Point Reyes Light Station
Also known as: Point Reyes Lighthouse
Why it's listed
Point Reyes Light Station occupies the far tip of a headland that juts into the Pacific in Marin County, California. The lighthouse sits on a rocky shelf about 240 feet above the sea, and most other buildings are on the hilltop 300 feet above, reached by a long concrete stairway. The 1870 sixteen-sided iron tower still holds its original 1st order Fresnel lens, made in Paris in 1867. Congress authorized a light here in 1854, but disputes with landowners delayed construction until 1870, and seven major shipwrecks occurred in the interim. Building the station meant hauling materials over steep hills and carving terraces from solid rock. The site is among the windiest and foggiest on the Pacific coast. Historic buildings include a 1928 power house, a 1934 transformer building, storage sheds, cisterns and watersheds. Its integrity, intact tower and lens, and role in California's maritime transportation led to its listing for Criteria A and C.
Significance in brief: The station is argued to be significant under Criteria A and C as part of California's maritime transportation history and its navigational aids. It retains an intact 1870 iron lighthouse tower with its original 1st order Fresnel lens and a cluster of well-preserved historic buildings. The difficult construction of the station on a windy, foggy headland is also noted.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91001100, listed September 3, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes |
|---|---|
| County | Marin County |
| Listed | September 3, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001100 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1870-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Marston, Phineas F. |
| Architectural style | Other: lighthouse |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The lighthouse tower is in very good condition, and the lens is lit for demonstration tours at least once a month. The Coast Guard maintains automated navigational aids, and a former building houses the visitor center. |
| Acreage | 83 |
| Coordinates | 37.99876, -123.01685 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91001100.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q779685
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.