Earthquakes and Storms Damage Lighthouse
By Sue Clark on Nov 8, 2008 in News 
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Fight To Save Angel’s Gate Lighthouse
Years of storms and earthquakes have compromised the structural soundness of one of California’s most unusual lighthouse, Angel’s Gate at the entrance to Los Angeles Harbor. The Romanesque styled lighthouse, built in 1913, is at the end of a 9,250 foot long rock breakwater and is built on a 40 foot concrete foundation. Underneath its lovely exterior is a framework of steel, designed to withstand nature’s forces. And it has, up until now.
Like so many lighthouses, once they’re automated they become victims of neglect. The Coast Guard visits to maintain the optic, but all other maintenance is put by the wayside. But now the Los Angeles Yacht Club is taking the lead in getting the word out that this beauty needs some help, after years of helping mariners.
Aesthetic Mitigation Fund May Pay For Repairs
Barbara Wallace, Historian for the Los Angeles yacht Club, says in a story at The Log that the Los Angeles YC proposal requests funding from the Port’s Aesthetic Mitigation Fund to pay for the necessary restoration, Preliminary estimates put the cost at $1.5 million to $2 million. The fund was set in place to ease any burden experienced by local boaters and residents resulting from the port’s commercial success.
“This lighthouse restoration project represents an ideal opportunity to use these funds in a way that benefits not only West Coast boaters, but all citizens of California,” Wallace said, adding that “Preservation of this piece of maritime history is extremely important, and harbor boaters should realize that if the present structure fails, it will be replaced with a less expensive, purely functional, modern skeleton-framed structure that will likely be unattractive.”
More information on this light can be found at the Lighthouse Friends,including a tale of a Keeper who woke one night after a tremendous blow hit the base of the tower. Yes, a ship, in fact a large Navy ship, had rammed the breakwater and damaged its hull and propeller.
Photo Credit: Angel’s Gate Lighthouse Originally uploaded by Nick Carlson. All Rights Reserved.
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