Mare Island Lighthouse was a lighthouse in California, United States, on the north shore of San Pablo Bay at the entrance to Carquinez Strait, California.

Quick Facts Location, Coordinates ...

Mare Island Lighthouse

View of the light from the north side
Location	Mare Island Vallejo California United States
Coordinates	38.074834°N 122.250464°W / 38.074834; -122.250464
Tower
Constructed	1873
Construction	wooden tower
Height	76 feet (23 m)
Shape	square tower with balcony and lantern attached to dwelling
Light
First lit	1873
Deactivated	1917
Focal height	12 m (39 ft)
Lens	Fourth order Fresnel lens
Characteristic	F W

Close

Mare Island Light was built in 1873, deactivated in 1917, and demolished in the 1930s.^[1] The lighthouse was designed by Paul J. Pelz, who also designed Mare Island's sister stations, Point Fermin Light in San Pedro CA, East Brother Island Light in Richmond, California, Point Hueneme Light in California (replaced in 1940), Hereford Inlet Light in North Wildwood, New Jersey, and Point Adams Light in Washington State (burned down by the Lighthouse Service in 1912), all in essentially the same style.^[2]

The United States Lighthouse Board later realized that a light positioned offshore near the junction of the strait and river would better serve navigation in the area. The Carquinez Strait Light opened in 1909 to replace this light in purpose, but in an offshore location, between the two channels.^[3]

A Navy Direction Finding Station was later erected on the site in 1942, run by U.S. Navy radio operators stationed at Naval Radio Station, Mare Island. The station was closed in 1945 after World War II ended and a Navy Radio Beacon was installed.^[4]

• 1879 Print – U.S. Coast Guard Archive
• View from pier looking ashore and up at light station – U.S. Coast Guard Archive
• View from atop mountain down at the light station and pier – U.S. Coast Guard Archive

• List of lighthouses in the United States