February 3, 2025 • 42 mins
We're headed back over to California today to talk about a lighthouse that, like many others, went dark after the beginning of WWII - however, Point Fermin Lighthouse was never relit. Decades later, its Fresnel lens was found in an unlikely location...
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hi everybody, I'm Emily and I'm Vince and this is the lighthouse lowdown
(00:16):
Thanks
I'm off my game. Usually I have something to say
You say thank you to our everyone who sent us engagement. Well wishes. Yeah, that was nice. So nice and
We also got a couple of new lighthouses to cover. So oh, let's go appreciate that. We had some emails then
Yes, exactly what we're going to be covering next time
(00:39):
Due to our wonderful listeners
It'll be a Valentine's Day episode post Valentine's Day. Nice. Yeah when you and I recorded it'll still be Valentine's Day
Yeah romance
Before our little trip or little getaway. I have not done this in a long time
I'm back. I'm excited
(00:59):
We are so back. We are so back and in it. We are back. I have I
Have a history Vui which I found while I was
Researching this lighthouse. That's the best way to find them. Yeah, it is accidentally
Thank you for your the fervor in your voice. I appreciate that. You're really
(01:21):
How long have you been drinking?
coke
15 minutes. Okay. Excellent. So Coca-Cola like at the peak
mixed with drugs
Okay, no, that's a lie
History buoy I'm covering today is the Los Angeles lighthouse challenge. Oh, there's another one
(01:41):
Oh just LA Vince did a whole episode right on
Lighthouse challenge, right?
And so I'm just gonna do a little history brew over the LA lighthouse challenge
We're cool came up because lighthouse recovering today had a hundred and fifth anniversary
And so I don't know if this is a recurring thing or if it was only for the anniversary that they did this because it was
Like okay very small scale
(02:03):
Don't know 105 is not a particularly 150. Oh, okay
Yeah, 105th. That's what you said. I think oh my gosh and to think that I I'd be like that's kind of I moved the five
And zero and then spoke it
Like in words and still didn't catch it
For real on a whole new level. Okay, so let me I have a photo I
(02:28):
That has some of the details of it, but it was on Saturday July 13th of this last year
So I don't know if it'll be a thing that they do this year, too. But I guess we can wait and see
summertime
The goal was to collect five stamps at four different locations in LA
And when you collect them all you get a souvenir prize, so it's very similar to the New Jersey challenge
(02:49):
I'm sure that's where they got the idea for this
Because it's nice the same thing you go to a point you pick up your packet that comes with little gifts and then your stamp
pamphlet
So what I wonder you know, I never thought about it being an original idea, New Jersey New Jersey
Wow, New Jersey lighthouse challenge. I just
(03:12):
Thought it was a great idea, but I guess you could do it anywhere. This is interesting. It's one city. So tell us
When you find out whatever whenever we talk next if it's recurring or if it was one time
I'll have to keep an eye peeled. I have a feeling it's recurring
I hope it is I hope like it went well and they're like, oh we should do this every year
This is the first time. Mm-hmm. I mean as far as I know
(03:34):
Yeah, it didn't seem to be like a thing that happened over and over but five different stamps two of them
Are at point is it Vicente?
Reset. Oh, yeah Vicente sent a
And we start at Point Furman lighthouse, which is the lighthouse we're covering today
you also have to end at Point Furman lighthouse in order to
(03:55):
Get your souvenir prize
So you have to like start there to get your pamphlet and everything get a stamp
And then you can head over to Angel's Gate for Nellie's at the Maritime Museum because Angel's Gate
It's here in LA and you can see it from the Marine Aquarium. What is it Cabrillo?
I don't see
Under stamp number three Cabrillo Cabrillo Cabrillo, I think
(04:19):
Sorry everybody, but from the Maritime Aquarium, you can see the Angel's Gate lighthouse, which is closed to the public
But they have the Fradal Lens at the LA Maritime Museum
So you can get a stamp for that go to the LA Harbor lighthouse, which is
the Marine Aquarium has that stamp and then you'd go to point Vicente and get a stamp for their lighthouse and
(04:41):
At the Interpreter Center. Nice. It doesn't look so bad. I see the first three are all San Pedro
Yeah, all same area code. I'm about to pull up a map of
Where they are in relation to each other. Heck yeah, and I also put it on
Was that just one or both that was one cat
I hope they're okay. He just ran into the post of our table on his way to go to the feeder. Oh
(05:07):
The feeder goes off every day at the same time just so you people know so that Joey. Yeah
That's our dumb cat. Yeah, Joey will decide to poop
Right. He's literally he's pooped on the way to the feeder. Yeah
He's just abandons the litter box and just suffers the consequences of doing that mid poop
anyway
(05:28):
So I'm gonna pull up a map in a second of what it looks like and I put it in
biking
Timeline so that if you wanted to bike this it gives you some timing
You I I don't think you could walk it and you could easily drive it
So the timeline is between 10 a.m. And 5 p.m
Sure, and they put a little hint on their website that said point Furman
(05:49):
Actually, you can get in at 930 if you wanted to get a little head start wink wink
Nice there for the head start people 30 minutes
But yeah, so and you could really do it in whatever order you wanted
But you just have to start and end at point Furman lighthouse. Nice. Here's a look
It's I did not include going back from
(06:10):
point Vincent Vincent Vicente Vicente
From there to back to point Furman and that's the longest stretch
So it's probably about a two hour stretch
The longest stretch so it's probably about a two hour bike ride to hit everything
Which when you think about is not that bad. Although that is
(06:31):
We went we went we went to see my mom in Boise, Idaho and rode on the bike trail there
How many months we do 18 18 miles but there was a day now we took all sorts of breaks
Okay
I was thinking that doesn't really make sense for it to be 12 miles and only an hour and 15 minutes because we biked
(06:52):
Way longer than that. Maybe this is people who are cyclists versus me on a
bike with flat tires
Anyways, so yeah, cool. It's it's bikeable and may I may even like give it a go, but
Obviously driving is gonna be your best bet
But you do some training enjoy the ride too. So that's our LA lighthouse challenge that happened this past year
(07:18):
Pretty pretty fun. Oh, you can see Angels Gate out there
Next to the maritime. Oh, yeah, so you can see it from there. Yeah
Marine aquarium. Mm-hmm. They have a way for you can you can view it from a distance. That's awesome. Yeah
so we're gonna be zeroing in on point Furman lighthouse, it's just at the bottom of
Our little map that we have pulled up here. So we are in California point firm is next to Long Beach and only 30 minutes south of
(07:44):
LA
So when Southern California's first railroad the Los Angeles and San Pedro railroad was built in 1869
it connected the bay and
LA which at that time was like booming and
So like there was tons of growth there and like the addition of the railroad meant that they needed a lighthouse
so there was a quest made in 1869 for the lighthouse board to add a lighthouse in this area a
(08:11):
Site was selected on the bluff of point Furman and in
1872 $20,000 was appropriated for a lighthouse and at that time the land had multiple owners
I don't really know it. I don't know what that means like somebody owns
Like a mile of it and someone else owns
really, I guess a
(08:32):
Hey
Could be square miles. Yeah, interesting. Yep one square mile
Yeah, I don't know but uh, no problem. The government just took it
Took him to court and stole eminent domain
Yeah, really like oh multiple owners so it would have been impossible to figure out how to pay these people
(08:52):
Yeah, they didn't have them. Oh, yeah, so then they just took them all the court and didn't split it
I just find when I read that I'm like, oh my gosh, those guys have to been like well there goes our family land
Yeah, that was our legacy. So our lighthouse Pound firm Pound
Pound firmin
(09:13):
Point Furman was built
From California redwood and fur so pretty fancy and it's beautiful ornate Victorian structure 30 feet tall and
Was a square integral lighthouse. It may be familiar to you. I'll put up a picture. Hey
This is a sister light to herford inlet and East brother Island lighthouse and a few more that are all no longer standing
(09:37):
So as of this episode, we'll have covered all the sister lighthouses
That are still standing for a fam. I know so cute to describe you would say like cottage style
Yeah, it's the stick style architecture. That's right
Victorian that's white black shutters brick awesome geometry
Yeah, very seeing very pleasing to that and this is updated
(10:00):
So I don't know I'm sure they didn't stray far from original on like paint colors and stuff
So we can probably count on this being beautiful historically, correct
Yeah, very nice looking lighthouse
It's still original so it's it's lasted since it was built in the 1870s
Nice its fourth order lens was lit on December 15th 1874 by its first two keepers who were sisters Mary and Ella Smith
(10:28):
So our first keepers are crazy
And they're like sisters. I have never heard of that before. It's so cool. What was their story? How'd they get into that business?
They came from another lighthouse. So they were
They I think in Washington, okay
And that was another thing is the lighthouse that they were at must have been
Closer to civilization or something because at this time. Yeah, the area was booming
(10:49):
But it was long before anybody was living in this area, you know, so it was
It was only like eight years that they lasted before they
Resigned saying that the area was too lonely. Wow. I know which is so funny considering the current population
Eight years is pretty good though
Yeah, no, it's definitely good. But here's a postcard
(11:11):
I believe in 1900 cool just kind of like bare bones and shows the bluff really well
Did they have to move this lighthouse? No, they haven't and it's close to that love like really rocky. So tectonic rock
The light characteristic originally was red and white switching every 20 seconds. I think
It's I that's how you read it. That's how yeah, that's how I read it
(11:34):
It was rotated by clockwork weights that you had to wind up
15 ish years later in 1889 the characteristic changed from alternating red and white to fixed white
And as more lighthouses started to pop up in the area and like made it really confusing
They changed it to a flashing white in 1912
Okay. Yeah, so which is interesting. Why?
(11:57):
Would you build a lighthouse like this is right next to angels gate lighthouse. I don't know anything about angels gate
I've heard of it. I've heard of it, but I don't know anything about it. It's the other one that's still there. Yeah, it's the one that's uh
That you see from the maritime aquarium
But why would you build a lighthouse and then give it a fixed white characteristic?
(12:18):
It's like this one was changed to fixed white and then it got confusing because new lighthouses popped up and it's like well
Then why why did you give them the same characteristic as one that's already nearby?
I don't know. Did they just do you think they decide we've never talked about this. I know do they decide
The the day mark for that matter, but also the light characteristic
(12:39):
Before they finished construction like they would be like, okay
So this one's really close to this lighthouse and this one's fixed white
So let's make this one fixed red or flashing white or something
I mean, I know we've been doing this for years, but maybe they have different meanings
Like fixed white stay away and now this one's more stay away than that one was because this one's even more critical of the place
(12:59):
I don't know. I don't know or more. Maybe it's because the new one has a better
For now lens so it's got a longer range and so that one should be flashing maybe it's a lot more expensive to have
Clockwork and rotating and stuff and so then all of them ended up being fixed colors
But none of them had flashing capabilities. So then this one switched to flashing white. That'd be nice to reduce the amount of work
(13:23):
They had to do. Yeah clockwork
You just think they would that would be the first point of concern is that everybody's
Knows exactly which lighthouses which that's what it's for. Yeah, I don't know
But that's what happened here
1917 keeper Willie Austin became head keeper of the lighthouse
(13:44):
1917 keeper Willie Austin became head keeper along with his wife and seven kids
Plus one more after they were living there. Let's go when his wife passed away unexpectedly from an operation keeper
Willie died from broken heart
Oh, man, I know the same year
Mr. Willie
Dang it. Willie
(14:05):
Couldn't keep it together without his wife. That's crazy about that being eight kids that are suddenly orphaned
So he had a heart attack type of thing. Yeah, he just died on unknown cause. Yeah, they just say broken heart
So there's got to be there's got to be some scientific
Explanation for what that means because I hear it's it's a real thing
I don't know like if anyone out there knows a scientific explanation to dying of a broken heart
(14:29):
Let us know. Yeah, is it like you just don't have the will to go on and you just whisper away
One of those, you know, you slap the hood it is what it is
But because of this their children Thelma and
Louise I want to say Juanita
Decided to keep the light in their stead saying quote we had a sacred duty to perform to keep the heroic
(14:53):
Work, which our parents started and wow, so that's pretty cool
Another pair of sisters run in the lighthouse after way different circumstances, but still
How about how old were they? They must have been old enough to
They must have been all this business. Yeah, I'm not adults. I must have been 15 or something
Yeah by those standards true
(15:14):
Thelma was headkeeper until 1927. So I don't know how many years that was maybe like three
Maybe two I think okay that she ran it with her sister and then this marked the end of keepers at this lighthouse
So the Los Angeles Park Department struck a deal that meant a park superintendent
Could keep the light and live there
(15:36):
Because it was now electrified. So it was like a lot easier of a job. When was electrified
1923 I think this is probably the same year 1927
I know that's early very early, especially the west coast. I feel like
Those lighthouses were like behind the times compared to east coast, which were like always on top of things
(15:56):
I guess but that's I guess that's just a feeling and not based on fact. That's nuts was
That must be one of the first I can't remember all the years in history
But that must be one of the early ones to be electrified. It must be at least
well, because
The first one I know we've talked about it, which is why I bring it up, but I don't remember the details
(16:18):
what numbers
I'm pretty sure it was the first one to be electrified
1898 so that's like 30 years after this
20 something
Okay, so we'll have to look up in never mind like which lighthouses were electrified in which order but it is true that it took
It what 20s is still pretty good for getting electrified
(16:39):
I think a lot of them put it off for a while because yeah like 40s 50s 60s 70s
1970s
In some cases some cases the eyebrows shot up in some cases you dirt bag
Dirt bag. Yeah, I would never even think that in my head land lover
(17:04):
So, yeah now we we have no more keepers past that point it's kind of crazy
Two days after the pearl harbor attack the light went dark what a shock
They they put out the lighthouse for good
It never was never really dark. So that wasn't going to be bombed probably. Well, yeah, we don't want to aid enemy ships and like submarines
(17:26):
We'll get by
So we're going to have to get rid of that
So we're going to have to get rid of that
Probably. Well, yeah, we don't want to aid enemy ships and like submarines or get bombed
And so and they never relit it. No is the end 1941
You'd know better than me circa 1941
(17:50):
You don't remember off the top of your head when pearl harbor was well
June 6th
1942
Um was d-day let me look at that up. Okay, this is a quiz. Hold on history quiz
You know more about war than
(18:11):
1944 oh, I thought the war ended in 45
Well, yeah, that's
Okay attack on pearl harbor was december 7th 1941
and
June of 1944 we were in the war
Okay, so december 9th this lighthouse 1941 crazy for good
traffic
Kind of right
Huh? That was kind of right. Yeah for sure. Let the record show
(18:35):
There were some correct numbers in there
But yeah, most of the lighthouses on the west coast went dark after this happened just to avoid aiding
But point for a man did not get relit so
Well that that's that was unlike most other lighthouses. I'm not sure. I'm not sure why but
Probably because it's surrounded by other lighthouses that had similar light characteristics
(18:55):
Shortly after extinguishing the lantern room was removed and replaced with a chicken coop
Which is basically just a windowed room to keep an eye out from like a lookout tower
Oh, yeah picture of what it looked like with its chicken coop
Uh interesting so basically anything from the balcony up was removed and replaced to be useful in war
(19:17):
And after the war a light on a metal pole replaced the light
Which is always so funny like I'm like
Which is always so funny like I I didn't include a picture in here, but you can look it up
It's literally a metal pole with a light on top. So sad like, you know with some antenna or whatever
like ah
We have this gorgeous
(19:37):
architecture just
beautiful historical
lighthouse and then it's just like
It's a little antenna
the coast guard considered demolishing the light in
1972 and then bill
Will oleson I want to say i'm just gonna go forward with that and
Anyone feel free to correct me
(19:58):
He had first visited the lighthouse at eight years old and spent his whole life nearby and he teamed up with the coordinator of
the cabrio
Maritime museum
Very good
According to online pronunciation lady, it's cabrillo
So we don't pronounce it like I was wrong
(20:22):
um
So that's all in there forever, um
Cabrillo
Okay. Wow. Let me start again now that I know it
So bill oleson teamed up with the coordinator of the cabrillo maritime museum to save our lighthouse which was in danger of being demolished
In their campaign to save the lighthouse point firman was added to the national register of historic places in the same year 1972
(20:48):
Let's go and over the next two years the chicken coop was removed and the lantern room
Reconstructed based on the original blueprints. So smart kept it historical and
Returned it to its formal glory much prettier. Yeah, so much better
By 2002 the lighthouse got another renovation this one
2.6 million dollars
(21:11):
My gosh, so here's a I put up a before and after it's
It's hard to tell but it really is like it gave it got a facelift. First of all all the colors
Yeah washed out. It looks way better. Yeah, there's like some corrosion and stuff going on
fixed it right up, which is
Great and that that's only on the outside. It also got new plumbing electrical work alarm systems air conditioning and period furnishings
(21:37):
So it's historically accurate on the inside as well air conditioning. I know
Missed out all this time
Is it hot in california is one of those places where it's hot? Okay. Yeah, it gets hot doesn't really get cold
Oh, they think it's freezing if it's 60. Yeah
Oh, I guess if you're not used to it not all of california. It's a huge state, but my grandma who lived in ventura
(22:00):
She would uh comment how cold how she could get a jacket anytime. It was 60
So funny, well, she was also a grandma. She was a grandma. They're more sensitive to that
I don't want to live somewhere where it gets hot and not cold
I'd rather live somewhere where it gets cold and not hot. Yep. You agree with that?
