Cabrillo National Monument & Point Loma Lighthouse

Cabrillo Monument

Old San Diego History

Description

This scenic point comprises two San Diego must-sees--the Cabrillo National Monument and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The monument is a tribute to explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European explorer to navigate the west coast of North America. He and his crew set sail from Mexico in 1542, arrived at what historians now believe was San Diego Bay, and anchored near Point Loma, where the statue of Cabrillo now stands. Near the Cabrillo Monument is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse; it was lit for the first time in 1855 and was in service for the next 36 years until it was decided that it's location (at only 422 feet above sea level) was not ideal. Many times, the fog and low clouds made it difficult for the light beam to shine out to sea and ships couldn't see the cliff warning, so the lighthouse location was moved. Today, the old lighthouse building stands as a memorial to San Diego's past; it's been refurbished to its original condition as it was in the 1880s and there are plenty of educational displays, brochures, and interpreters on-site to explain the house's history.