Episode 17. Angel's Gate Lighthouse

In this episode I will talk about the iconic Angel's Gate Lighthouse located in San Pedro, California.

Transcript

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Hey folks. Welcome to the Harbor Area Podcast. I'm your host, Joel Torrez. Today's episode is about Angels Gate Lighthouse. I'm gonna start off by saying this recording has been very trying. I don't know if any of you know about this, but, I do this all on my own. I bought some equipment online. I know nothing about using a mixer and I can't say nothing anymore because I know today that I was able to mess around with some of the little. Controls here to find my right voice. If any of these controls are off, it can make your audio just sound out of whack. And so I've been dealing a little bit with that this morning I recorded this episode actually three times, which is highly unusual. And the suspect here is of course, myself and this mixer. I am just happy to report that I fixed it and I'm really excited to kick off this episode. I think as we talked about Point, Furman Lighthouse, the Angels Gate Lighthouse is very different in that there is no actual house built Around this particular lighthouse. It does have living corridors, but it does not necessarily have a home built alongside of it such as that of point Fermin, which actually has a house connected to the lighthouse. And if you see these two, you would understand exactly what I mean. I am going to reflect on being so amazed by this Angel's Gate Lighthouse because it sits on the break water at Cabrillo Beach. If you walk to the old Pier, you could actually get a really good glimpse of it. I had the opportunity to go paddle boarding in Cabrillo Beach. And we were actually getting very close to the lighthouse, but the water was so choppy and we had to turn back around as reasonable people. We decided that if we didn't, we could fall off of our paddle boards and get smacked right into the breakwater. And you don't want to do that because the ocean water will beat you up, which is actually another juxtaposition to. Point Ferman Lighthouse that you could actually walk up to the Point Ferman Lighthouse. You could touch the Point Ferman Lighthouse and this Angels Gate Lighthouse. You would have to illegally walk across the breakwater. And you don't wanna do that because again, the waves could knock you off one misstep and you fall right into the water and you'll probably end up smacked against that breakwater. So here we go. For nearly a hundred years, the Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse, better known as Angels Gate Lighthouse, has stood as a beacon at the entrance of the nation's busiest container port with its signature green flash. The lighthouse welcomes recreational boaters, cargo carriers, and passenger ships despite its iconic status, its history is often clouded by myths and misconceptions. In 1912. Los Angeles Harbor set a record as the world's largest importer of lumber. Two years later, the Panama Canal's opening cemented the port's importance as a vital trade stop to aid navigation. The federal breakwater was constructed, but it initially lacked a proper light station. Okay. After several ship collisions, Mariners petitioned for a Lighthouse Congress approved funding in 1911, and the construction began soon thereafter. It was designed by Edward Al Woodruff. The lighthouse featured a still framework with an octagonal base built to withstand powerful waves. The Lulin Island works of Los Angeles handled the framework while. Champion Iron Works of Canton, Ohio crafted the Iron Lantern room. The fourth order Fresno land imported from Paris could be seen from 19 nautical miles away. Originally named the San Pedro Breakwater Light Station. It was renamed Los Angeles Harbor Light in 1914. To reflect its guiding ships into the port, the colloquial name. Angels Gate is a tribute to Los Angeles, the City of Angels, whose Harbor Entrance is known by the same name. The Lighthouse Offic officially began operation on March 1st, 1913 with John Olson as its first keeper. His daily duties including maintaining the lens handling repairs, and fending off damage from the harsh ocean conditions. The lighthouse also served as a public attraction offering tours during the week, much to the frustration of the Overworked Keepers Life at Angels Gate was anything but idyllic. Isolated on the breakwater keepers often faced grueling conditions. The lighthouse was considered a bachelor station since it lacked family accommodations. Keepers spent weeks separated from their loved ones during the relentless pounding of waves and isolation. Turnover amongst assistant keepers was harsh. Some left due to the harsh conditions while others were dismissed for misconduct. Get this. In 1913, just eight months after opening Assistant Keeper Hughes was suspended for assaulting the head keeper, a reflection of the tension and hardships of the lighthouse life. One of the enduring mysteries is the lighthouse's, south Easterly tilt. Over the years, stories have circulated about violent storms or even a battleship collision causing the lie. However, records reveal more plausible explanations such as the breakwaters, uneven foundation, frequent earthquakes, and the subsidance from nearby oil drilling. In 1925, the battleship Oklahoma did strike the breakwater, but not the lighthouse itself. Yet the myth of a direct collision persists to this day. During World War ii, the lighthouse continued to operate unlike nearby point Furman, whose Fresno lens was removed for security reasons, remember, they during wartime didn't want the lighthouse to t the enemies where the land began. And by the 1950s, keepers responsibilities lessened as more navigation aids became automated. In 1973, the Coast Guard fully automated Angels Gate, and in the era of onsite keepers, it became California's first lighthouse to switch to solar power in 1987. But Mariners complained that the new plastic lens was too dim. The Coast Guard eventually installed a larger, brighter beacon powered by a generator. Without full-time keepers, the lighthouse became vulnerable to vandalism and deterioration from salt, air and sun exposure. And by the 1990s it was in a state of disrepair in 2009. The Cabrillo Beach Boosters, a San Pedro nonprofit, secured$1.8 million in grant funding from the Port of Los Angeles to restore the lighthouse and ensure that it would be ready for its 2013 Centennial Celebration today. Angels Gate, lighthouse stands as a historic symbol of resilience, a testament to the dedication of its keepers, the power of the sea, the ongoing efforts to preserve its legacy for future generations.

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Hey, thank you for listening today. If you enjoyed today's episode, please make sure to click download. Let me know if you have any stories to tell about the Harbor area.

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The podcast now has a phone number for listeners to call in and share their thoughts and ideas. That's right now, listeners can call in and share an idea for an episode or a favorite memory, a place or thing that you love about the Harbor area. Grab a pencil pen or your phone and take this number down. It's four to four. Two to 6, 6, 7. One eight that's four to four. Two to 6, 6, 7. One eight

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Take care and remember to treat each other kindly.