It's important. Am I signing off on something?
(22:21):
gosh
We'll see we'll see
What do you mean? What do you mean?
This has always been something that you knew
Somewhere that gets cold and not hot. Yeah
Yeah, it gets too hot here then we'll have another house in arizona. We'll go there every year to golf
I'm never going to no no no only when it's nice there. You can't drag me there. It's a golf mecca
(22:46):
Incredible place anyone that wants to weigh in let us know
Yeah, let us all let us know about how hot it gets in arizona. Oh, no, don't say that. I lived in arizona for a short time
125 degrees is the hottest I saw
There were heat stroke warnings
You'd get tired walking between your car and the restaurant
(23:07):
Yeah now
That's when you don't live in arizona is the summertime
Yeah, that was also a terrible
That was also a terrible. Um, well we had a terrible experience in a town called kingman, arizona
What happened? Oh, it's just not like we live there and we didn't enjoy it. Okay, we
(23:27):
So you're not thinking of that. I don't want to trash kingman
But the experience wasn't good. Was it 10 years ago?
Maybe in the past at least 10 years ago, maybe in the past decade. It's turned itself around 15 years ago
Maybe you're insulting like an arizona mecca. It's not just a golf resort. This is the whole
(23:48):
Okay, okay. Sorry
No, I know you did this. Yeah. Yeah, sorry. Sorry. Sorry
Okay, sorry so after many years as park employee housing it was open to the public after this renovation
and this
Kind of led into the question. Where did the lens go?
Because someone definitely has it we've heard it a couple times that a war happens a lens gets crated
(24:15):
like taking apart and created somewhere and
They just lose track of where it is. It's just
I'd love to see these warehouses where lens get lost it would have to be like
Don't you think there's probably like really awesome stuff hidden in there that nobody knows?
I think there's some in some warehouses. I think most
That were ever in warehouses have been rediscovered and sold yeah for cash
(24:39):
And what does that mean? Like?
Where are these warehouses where things get rediscovered like who goes in there and
Look at the crepes. There's gonna like imagine. It's a it's a shipping receiving dock area
And they have a massive storage and there's this one that
Something happened a business went out of you know out of business or something
(25:02):
Changed there was a war that started it's like some big event and some warehouse was left dormant shipments were lost or whatever
They were never processed well before too long
The odds are that shipping yard handling area that I clearly I don't know anything about this world
They're gonna say hey, we need to use that one again
Everything that's in there is trash because we got to get rid of it so we can use it to make money
(25:27):
So someone on their off time wink
It's gonna go through and see if there's anything valuable
Things like historic items things like a fresnel lens that you know they could it's not black market
But it is just unofficial. I know a guy and they buy it and this guy just gets the cash
He's a he's a shipping worker versus whatever. There's there's a house in california
(25:53):
I think los angeles that was sold not too long ago has a velociraptor
Skeleton like fossilized
Skeleton just as part of the house. Oh my gosh. It's included in the house
There's people out there that are that wealthy
Like there's like like beyond you can imagine there's people that have a giant first order from that lens in their living room
(26:15):
Just like as a talking piece gonna be us one of these days and we're not gonna steal it in a person
Instead of having another house in arizona, we're gonna have a friend of ours
Yeah, we're gonna have a copy of gay head
Fresnel lens first order
Clockwork. Oh, whatever. What's that clock? Yeah, yeah a rotational device
(26:37):
And um, we'll decorate it around the christmas time like a big ass tree
Very nice, that's the plan someone has it somewhere. Yeah, and you're right
So old listen remember he was the guy who saved it originally
He wanted to find the lens before the hundred year celebration back in the 70s. He found the lens
(26:58):
he wanted to
And he was talking about it in a restaurant and apparently met somebody
There who knew where it was kind of wet market. Is this very strange? I'd be like why are you following me?
How is that possible that someone just like oh I know where that is some kind of trench coat you're looking for a Fresnel lens
Like yeah, but not from you
(27:19):
A guy named louis bush worked in real estate in malibu
And there was a fourth order lens sitting in his office
Nice and he was told that the lens came from a nautical museum on santa monica pier
And was a gift from a family friend. So like there's a lot of backstory to how sure he came to have it
(27:40):
But there was like a storm and it got damaged. So then the guy
Who worked there or something took it home and then he died so then his son got it then this south a family friend got it too
Nice louis
He didn't believe that it was from point firman and hung on to it for many years because it's cool. Yeah
So then jim woodward a fresnel lens expert gave some insight on how to tell if the lens was from point firman or not
(28:05):
So this is a new thing. I learned like it's when you hear it. It's like oh, yeah, that makes sense
But in the early 2000s a member of the coast guard auxiliary and jim compared a photograph of the lens from 1912
And the lens in louis's office and because the lens was made by hand the screw slots would be in random positions
(28:26):
They're not like all perfectly lined up or anything
So it was like a it was like a fingerprint. It's like
You'd never unscrew so then you'd screw it in and then you'd screw it in and then you'd screw it in and then you'd screw it in
Never unscrew the screws that were in the copper. Yeah, or brass. Yeah the brass screws
You would compare those in a photo and if they matched up then it was like because apparently no two lenses ever made have the same
(28:53):
positioning of interest
Not made by electricians
Yeah, wait what?
It's a it's kind of a joke electricians when they put those plates on
Yeah, like on a light switch they so focused on making the slots run perfectly up and they do
Some people I guess if it's like the only visual
(29:13):
Proof that something is like well done. Yeah, it's like you might as well make them perfectly up and down, right?
Yeah, not here not our lenses
So here's a picture of what they were comparing that is so cool a picture of the first photo they were using and then
There's one of it at the lighthouse right now because by using this they compared two photos and found that
(29:37):
They matched perfectly. There was no doubt that this was the point point firman
Brunel lens so there was a lie told to this guy
Who someone had gifted him?
