{"nrhp_refnum":"91001099","name":"Point Bonita Light Station","other_names":[],"category":"district","location":{"address":"Point Bonita","address_restricted":false,"city":"Sausalito","county":"Marin County","state":"CA","lat":37.81836774700005,"lon":-122.53053327249559,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1991-09-03","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Commerce","Transportation","Architecture","Maritime History"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A light station district at the tip of Point Bonita, a rocky promontory at the northern entrance to San Francisco Bay near Sausalito, Marin County, California. The station was founded in 1855, with the present tower combined with a brick base in 1877 and a fog-signal building added in 1903.","why_significant":"The station is significant under Criteria A and C for its link to California's reliance on maritime transportation and navigation aids. Its lighthouse combines an 1855 tower and lens with an 1877 brick base, a design unique among California lighthouses. The 1903 fog-signal building is notable for its decorative brickwork and woodwork. It is also the only lighthouse in the United States, and perhaps the world, approached by a suspension bridge.","narrative":"Point Bonita Light Station sits on narrow ledges blasted from rock at the tip of a promontory marking the northern entrance to San Francisco Bay. Established in 1855 after the Gold Rush filled the bay with shipping, the first lighthouse was built high on the hill but proved too high to be seen under the low fogs. In 1877 its iron tower and second-order Fresnel lens were moved to a new brick base at the water's edge, creating a hybrid design unique among California lighthouses. A brick fog-signal building followed in 1903, with decorative arched brickwork and fluted woodwork unusual for such structures. A 118-foot tunnel cut in 1876 and a 1954 pedestrian suspension bridge provide access. The station was automated in 1980, the last in California, and passed to the National Park Service in 1981. It was listed for its role in California maritime transportation and for its distinctive architecture.","period_of_significance":"1855-1940","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Other: lighthouse","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Automated in 1980 and transferred to the National Park Service in 1981; opened for tours in 1984. The historic buildings are described as in very good condition, and the Coast Guard maintains modern navigation aids.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:27.930344-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/91001099.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91001099/f885a2b50e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91001099/f885a2b50e-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Allan J. Cronin","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Point_bonita_lighthouse_detail.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Allan J. Cronin</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Point_bonita_lighthouse_detail.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123857641","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_Bonita_Lighthouse","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2100738"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/marin-county/point-bonita-light-station-91001099/"}