San Pedro’s historic Point Fermin Lighthouse kicks off 150th anniversary on Saturday
San Pedro's historic Point Fermin Lighthouse will be front and center for the remainder of 2024 as its 150th birthday is celebrated.
One of San Pedro’s most treasured — and recognizable — landmarks, the Point Fermin Lighthouse, will soon embark on a celebration tour of monthly events marking its 150th birthday.
It all kicks off with the inaugural event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 11, during which participants can sip some tea, see a collection of Model T cars and shop at a vendor boutique.
But the “Tea & Ts by the Sea and Boutique” is just the beginning. Every month for the rest of 2024, the historic lighthouse will feature public events.
One of the oldest buildings in Southern California, the Point Fermin Lighthouse dates back to the late 1840s, when the city of Los Angeles and the harbor were just beginning to grow. The site for a lighthouse was chosen in 1872 and Congress appropriated $20,000 for construction in June of that year.
On Dec. 15, 1874, the inaugural lighting was held.
For decades, the lighthouse helped guide ships to shore at what would become the Port of Los Angeles.
But Point Fermin is not a working lighthouse anymore.
During World War II, the military took it over and coastal defense measures led to the removal of the lens. The top of the tower holding the lens was removed and a lookout station was put in its place.
But visitors can still see the Fresnel lens, on display in the back parlor of the lighthouse in Point Fermin Park, 807 W. Paseo del Mar.
The lighthouse is now open for tours and remains a popular and picturesque site for film and television shoots.
The beauty, architecture and symbolism of lighthouses have made them among the more frequently preserved historic structures, said Kristen Heather, the San Pedro lighthouse’s curator for 20 years.
“For everyone, it’s different,” she said. “There are people who love the historical aspect of the lighthouse and the harbor. Others admire the architecture and the third group is what I call the romantics; it’s the idea of the lighthouse on the water, saving people.”
The upcoming celebratory events have been planned by Heather; Diane Bertelsen, a voluntary board member for the Point Fermin Lighthouse Society; and Martha Austin McKinzie, the society president whose ancestors — Will and Martha Austin, and aunts Thelma and Juanita Austin — were among the early keepers of the Point Fermin Lighthouse.
The lighthouse predates Point Fermin Park, the picturesque L.A. city open space, where it sits overlooking San Pedro’s southern coastal bluffs.
The lighthouse was designed by U.S. Lighthouse Board architect Paul Pelze in what was called the “Stick Style” — a less ornate, earlier version of Victorian architecture. Construction began in 1873 and the lighthouse became operational on Dec. 15, 1874.
Heather continues to research its history, as does McKinzie, whose grandparents were some of the early light keepers.
That history includes nearly being torn down. In 1925, the lighthouse had been deemed unnecessary because of the newer and more powerful Point Vicente lighthouse –so the Point Fermin one was set for demolition. But thanks to lighthouse supporters, it was turned over to the city of Los Angeles instead.
“We try to teach more about the history than ever before,” Austin said. “We’re not going to be around for 200 more years so hopefully the next generation” will carry the story on.
(Part of the more recent history of the lighthouse was the hunt — by the late John Olguin and Bill Olesen — to find the lens, which went missing after the military took it over and was found at a Realtor’s office in Malibu.)
The lighthouse is open for tours and public visitors from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
But for the rest of 2024, the lighthouse will be in the spotlight as well. Volunteer supporters are inviting the public to take in the lighthouse’s special story and enjoy some fun activities as well.
The public events in honor of the structure’s 150th anniversary include:
- Saturday, May 11 (10 a.m.): Tea & Ts by the Sea and boutique, with the surrounding gardens (flower, vegetable and butterfly) on full display; boutique vendors and the Long Beach Model T Club also will be there for shoppers and antique car fans. A $5 donation is welcomed.
- May 24 (11 a.m.): A Gathering in Gratitude (featured as part of the LA Fleet Week weekend): With its history interwoven with the military, the lighthouse gathering will pay tribute and express its gratitude to all veterans. As a special part of this gathering (RSVP by Saturday), 100 veterans and local military members will be feted with an outdoor lunch on the back lawn of the lighthouse. There also will be military exhibits, focused on World War II. Veterans wishing to participate in the first-100 lunch should text 310-293-8000 or email bertelsen@cox.net with name, military service, military rank and optional photo for reservations. The community as a whole also is invited to enjoy some snacks along with live music; a guest speaker, new Coast Guard Los Angeles/Long Beach Commander Robert Poitinger; the national anthem, sung by Lt. Col. Natasha Peeples (U.S. Space Force); and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Ann Clare of San Pedro, who in 1944 married Richard (Dick) William Clare, a sailor stationed at Point Fermin Lighthouse as part of the “Defensive Dozen,” assigned to listen for enemy submarines.
- May 28-June: Students graduating the same year as the lighthouse’s 150th birthday will be invited to take photographs on the grounds and in front of a graduation-themed banner at the lighthouse.
- June 8: A Fairy Garden will be created at the lighthouse by children in the community, transforming the area below the outdoor staircase into a magical world for fairies. Participants can decorate their own “pet rock” and plant a succulent from the cuttings provided by several of the lighthouse gardeners.
- July 13: Los Angeles Lighthouse Challenge will be held for those ready for some competition. The goal is to visit two land-based lighthouses and one museum, and view an off-shore lighthouse all within the course of one day. The route covers Rancho Palos Verdes and San Pedro, taking in the Point Fermin Lighthouse, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and the Point Vicente Lighthouse. Participants will be given a “Challenge Passport” to collect stamps at each location; they also will receive a complimentary souvenir.
- Aug. 17: The 150th Anniversary grand community celebration, “Legacy of Light.” Hosted by the Point Fermin Lighthouse Society and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the public gathering will honor the commissioning of the Point Fermin Light in 1874, immersing guests back to the 1800s with exhibits and activities (quilting, spinning, carpentry, blacksmithing, printing and photography). Demonstrations will expose youngsters to what life was like in the early lighthouse days, with living history exhibits and a video; an open house inside the lighthouse; children’s activities, including a parade with the San Pedro High School Band; the opening of a time capsule; and a birthday cake.
- Sept. 28: Taste by the Sea (a fundraiser). A beer- and wine-tasting fundraiser on the lighthouse grounds; this event will include appetizer samplings, music and opportunity drawings. An annual event, this is the society’s primary fundraiser to help support the historic lighthouse landmark.
- Oct. 26: Happy Haunting at the Lighthouse. Costumed society volunteers will host this event with treat bags, refreshments, Halloween crafts and trick-or-treating through the “haunted” first floor of the lighthouse. Games and craft tables will be included in the activities.
- Nov. 9-10: Veterans Day Recognition with military exhibits.
- Dec. 15: A private celebration, held every year, by and for society members, who will gather to commemorate the commissioning and lighting of the lighthouse lens on Dec. 15, 1874. Members gather just before sunset on the front porch, balcony, and at the windows of the lighthouse, waiting for the sun to set — the moment when the lighthouse first went “live.” Happy Birthday is sung followed by a potluck dinner in a tent on the lighthouse grounds.