Well, that's not true because the lens could have ended up at a maritime museum, but someone lied or forgot
The history or maybe it was just in an unlabeled crate and they're like because it doesn't have any sort of plate on it
(30:01):
That says where it's from so it was probably just uncovered. Like you said somebody sold it off and yeah, like oh, that'd be great
And it's a museum. It's portable enough. Yeah, it's uh, yeah
Couple dudes I forgot. I had a really cool picture of them
Uncrating it at the lighthouse. You can go to their website. I have it linked in
Uh our references in the show notes and they have tons of pictures of when they uncreated the firnell lens and were
(30:27):
Setting it up back in the lighthouse
So this is on the ground floor in 2006
Um, louis allowance allowed the lens to return to the lighthouse where it was placed on display on the ground floor
And on december 16th, they had a celebration for the lens return complete with a parade free cake and ice cream and fireworks
It's like heck. Yeah. Oh, yeah
(30:47):
That's the kind of energy we need to bring to the table when something like this happens
I mean, it's just like a little lens nobody who?
knows
I mean some it's a big deal though people who don't know anything about lighthouses would be like
Cool, but we like wow
We'll set off fireworks
Yeah, very exciting. So now you can see the original lens that was used
(31:11):
Since it's the lighthouse's conception. Yeah, there's only ever one lens there
Other than a little light they still have that light on a pole. Is it somewhere else on the point? Heck. Yeah good for him
Good for him. He has a job. It's super cool
In 2015 the los angeles department of recreation and parks was awarded the lighthouse under the national historic lighthouse preservation act of 2000
(31:36):
I can't help every time we talk about it. It just I can't help but say it
That house preservation act. Yeah punchy because it's so long
But um, they run it today as the crown jewel of pound. Oh my gosh. I did it again point firman park
point perman
Pound park
I don't know why and it's open for free guided tours from 1 to 4 pm
(31:59):
Tuesdays through Sundays. So they're only closed on Mondays, but it's free free. It's nice. Of course. You should always donate donate. Yeah
But keep it spinning. They do I think one tour every hour. So it's actually pretty limited. You gotta
It's got a beautiful floor. Mm-hmm. It does
It was beautifully restored. So it's definitely
A gem that everybody should be going to see
(32:21):
They're quite romantic too. In fact, emily thought that I would propose to her at a lighthouse. Yeah, which is why I fully convinced
No, it's not true, but I didn't because we are living in kansas. Yeah, we don't have any of those. Yeah
So I would if I if we plan a lighthouse trip, I would be expecting it
And but now we're engaged we're gonna get married
(32:44):
Just as a fun side fact emily's christmas present this year. I finally hung it
it is a
It's a it's a ship mounted lantern
That is red. So what is that port side starboard port?
You sure because I don't know
Anyways, it's from japan and it was manufactured. I think in the 70s
(33:07):
1970s so, uh a really cool company
That um, I guess it's not sponsored, but I should shout them out because they're cool. They're nice to me big ship salvage
Um, yeah, they worked with me. I mean they worked with me. They answered questions. I wired the thing
So there's a light inside of it
Anyway, so now we have a red lantern in our living room. It's pretty dope. Yeah, I cried when I opened it
(33:31):
First I was like, what the heck is this and then he wrote a little note
In there about like what it is. Yeah, and I was like, oh
It just thins wasn't around. So I just sent him a video be like this is the best gift i've ever gotten
Then I got a ring shortly after that. So
Trumped it gotta keep going up
Next to be a fourth order for now lens. Yes
That's all I want put it in the bed of your truck
(33:54):
That would be my wedding gift
Yeah, if anyone has one just sitting around anyone who wants to donate really
any order
Anything anything eight would even be spectacular
Or just a picture of it
I guess i'm a little pickier than that. All right. All right. I interrupted so we're talking about the tours
(34:15):
They got tours every hour. They're free. Yep. That's it. Oh
What a perfect time for me to interrupt
Everyone's probably annoyed. What a perfect time to bring focus to the fact that I had no more notes
Everybody's probably super annoyed by me this episode. We're just really
Super annoyed by me this episode. We're just we're back in the saddle again
As that song says everybody likes when we just chat
(34:35):
I everyone who leaves review or leaves comments or everything says that they just like to have us chatting in the background
Well for those that are still listening and there are some I would like to thank you because you listen longer and longer on youtube
Yeah, which means even though right now the numbers are not growing as far as our followers
Um, which we don't advertise zero with zero percent. Um, those who do listen are listening more and longer
(35:03):
So that's invested in our content and that's all we want is for people to
Listen about lighthouses appreciate that. I think we're the number three lighthouse podcasts in the world and number two in the us
Pretty sure
That's what I tell people
In the world, I think there's three lighthouse podcasts in the u.s. Oh that i'm aware of I think you're right
Yeah, so at least in the ones that i'm aware of which we've been doing this for several years
(35:26):
Uh, we are number two in the united states behind
Jeremy de etremont and lighthearted from the united states lighthouse society
they are very in depth and focused and
uh professional folks and
Uh, what's the uk one? I've forgotten
I'm sorry. I don't I don't forget on purpose
I also forget the name of the venue that emily likes wants us to go get married at over and over and over again
(35:52):
Yeah, it's like I swear it's on purpose
It's not
Oh keeping watch perhaps believe it's keeping watch
Let's go. Let's find uh
The host name so we can
Let's I feel like we talked about them. It's part of the association of lighthouse keepers. So it's the uk
Okay produced and presented by a lk member edward pebbot
(36:16):
Cool. That's also a nice it's a cool name. Yeah, it is. That's a podcast name
We're about to both have the same last name for our podcast. Yep. He's so cute. I'm still working on swag
