What do you think?
Rate this book
Lighthouse Point: Illuminating Santa Cruz History
A history of Lighthouse Point in Santa Cruz, California, including the lighthouse located there, Lighthouse Field State Beach, and a brief history of surfing in Santa Cruz.
186 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 13, 2023
I was drawn to Lighthouse Point because it’s source material for the fictionalized Light of the Bay, both books being about the tiny Santa Cruz lighthouse. Whereas I’d expected dry historical facts, Lighthouse Point brings Santa Cruz history to life in a short volume loaded with historical photos and maps. I enjoyed it immensely.
In addition to facts about the Hecox family and other Santa Cruz movers and shakers from the last two centuries, which were somewhat distorted in Light of the Bay, I learned that the current location of the lighthouse is different than the original—it’s across the street, just above the water. That explains why Lighthouse Field is not located at the lighthouse! It’s not surprising that the rickety-looking structure that the US Coast Guard built to house the light at its new location was a target for vandalism.
But then, the unlikely story of the Abbott family funding a brick building in honor of a deceased surfer, coordinating with the government to build on their property, and persuading the Coast Guard move their nearby light in its rickety structure to the building is astounding. That was 1965—these days no one could bridge that bureaucracy and have the project completed within two years.
Other topics of interest include the now-nearly-forgotten Vue de L’Eau, Wave Motor, and Devil’s Blow Hole. And who knew that twice Lighthouse Point was considered for a huge convention/hotel/shopping complex (as if traffic wasn’t bad enough already). Surfing history, of course, is discussed. The photos are exceptional—a good historical collection complemented by author Perry’s own photos. Perry’s view from the lighthouse showing coastal features and a closeup of the beacon currently used is a most unusual shot. Also, many maps and even schematic drawings for the proposed convention centers pack a lot of easily assimilated information into just 186 pages.
Highly recommended for Santa Cruz residents, surfers, tourists, and anyone else who want to know more about Santa Cruz history and how our miniature lighthouse came to be.
In addition to facts about the Hecox family and other Santa Cruz movers and shakers from the last two centuries, which were somewhat distorted in Light of the Bay, I learned that the current location of the lighthouse is different than the original—it’s across the street, just above the water. That explains why Lighthouse Field is not located at the lighthouse! It’s not surprising that the rickety-looking structure that the US Coast Guard built to house the light at its new location was a target for vandalism.
But then, the unlikely story of the Abbott family funding a brick building in honor of a deceased surfer, coordinating with the government to build on their property, and persuading the Coast Guard move their nearby light in its rickety structure to the building is astounding. That was 1965—these days no one could bridge that bureaucracy and have the project completed within two years.
Other topics of interest include the now-nearly-forgotten Vue de L’Eau, Wave Motor, and Devil’s Blow Hole. And who knew that twice Lighthouse Point was considered for a huge convention/hotel/shopping complex (as if traffic wasn’t bad enough already). Surfing history, of course, is discussed. The photos are exceptional—a good historical collection complemented by author Perry’s own photos. Perry’s view from the lighthouse showing coastal features and a closeup of the beacon currently used is a most unusual shot. Also, many maps and even schematic drawings for the proposed convention centers pack a lot of easily assimilated information into just 186 pages.
Highly recommended for Santa Cruz residents, surfers, tourists, and anyone else who want to know more about Santa Cruz history and how our miniature lighthouse came to be.
March 17, 2020
If you live in Santa Cruz, especially if you live on the westside, this book is for you. If not, probably not.
I walk by Lighthouse Point, and the lighthouse, at least once a day, and knowing some of its history just enriches what is already a great experience. The original lighthouse was built in 1869 and began operations in 1870. Unlike the current lighthouse, this was a three bedroom wood-frame house, where generations of lighthouse keepers lived and cared for the lighthouse’s oil-burning lantern.
Perry tells the story of the land, now called Lighthouse Point, where the lighthouse would eventually be built, starting from Spanish California, through Mexican rule, and on to the time when California became a territory of the United States. He gives some picture of those early days when Santa Cruz was primarily a lumber and agricultural community.
All along, Santa Cruz appealed to inhabitants of San Francisco (about 75 miles away) and San Francisco Bay as a vacation spot, and Perry tells us about the vacation homes built there, often by wealthy families as second or third homes. The land around the lighthouse, now Lighthouse Field State Beach, was at one time Phelan Park, where James Phelan, and his extended family built elegant cottages and gardens. Phelan had made much of his fortune during the Gold Rush days of California.
Nothing of Phelan Park exists today, except the land itself, which was bulldozed in preparation for one of several planned developments, including hotels, conference centers, shopping extravaganzas, and, of course, parking lots. The story of those never-developed proposals for what became the park is interesting in itself. Santa Cruz might be a very different city today if it had turned in the more commercial direction of those plans. Some made their way along the necessary approval steps, but nothing ever happened.
