The California Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse or Angel’s Gate (as it is affectionately called) is a beautiful structure located in the waters of the San Pedro area of Los Angeles County. Its original function was for storage of fog, signal, fuel equipment and the like. The lighthouse was finished in 1913 and has withstood earthquakes and the pounding of the Pacific ocean waves ever since.
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The lighthouse has a rich and interesting history. Fun facts about this legendary structure are that:
– In 1930 a rather large naval ship rammed into the base of the lighthouse. Amazingly the lighthouse survived, while the ship itself suffered hull and propeller damage.
– The foghorns of the lighthouse are immensely strong. Raymond Wlascinski, once in charge of equipment and maintenance, noted that a good way to “shake your innards” was to be in close proximity to them.
– The Fourth Order Fresnel Lens originally on the lighthouse stayed functional until 1887. When it was finally removed it was not due to a malfunction but so that the lens could be donated to the Los Angeles Maritime Museum.
The California Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse is one of the countries most culture-filled structures. It stands for the quality of American ingenuity and craftsmanship.
