HI Point Montara Lighthouse
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Historic Guest House
Year erected: 1875
What is the history of the property?
The lighthouse on the grounds of HI Point Montara Lighthouse hostel may be small, but it’s the only American lighthouse known to have beckoned seafarers on both coasts of the country.
Replacing the original lighthouse at Mayo’s Beach in Wellfleet, MA in 1881, the lighthouse was taken down in 1925 and, everyone believed, destroyed for scrap metal. It wasn’t until the following century that researchers discovered the disappeared Cape Cod lighthouse had actually been moved to the West Coast. The lighthouse was installed at Point Montara in 1928, yet no one knows exactly how – or why – it made its cross-country journey. One rumour has it voyaging all the way around Cape Horn to arrive at its final destination at Montara, CA.
Point Montara had been established in 1875 as a fog signal station, doing its best to warn approaching ships of its craggy coastline with the addition of a red kerosene lantern in 1900. Eventually the lantern was upgraded to a fourth order Fresnel lens in 1912 with a stick work tower and lantern house.
The Point Montara hostel’s other buildings have their own rich histories, starting long before the arrival of the cast-iron lighthouse. The United States government established a fog signal at Point Montara in 1875 in response to two high-profile crashes along the coast in the decade before. Initially, the site housed nothing but a 12-inch steam whistle, whose five-second blast could be heard from 15 miles away, and a two-story, Victorian-style innkeeper’s dwelling that still stands on the hostel grounds and serves as housing for hostel staff.
In 1902, a large barn-style fog signal building was added; a secondary building used for a workshop and storage went up around the same time. Today, the same fog signal building and annex houses the hostel’s private rooms, and a large common area used for movie screenings and other hostel group gatherings. The annex building has been modernized and outfitted with private rooms and guest bathrooms. A third building, where today you’ll find the hostel’s kitchens, lounge, and most of its guest rooms*, went up in 1961 to house members of the U.S. Coast Guard.
1942-1945 Point Montara became an Anti-aircraft training Center. This was a top secret facility operated by the U S Navy during WWII it contained 48 structures, housed 1,500 men, trained 320,000 Navel Sailors and Merchant Marines on the latest technology in Anti-aircraft Systems and was progressive in the use of WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) and radio-controlled drones for live-fire training.
The 1961 building was barely used for a decade when the entire station was automated and the buildings were abandoned.
This amazing property began welcoming travelers in 1980 after HI-USA (then AYH), the U.S. Coast Guard, the California Coastal Commission, the California Coastal Conservancy and California State Parks worked together to open a hostel here. The location was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and is in a Marine Protected Area. Today, operated by HI-USA it’s the perfect escape for history buffs and lighthouse enthusiasts, as well as anyone else who loves the seaside and the great outdoors.
The lighthouse on the grounds of HI Point Montara Lighthouse hostel may be small, but it’s the only American lighthouse known to have beckoned seafarers on both coasts of the country.
Replacing the original lighthouse at Mayo’s Beach in Wellfleet, MA in 1881, the lighthouse was taken down in 1925 and, everyone believed, destroyed for scrap metal. It wasn’t until the following century that researchers discovered the disappeared Cape Cod lighthouse had actually been moved to the West Coast. The lighthouse was installed at Point Montara in 1928, yet no one knows exactly how – or why – it made its cross-country journey. One rumour has it voyaging all the way around Cape Horn to arrive at its final destination at Montara, CA.
Point Montara had been established in 1875 as a fog signal station, doing its best to warn approaching ships of its craggy coastline with the addition of a red kerosene lantern in 1900. Eventually the lantern was upgraded to a fourth order Fresnel lens in 1912 with a stick work tower and lantern house.
The Point Montara hostel’s other buildings have their own rich histories, starting long before the arrival of the cast-iron lighthouse. The United States government established a fog signal at Point Montara in 1875 in response to two high-profile crashes along the coast in the decade before. Initially, the site housed nothing but a 12-inch steam whistle, whose five-second blast could be heard from 15 miles away, and a two-story, Victorian-style innkeeper’s dwelling that still stands on the hostel grounds and serves as housing for hostel staff.
In 1902, a large barn-style fog signal building was added; a secondary building used for a workshop and storage went up around the same time. Today, the same fog signal building and annex houses the hostel’s private rooms, and a large common area used for movie screenings and other hostel group gatherings. The annex building has been modernized and outfitted with private rooms and guest bathrooms. A third building, where today you’ll find the hostel’s kitchens, lounge, and most of its guest rooms*, went up in 1961 to house members of the U.S. Coast Guard.
1942-1945 Point Montara became an Anti-aircraft training Center. This was a top secret facility operated by the U S Navy during WWII it contained 48 structures, housed 1,500 men, trained 320,000 Navel Sailors and Merchant Marines on the latest technology in Anti-aircraft Systems and was progressive in the use of WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) and radio-controlled drones for live-fire training.
The 1961 building was barely used for a decade when the entire station was automated and the buildings were abandoned.
This amazing property began welcoming travelers in 1980 after HI-USA (then AYH), the U.S. Coast Guard, the California Coastal Commission, the California Coastal Conservancy and California State Parks worked together to open a hostel here. The location was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and is in a Marine Protected Area. Today, operated by HI-USA it’s the perfect escape for history buffs and lighthouse enthusiasts, as well as anyone else who loves the seaside and the great outdoors.
What was the era and/or the architectural style in which the property was built?
1875 - 1961
Show more...1875 - 1961
Guest House for Honeymoon
Guest House with Parking
Location of parking spaces:
Outdoors, not covered (inside the premises). Number of spaces: 20
Number of parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities: 4
Cost of parking: Free for overnight guests
Show more...Accessible Guest House
Small Guest House
Guest House where Extra Health & Safety Measures Have Been Taken
Cleaning
Are the rooms left vacant for a minimum period of time after a guest checks out?
Yes, for 24 hours.
Yes, for 24 hours.
Do you allow fresh air to enter the rooms by leaving the windows open between departures and arrivals?
Yes
Show more...Yes
About HI Point Montara Lighthouse
Show Map
Guest Reviews
No, HI Point Montara Lighthouse doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at HI Point Montara Lighthouse.
No, HI Point Montara Lighthouse doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at HI Point Montara Lighthouse. For more information, read the answers to the Parking questionnaire
No, HI Point Montara Lighthouse doesn't have a gym.
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