That history of Lighthouse Field was particularly interesting to me, as it goes some way toward explaining why the park looks the way it does today. Hardly a manicured urban park, it is a scrubby home to all sorts of critters, including coyotes, raccoons, rabbits, and Santa Cruz’s unofficial masters, the gophers. The park is also the winter home of thousands of monarch butterflies.
But the lighthouse itself is the focus of the story. Perry tells us about each lighthouse keeper, and their families, beginning with Adna Hecox in 1870 on through to the eventual replacement of the lighthouse by an automated beacon in 1948. The lighthouse was torn down as no longer needed. After all, an automated beacon could now do the job without the constant, manual maintenance of the old-fashioned lighthouse.
But in 1967, a new lighthouse was built anyway, very near the same spot as the lighthouse of 1870. Chuck and Esther Abbott had lost their son, Mark, to a body surfing accident in 1965 and wanted to build a lighthouse in his memory. They worked with the Coast Guard to get approval and cooperation. Lighthouses were no longer being built in the United States, so this was an extraordinary proposal.
So today, there is a lighthouse again at Lighthouse Point, the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse. The current lighthouse is a much smaller, brick building with no lightkeeper. But it houses the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum and is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
Perry gives a brief history of surfing in Santa Cruz to give context both for the museum and for what became one of the best surfing spots in the United States, Steamer Lane, right off Lighthouse Point.
Obviously, I learned a lot about the place I live from Perry’s book. It’s probably not something that someone who doesn’t live in or at least visit Santa Cruz often would get as much of a kick out of. For me, it makes my walks by the lighthouse that much more interesting.
I walk by Lighthouse Point, and the lighthouse, at least once a day, and knowing some of its history just enriches what is already a great experience. The original lighthouse was built in 1869 and began operations in 1870. Unlike the current lighthouse, this was a three bedroom wood-frame house, where generations of lighthouse keepers lived and cared for the lighthouse’s oil-burning lantern.
Perry tells the story of the land, now called Lighthouse Point, where the lighthouse would eventually be built, starting from Spanish California, through Mexican rule, and on to the time when California became a territory of the United States. He gives some picture of those early days when Santa Cruz was primarily a lumber and agricultural community.
All along, Santa Cruz appealed to inhabitants of San Francisco (about 75 miles away) and San Francisco Bay as a vacation spot, and Perry tells us about the vacation homes built there, often by wealthy families as second or third homes. The land around the lighthouse, now Lighthouse Field State Beach, was at one time Phelan Park, where James Phelan, and his extended family built elegant cottages and gardens. Phelan had made much of his fortune during the Gold Rush days of California.
Nothing of Phelan Park exists today, except the land itself, which was bulldozed in preparation for one of several planned developments, including hotels, conference centers, shopping extravaganzas, and, of course, parking lots. The story of those never-developed proposals for what became the park is interesting in itself. Santa Cruz might be a very different city today if it had turned in the more commercial direction of those plans. Some made their way along the necessary approval steps, but nothing ever happened.
That history of Lighthouse Field was particularly interesting to me, as it goes some way toward explaining why the park looks the way it does today. Hardly a manicured urban park, it is a scrubby home to all sorts of critters, including coyotes, raccoons, rabbits, and Santa Cruz’s unofficial masters, the gophers. The park is also the winter home of thousands of monarch butterflies.
But the lighthouse itself is the focus of the story. Perry tells us about each lighthouse keeper, and their families, beginning with Adna Hecox in 1870 on through to the eventual replacement of the lighthouse by an automated beacon in 1948. The lighthouse was torn down as no longer needed. After all, an automated beacon could now do the job without the constant, manual maintenance of the old-fashioned lighthouse.
But in 1967, a new lighthouse was built anyway, very near the same spot as the lighthouse of 1870. Chuck and Esther Abbott had lost their son, Mark, to a body surfing accident in 1965 and wanted to build a lighthouse in his memory. They worked with the Coast Guard to get approval and cooperation. Lighthouses were no longer being built in the United States, so this was an extraordinary proposal.
So today, there is a lighthouse again at Lighthouse Point, the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse. The current lighthouse is a much smaller, brick building with no lightkeeper. But it houses the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum and is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
Perry gives a brief history of surfing in Santa Cruz to give context both for the museum and for what became one of the best surfing spots in the United States, Steamer Lane, right off Lighthouse Point.
Obviously, I learned a lot about the place I live from Perry’s book. It’s probably not something that someone who doesn’t live in or at least visit Santa Cruz often would get as much of a kick out of. For me, it makes my walks by the lighthouse that much more interesting.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews