Año Nuevo Island Light Station
The original Año Nuevo Island station was built in response to several ship wrecks on rocky shoals off the San Mateo coast during the years following the gold rush. The first fog whistle became operational on May 29, 1872. A light tower was added in 1890. The keepers dwelling on the left was built in 1906 to provide the needs of two (isolated) families. The channel isolating the island from the mainland was treacherous and had already cost the lives of a keeper and an assistant keeper.
In 1948 the light station was officially closed. Since then many of the original structures were removed by the park service or burned by vandals. After the return of the first northern elephant seal in 1955 the site has served as a marine mammal research preserve. Today thousands of elephant seals come to Año Nuevo each year during breeding season, only recently eclipsed in size by the new breeding colony at San Simeon. Evidently it's the sea lions that occupy the house though, even the second floor.
Año Nuevo Island Light Station
The original Año Nuevo Island station was built in response to several ship wrecks on rocky shoals off the San Mateo coast during the years following the gold rush. The first fog whistle became operational on May 29, 1872. A light tower was added in 1890. The keepers dwelling on the left was built in 1906 to provide the needs of two (isolated) families. The channel isolating the island from the mainland was treacherous and had already cost the lives of a keeper and an assistant keeper.
In 1948 the light station was officially closed. Since then many of the original structures were removed by the park service or burned by vandals. After the return of the first northern elephant seal in 1955 the site has served as a marine mammal research preserve. Today thousands of elephant seals come to Año Nuevo each year during breeding season, only recently eclipsed in size by the new breeding colony at San Simeon. Evidently it's the sea lions that occupy the house though, even the second floor.