Point Fermin Lighthouse

• Hours: Open several days a week - Check current schedules
• Reservations: Not required, except for large groups
• Cost: Free, but donations are appreciated
• Location: San Pedro (directions below)
• How Long: Unless you're especially interested in lighthouses, an hour will do
• Best Time to Visit: Any time they're open

Unlike most other lighthouses on the California coast which stand as lonely pillars, Point Fermin's light is integrated into a Victorian-style house. It's one of only six lighthouses built in this design and one of three still standing (the others are East Brother in the San Francisco Bay and Hereford Light in New Jersey).

History of Point Fermin Lighthouse

Point Fermin Lighthouse was the first in the San Pedro Bay, built in 1874, 20 years after a group of local businessmen petitioned for it and after lengthy disputes over the land. Unusually for the time, Point Fermin's first lighthouse keepers were women, sisters Mary and Ella Smith who served for eight years until 1882. Retired sea captain George Shaw took over after the Smith sisters' resignation. During Shaw's time, Point Fermin and its lighthouse were a popular Los Angeles destination, accessible by the "Red Car" streetcar. Point Fermin Lighthouse's third and last keeper,the William Austin family arrived in 1917. When Austin died, the lighthouse was once again staffed by sisters: his daughters Thelma and Juanita took over, staying until 1927, when the light was electrified and taken over by the City of Los Angeles.

The light was dimmed during World War II and the original light tower was replaced by a square room, so unattractive that some called it "the chicken coop." Point Fermin was never a working lighthouse again after that. A series of organizations ran the old lighthouse and in the 1970s, local citizens raised funds to restore the old tower and lantern room. In 2003, Point Fermin Lighthouse was opened to public access as a city park. Volunteers from the Point Fermin Lighthouse Society serve as tour guides and help to keep the lighthouse open to the public.

Visiting Point Fermin Lighthouse

Getting to the Fermin Lighthouse

Point Fermin Lighthouse
807 W. Paseo Del Mar
San Pedro, CA
310-241-0684
Point Fermin Lighthouse Website

The Point Fermin Lighthouse is located on the south side of San Pedro, just west of where S. Pacific Avenue reaches its southern end. Children under 40 inches tall aren't allowed in the tower.