![]() ![]() The lighthouse docents are all volunteers, and it’s clear they just love talking to people about the lighthouse. But the Lighthouse Keepers Association was able to get a lot of those items back for the restoration. When the lighthouse was abandoned in 1974, locals were allowed to come take what they wanted from the house, Kalkowski said. In 1915, air compressors replaced the coal-heated boilers, and in 1933, an electric light replaced the lens. It had red filters on every other flash panel so the light would flash red and then white - another way of distinguishing the Point San Luis Lighthouse from others. The light was originally created with a flame and a Fresnel lens, Kalkowski said. She added that ship captains could recognize the distinct whistle sounds of each lighthouse. ![]() The Point San Luis Lighthouse was built back in 1890, and my tour guide Donna Kalkowski said it was originally operated using coal to boil water and create steam to power the whistle, which told ship captains they were getting close. The views of the bay on the way to the lighthouse are incredible - at one point I could see all the way to Guadalupe. To get there, you can either hike through the hills starting right across the street from Avila Beach or take a trolley tour that is offered every Saturday. I didn’t even know there was a lighthouse this close to us. Plus, it’s just a really interesting place to visit. So when I was researching for this column and came across the Point San Luis Lighthouse, I was excited to learn that it has a pretty cool history. ![]() OK readers, I feel like we know each other well enough for me to reveal something about myself. Erin Hurley is a journalism senior and Mustang Daily SLO lifestyle columnist. ![]()
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