St. George Reef Light

The St. George Reef Light is an inactive lighthouse located six miles (10 km) off the coast of northern California near Crescent City.

A rare wave-washed sentinel where the ocean hits from all sides, its beacon and fog signal warned ships of the nearby treacherous rocks and reefs. The light's location was selected because the area had a history of serious maritime accidents and its construction was a direct result of the wreck in 1865 of the Brother Jonathan. However, this site, battered by stormy waters, presented challenges to the designer as well as hazardous conditions for construction workers and, later, for lightkeepers. Unlike the typical lighthouse design by federal architect Ammi B. Young, which consisted of a separate keeper's cottage and light tower, the living quarters and light tower at St. George Reef Light were housed in the same medieval fortress-like structure on top of a 50-foot (15 m) high foundation.