Pigeon Point Lighthouse
.jpg){kind=link}
The National Park Service has not published a boundary polygon for this district; the map shows the listed properties inside it and the district's reference point.
Why it's listed
Pigeon Point Lighthouse is a 100-foot brick tower on a rocky cliff about fifty feet above the Pacific, halfway between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. Construction began in 1871 under builder Phineas F. Marston, to plans signed by the Light House Board, and the light first shone on 15 November 1872. Shipwrecks along the fog-bound coast prompted its creation. The tower has an octagonal base, a conical shaft with cut-stone window trim, a cast-iron gallery and a brass-and-copper lantern. A brick watch house in Eastlake or Cottage style is attached. The first-order Fresnel lens, made in Paris and earlier used at Cape Hatteras, still sits in the lantern. The tower has needed no structural changes and has weathered earthquakes and storms without damage. A 1908 fog signal building and carpenter shop and a 1909 oil house are included in the district. The nomination praises it as an excellent example of a working lighthouse in a largely unchanged setting.
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) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 and 1900 (specific dates 1871-1873) |
|---|---|
| Styles | Italianate (tower); watch house in restrained Eastlake or Cottage style |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Military, Engineering, Transportation, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Acreage | 4.3 |
| Boundary source | not published |
| Full listing page | Pigeon Point Lighthouse (property record) |
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.