St. George Reef Lighthouse: A Nineteenth Century Engineering Feat

St. George Reef is made up of a series of rocks, pinnacles, and small islets extending into the Pacific Ocean about eight miles from Point St. George in northern California near the Oregon Border. Some of the obstructions are submerged and some are above water, depending on the stage of the tide. The area has long been a critical turning point for vessels navigating along the West Coast. Coastal navigation continued to increase as the West Coast developed after the Gold Rush, which began in 1849. But lighthouse construction was halted during the Civil War. After the war funds were spent on the deferred maintenance of existing stations and rebuilding those that had been destroyed by the Confederacy.