarried nearly 100 miles South and transported to the site by steamer. Capped by a cast iron lantern room which housed a giant First Order lens, the structure rises 150 feet above the sea. Over its years of service, St. George Lighthouse has withstood storms in which waves broke glass in the lantern room, and it was considered to be one of the most dangerous stations in the lighthouse service; during its history, 4 keepers have been killed while on duty.

Manned by personnel of the U.S. Lighthouse Service and later the Coast Guard, it was in operation until 1975. Its magnificent Fresnel Lens was removed to the Del Norte Country Historical Society Museum in 1983. Through the efforts of the SGRLPS, the lighthouse was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

The lighthouse is located 6 miles at sea near the California/Oregon border. It can be viewed from Crescent City, California to Brooking's, Oregon. The rock on which the lighthouse was built is only 17 feet above sea level and affords no safe landing for boats. Originally, the lighthouse had a boom and derrick that hoisted men and supplies from the rolling deck of a lighthouse tender. After the steel derrick replaced the original wooden one, the tender launch could be lifted to the lower staging area at St. George.

Please help save the lighthouse!

Memberships has changed please call for more details

 
PBS Video of St. George $25.00
Business Contributor $150.00 (or more)
Keeper's Heritage Donation $1,000.00
Corporate Sponsorship $5,000.00(or more)
You can now own the PBS Video of St. George from "California Gold", (VHS only) or
"Last One Out Turn off the Light", (DVD or VHS) are on our products page or home page.

Phone: 707-464-8299

E-mail: sgrlps@stgeorgereeflighthouse.us

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