About Us

WHO ARE WE?

SGRLPS is a non-profit organization formed in 1988 whose goals were to first acquire and then preserve the St. George Reef lighthouse. The Government Services Administration (GSA), and Del Norte County completed the final transfer of St. George to the Society in 1996. The aim of the Society is to preserve this historic structure for future generations and to tell the story of the role this lighthouse played in the maritime history of the West Coast.

SPECIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The St. George Reef Lighthouse (SGRLPS) was a recipient in the 1994 "Take Pride in California" competition, sponsored by the California Department of Parks and Recreation and in the same year sponsored, in cooperation with Assemblyman Dan Hauser, HR#37 which established "California Lighthouse Recognition Week" for the second week of August each year. Through the efforts of the Society, St. George has also been featured in the PBS productions "California Gold", "Legendary Lighthouses" and the History Channel's "Save Our History: American Lighthouses".

PLEASE HELP SAVE THE LIGHTHOUSE!

One year membership $25.00
Five year membership $110.00
Lifetime membership $300.00
Business Contributor $150.00 (or more)
Keeper's Heritage Donation $1,000.00
Corporate Sponsorship $5,000.00(or more)

SGRLPS
PO BOX 577, Crescent City, CA 95531 Phone: 707-464-8299

E-mail: sgrlps@stgeorgereeflighthouse.us

DVD's
You can now buy the PBS Video of St. George from "California Gold", (DVD and is Out of Print - only 4 left) or "Last One Out Turn off the Light", (DVD ) they are both on our products page or home page.

Adventures of Shadow Gift Shop
PO BOX 771, Bayside, CA 95524
Phone: 707-442-4117
E-mail: billjr@odonnell.ws

HISTORY OF ST. GEORGE REEF LIGHTHOUSE

In July,1865, the coastal steamer Brother Jonathan sank on St. George Reef, with the loss of over 150 lives. As a result, planning was begun to place a lighthouse in these treacherous waters.

Constructed between 1882-1892, St. George is called America's most expensive lighthouse, costing in excess of $700,000. Built on a small wave washed rock 6 miles off the coast near Crescent City, CA.

The lighthouse is composed of hundreds of individually cut granite blocks which were quarried nearly 100 miles South and transported to the site by steamer.

Capped by a cast iron lantern room which housed a giant First Order lens, the structure rises 150 feet above the sea. Over its years of service, St. George Lighthouse has withstood storms in which waves broke glass in the lantern room, and it was considered to be one of the most dangerous stations in the lighthouse service; during its history, 4 keepers have been killed while on duty.

Manned by personnel of the U.S. Lighthouse Service and later the Coast Guard, it was in operation until 1975. Its magnificent Fresnel Lens was removed to the Del Norte Country Historical Society Museum in 1983. Through the efforts of the SGRLPS, the lighthouse was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

The lighthouse is located 6 miles at sea near the California/Oregon border. It can be viewed from Crescent City, California to Brooking's, Oregon. The rock on which the lighthouse was built is only 17 feet above sea level and affords no safe landing for boats. Originally, the lighthouse had a boom and derrick that hoisted men and supplies from the rolling deck of a lighthouse tender. After the steel derrick replaced the original wooden one, the tender launch could be lifted to the lower staging area at St. George.

St. George Reef Lighthouse - Light

St George Reef Lighthouse is now able, once again, to guide the many ships with the light that St. George Reef Lighthouse now shines at night or when the fog rolls in.

The light was turned back on March 10, 2012.

Pictures from St. George Reef Lighthouse

St. George Reef Lighthouse