I know I keep saying that
I'm stuck between like doing a hoodie
Or a shirt which that's kind of the same thing or a hat maybe a crewneck
(36:39):
Sweatshirt, we're already a couple hundred dollars invested in hat research. So
Maybe maybe both we'll see I wore the hat a lot on vacation if it's a really cool design. I wouldn't mind just
Uh, no one wants them and I just have you know, 20 sweatshirts
the minimum order of folks is uh
Anyways, no one cares. We're working on swag. Keep you on your toes. Maybe 2025 it'll happen
(37:04):
We're also supposed to get married
So there's a lot going on going on multiple trips might be helping my dad move. Yeah, this is going back to sweden
So back to sweden. I really want you to see a light lens sorts. Sure. Sure
Sure
Long sorts. I don't know. It's a pretty cool lighthouse and you should check out our episode
(37:26):
And the guy that owns it will take you up there. Yeah, he was super nice. Although we didn't meet him
Um, i'm gonna be so jealous. Let's briefly revisit this. There's an episode we covered
L-a-n-d s-o-r-t-s
Yeah, long sorts. But we didn't this we recorded it before we went on our trip. So we didn't actually I
(37:48):
I don't know if we actually said anything about it. Oh, well, it's in sweden
it's
A couple hours from stockholm via bus and then ferry. Yes, we missed the ferry
um and the next one was
Three hours later and then which doesn't sound that bad, but we had other plans
You know we're international traveling. Yeah, the spot where you stopped for the ferry has a really nice restaurant. That was delicious
(38:15):
But there's not much else that that's like it you're you wait for the ferry and eat at a restaurant and it was a good restaurant
the last ferry out of the island
was like
An hour and a half or something so we wouldn't have had enough so we wouldn't have had time
To uh, we had a whole day planned on the island. So it just kind of got screwed
(38:35):
So my my mom is uh, obviously my family that's not obvious my family comes from swedish background
um
The the name family name was uh, johnson before that it was swanson and then
I'm not sure before that but um my my mom
My my mom and my grandma who's now gone
(38:59):
She really focused a lot on family heritage
Towards the end of her life. She she wanted to reconnect the people and she
She took my mom to sweden
when
A long time ago. I think I know my mom went to sweden when she was studying abroad
She went as a college student and then she took my sister to sweden when she was young. She my sister was the firstborn
(39:22):
and then
Now we're gonna go back and it's gonna be me and my brother
I don't know if my sisters are going or not. I don't think so
And then my mom so she's gonna she's gonna take us
And who knows maybe she's got one more trip. Maybe two more trips in her life. Who knows? Yeah, but uh,
I i'm really excited to be a part of this one
So I got to go to sweden with emily. Obviously we had some time there with her and her brother
(39:45):
but uh, this would be a
family
focused visit
Uh kind of learning some history about yeah, you can see a lot of sweden instead of just stockholm and a little bit extra
Yeah, I don't even know where i'm going yet. It's all on a spreadsheet of course, but
so cheat family if um
Lensorts
Sure lawns lawns sorts. I always say it wrong americans
(40:07):
If that's of interest particularly or we know it is but if there's other lighthouses that you should say we should check out
Even if I can't go
for some reason
We're going between two major cities
Stockholm and
Another big one that I should know but i'm not very well trained. Oh, you don't have the you haven't been studying your spreadsheets. So
(40:30):
Yeah, all the apps i'll just be jealously waiting at home for him to come back i'll send pics
We'll facetime you snapchat give you a call when I get there
Very good
Yeah, we'll still be pushing out episodes and thank you all for
Listening in and keeping track. You can see our stuff on instagram. I
(40:52):
I haven't
I haven't posted
Um our instagram post from the last episode. Oh my gosh. I'm so that's all right. We can stagger our releases
Post whenever you get a chance
Gosh, it's a failure. I've never done this before. I I was a day late on youtube
Once and then I was a day late or a week late or two on linkedin
(41:15):
Those are the the platforms I run now. We're doing a new screen recording
software and a new video editing software, so
hopefully that means we can improve the quality of things and
Get things out on time
But either way different people see instagram and youtube and maybe spotify or apple music they see things different times
So yeah anywhere you're seeing this anywhere you're hearing it. We appreciate you. Um, thanks for following along
(41:40):
Yeah, it's even if we're a little sporadic, but hey we do have other jobs
So this this one is like our second hobby. This is like our philanthropy every time we're like, yeah, you should
Leave them a donation. That's our that's our
Our efforts so we love it so much though and we're glad you guys are long for the ride
And on that note we will catch you next time on the lighthouse
Hi everybody, I'm Emily and I'm Vince and this is the lighthouse lowdown
(00:16):
Thanks
I'm off my game. Usually I have something to say
You say thank you to our everyone who sent us engagement. Well wishes. Yeah, that was nice. So nice and
We also got a couple of new lighthouses to cover. So oh, let's go appreciate that. We had some emails then
Yes, exactly what we're going to be covering next time
(00:39):
Due to our wonderful listeners
It'll be a Valentine's Day episode post Valentine's Day. Nice. Yeah when you and I recorded it'll still be Valentine's Day
Yeah romance
Before our little trip or little getaway. I have not done this in a long time
I'm back. I'm excited
(00:59):
We are so back. We are so back and in it. We are back. I have I
Have a history Vui which I found while I was
Researching this lighthouse. That's the best way to find them. Yeah, it is accidentally
Thank you for your the fervor in your voice. I appreciate that. You're really
(01:21):
How long have you been drinking?
coke
15 minutes. Okay. Excellent. So Coca-Cola like at the peak
mixed with drugs
Okay, no, that's a lie
History buoy I'm covering today is the Los Angeles lighthouse challenge. Oh, there's another one
(01:41):
Oh just LA Vince did a whole episode right on
Lighthouse challenge, right?
