 |
HISTORY Despite the fact that the Point San Luis Light Station is one of the most important historical sites in San Luis Obispo County, it is rarely visited by the public. The need for a lighthouse at the entrance to Port San Luis was recognized as early as the 1860s. In 1867, President Andrew Johnson signed an executive order directing the Department of the Interior “to take the necessary steps to cause the reservation for Light House purposes of an area not exceeding twenty acres of land at each of the following named points on the Pacific Coast” including “Point San Luis”. By the early 1870s, Port Harford was busy, averaging one ship arriving each day, and the need for a lighthouse was recognized by the citizens of San Luis Obispo County. In 1877, the Tribune of San Luis Obispo reported that Congressman Romualdo Pacheco had introduced a bill in the House of Representatives for the construction of a lighthouse at Port Harford. This early effort was not successful, but in 1886 Congress finally accepted the need for a lighthouse. On June 24, 1886, the San Luis Obispo Daily Republic newspaper noted that the necessary legislation had been passed and “the government having appropriated the sum of $50,000 for the construction of a lighthouse at Port Harford, it is presumed that the work will soon be commenced.” As soon as October of that year the Republic reported that a government survey party was expected and would soon begin to survey the site. MORE > |