And so I'm just gonna do a little history brew over the LA lighthouse challenge
We're cool came up because lighthouse recovering today had a hundred and fifth anniversary
And so I don't know if this is a recurring thing or if it was only for the anniversary that they did this because it was
Like okay very small scale
(02:03):
Don't know 105 is not a particularly 150. Oh, okay
Yeah, 105th. That's what you said. I think oh my gosh and to think that I I'd be like that's kind of I moved the five
And zero and then spoke it
Like in words and still didn't catch it
For real on a whole new level. Okay, so let me I have a photo I
(02:28):
That has some of the details of it, but it was on Saturday July 13th of this last year
So I don't know if it'll be a thing that they do this year, too. But I guess we can wait and see
summertime
The goal was to collect five stamps at four different locations in LA
And when you collect them all you get a souvenir prize, so it's very similar to the New Jersey challenge
(02:49):
I'm sure that's where they got the idea for this
Because it's nice the same thing you go to a point you pick up your packet that comes with little gifts and then your stamp
pamphlet
So what I wonder you know, I never thought about it being an original idea, New Jersey New Jersey
Wow, New Jersey lighthouse challenge. I just
(03:12):
Thought it was a great idea, but I guess you could do it anywhere. This is interesting. It's one city. So tell us
When you find out whatever whenever we talk next if it's recurring or if it was one time
I'll have to keep an eye peeled. I have a feeling it's recurring
I hope it is I hope like it went well and they're like, oh we should do this every year
This is the first time. Mm-hmm. I mean as far as I know
(03:34):
Yeah, it didn't seem to be like a thing that happened over and over but five different stamps two of them
Are at point is it Vicente?
Reset. Oh, yeah Vicente sent a
And we start at Point Furman lighthouse, which is the lighthouse we're covering today
you also have to end at Point Furman lighthouse in order to
(03:55):
Get your souvenir prize
So you have to like start there to get your pamphlet and everything get a stamp
And then you can head over to Angel's Gate for Nellie's at the Maritime Museum because Angel's Gate
It's here in LA and you can see it from the Marine Aquarium. What is it Cabrillo?
I don't see
Under stamp number three Cabrillo Cabrillo Cabrillo, I think
(04:19):
Sorry everybody, but from the Maritime Aquarium, you can see the Angel's Gate lighthouse, which is closed to the public
But they have the Fradal Lens at the LA Maritime Museum
So you can get a stamp for that go to the LA Harbor lighthouse, which is
the Marine Aquarium has that stamp and then you'd go to point Vicente and get a stamp for their lighthouse and
(04:41):
At the Interpreter Center. Nice. It doesn't look so bad. I see the first three are all San Pedro
Yeah, all same area code. I'm about to pull up a map of
Where they are in relation to each other. Heck yeah, and I also put it on
Was that just one or both that was one cat
I hope they're okay. He just ran into the post of our table on his way to go to the feeder. Oh
(05:07):
The feeder goes off every day at the same time just so you people know so that Joey. Yeah
That's our dumb cat. Yeah, Joey will decide to poop
Right. He's literally he's pooped on the way to the feeder. Yeah
He's just abandons the litter box and just suffers the consequences of doing that mid poop
anyway
(05:28):
So I'm gonna pull up a map in a second of what it looks like and I put it in
biking
Timeline so that if you wanted to bike this it gives you some timing
You I I don't think you could walk it and you could easily drive it
So the timeline is between 10 a.m. And 5 p.m
Sure, and they put a little hint on their website that said point Furman
(05:49):
Actually, you can get in at 930 if you wanted to get a little head start wink wink
Nice there for the head start people 30 minutes
But yeah, so and you could really do it in whatever order you wanted
But you just have to start and end at point Furman lighthouse. Nice. Here's a look
It's I did not include going back from
(06:10):
point Vincent Vincent Vicente Vicente
From there to back to point Furman and that's the longest stretch
So it's probably about a two hour stretch
The longest stretch so it's probably about a two hour bike ride to hit everything
Which when you think about is not that bad. Although that is
(06:31):
We went we went we went to see my mom in Boise, Idaho and rode on the bike trail there
How many months we do 18 18 miles but there was a day now we took all sorts of breaks
Okay
I was thinking that doesn't really make sense for it to be 12 miles and only an hour and 15 minutes because we biked
(06:52):
Way longer than that. Maybe this is people who are cyclists versus me on a
bike with flat tires
Anyways, so yeah, cool. It's it's bikeable and may I may even like give it a go, but
Obviously driving is gonna be your best bet
But you do some training enjoy the ride too. So that's our LA lighthouse challenge that happened this past year
(07:18):
Pretty pretty fun. Oh, you can see Angels Gate out there
Next to the maritime. Oh, yeah, so you can see it from there. Yeah
Marine aquarium. Mm-hmm. They have a way for you can you can view it from a distance. That's awesome. Yeah
so we're gonna be zeroing in on point Furman lighthouse, it's just at the bottom of
Our little map that we have pulled up here. So we are in California point firm is next to Long Beach and only 30 minutes south of
(07:44):
LA
So when Southern California's first railroad the Los Angeles and San Pedro railroad was built in 1869
it connected the bay and
LA which at that time was like booming and
So like there was tons of growth there and like the addition of the railroad meant that they needed a lighthouse
so there was a quest made in 1869 for the lighthouse board to add a lighthouse in this area a
(08:11):
Site was selected on the bluff of point Furman and in
1872 $20,000 was appropriated for a lighthouse and at that time the land had multiple owners
I don't really know it. I don't know what that means like somebody owns
Like a mile of it and someone else owns
really, I guess a
(08:32):
Hey
Could be square miles. Yeah, interesting. Yep one square mile
Yeah, I don't know but uh, no problem. The government just took it
Took him to court and stole eminent domain
Yeah, really like oh multiple owners so it would have been impossible to figure out how to pay these people
(08:52):
Yeah, they didn't have them. Oh, yeah, so then they just took them all the court and didn't split it
I just find when I read that I'm like, oh my gosh, those guys have to been like well there goes our family land
Yeah, that was our legacy. So our lighthouse Pound firm Pound
Pound firmin
(09:13):
Point Furman was built
From California redwood and fur so pretty fancy and it's beautiful ornate Victorian structure 30 feet tall and
Was a square integral lighthouse. It may be familiar to you. I'll put up a picture. Hey
This is a sister light to herford inlet and East brother Island lighthouse and a few more that are all no longer standing
(09:37):
So as of this episode, we'll have covered all the sister lighthouses
That are still standing for a fam. I know so cute to describe you would say like cottage style
Yeah, it's the stick style architecture. That's right
Victorian that's white black shutters brick awesome geometry
Yeah, very seeing very pleasing to that and this is updated
(10:00):
So I don't know I'm sure they didn't stray far from original on like paint colors and stuff
So we can probably count on this being beautiful historically, correct
Yeah, very nice looking lighthouse
It's still original so it's it's lasted since it was built in the 1870s
Nice its fourth order lens was lit on December 15th 1874 by its first two keepers who were sisters Mary and Ella Smith
(10:28):
So our first keepers are crazy
And they're like sisters. I have never heard of that before. It's so cool. What was their story? How'd they get into that business?
They came from another lighthouse. So they were
They I think in Washington, okay
And that was another thing is the lighthouse that they were at must have been
Closer to civilization or something because at this time. Yeah, the area was booming
(10:49):
But it was long before anybody was living in this area, you know, so it was
It was only like eight years that they lasted before they
Resigned saying that the area was too lonely. Wow. I know which is so funny considering the current population
Eight years is pretty good though
Yeah, no, it's definitely good. But here's a postcard
(11:11):
I believe in 1900 cool just kind of like bare bones and shows the bluff really well
Did they have to move this lighthouse? No, they haven't and it's close to that love like really rocky. So tectonic rock
The light characteristic originally was red and white switching every 20 seconds. I think
It's I that's how you read it. That's how yeah, that's how I read it
(11:34):
It was rotated by clockwork weights that you had to wind up
15 ish years later in 1889 the characteristic changed from alternating red and white to fixed white
And as more lighthouses started to pop up in the area and like made it really confusing
They changed it to a flashing white in 1912
Okay. Yeah, so which is interesting. Why?
(11:57):
Would you build a lighthouse like this is right next to angels gate lighthouse. I don't know anything about angels gate
I've heard of it. I've heard of it, but I don't know anything about it. It's the other one that's still there. Yeah, it's the one that's uh
That you see from the maritime aquarium
But why would you build a lighthouse and then give it a fixed white characteristic?
(12:18):
It's like this one was changed to fixed white and then it got confusing because new lighthouses popped up and it's like well
Then why why did you give them the same characteristic as one that's already nearby?
I don't know. Did they just do you think they decide we've never talked about this. I know do they decide
The the day mark for that matter, but also the light characteristic
(12:39):
Before they finished construction like they would be like, okay
So this one's really close to this lighthouse and this one's fixed white
So let's make this one fixed red or flashing white or something
I mean, I know we've been doing this for years, but maybe they have different meanings
Like fixed white stay away and now this one's more stay away than that one was because this one's even more critical of the place
(12:59):
I don't know. I don't know or more. Maybe it's because the new one has a better
For now lens so it's got a longer range and so that one should be flashing maybe it's a lot more expensive to have
Clockwork and rotating and stuff and so then all of them ended up being fixed colors
But none of them had flashing capabilities. So then this one switched to flashing white. That'd be nice to reduce the amount of work
(13:23):
They had to do. Yeah clockwork
You just think they would that would be the first point of concern is that everybody's
Knows exactly which lighthouses which that's what it's for. Yeah, I don't know
But that's what happened here
1917 keeper Willie Austin became head keeper of the lighthouse
(13:44):
1917 keeper Willie Austin became head keeper along with his wife and seven kids
Plus one more after they were living there. Let's go when his wife passed away unexpectedly from an operation keeper
Willie died from broken heart
Oh, man, I know the same year
Mr. Willie
Dang it. Willie
(14:05):
Couldn't keep it together without his wife. That's crazy about that being eight kids that are suddenly orphaned
So he had a heart attack type of thing. Yeah, he just died on unknown cause. Yeah, they just say broken heart
So there's got to be there's got to be some scientific
Explanation for what that means because I hear it's it's a real thing
I don't know like if anyone out there knows a scientific explanation to dying of a broken heart
(14:29):
Let us know. Yeah, is it like you just don't have the will to go on and you just whisper away
One of those, you know, you slap the hood it is what it is
But because of this their children Thelma and
Louise I want to say Juanita
Decided to keep the light in their stead saying quote we had a sacred duty to perform to keep the heroic
(14:53):
Work, which our parents started and wow, so that's pretty cool
Another pair of sisters run in the lighthouse after way different circumstances, but still
How about how old were they? They must have been old enough to
They must have been all this business. Yeah, I'm not adults. I must have been 15 or something
Yeah by those standards true
(15:14):
Thelma was headkeeper until 1927. So I don't know how many years that was maybe like three
Maybe two I think okay that she ran it with her sister and then this marked the end of keepers at this lighthouse
So the Los Angeles Park Department struck a deal that meant a park superintendent
Could keep the light and live there
(15:36):
Because it was now electrified. So it was like a lot easier of a job. When was electrified
1923 I think this is probably the same year 1927
I know that's early very early, especially the west coast. I feel like
Those lighthouses were like behind the times compared to east coast, which were like always on top of things
(15:56):
I guess but that's I guess that's just a feeling and not based on fact. That's nuts was
That must be one of the first I can't remember all the years in history
But that must be one of the early ones to be electrified. It must be at least
well, because
The first one I know we've talked about it, which is why I bring it up, but I don't remember the details
(16:18):
what numbers
I'm pretty sure it was the first one to be electrified
1898 so that's like 30 years after this
20 something
Okay, so we'll have to look up in never mind like which lighthouses were electrified in which order but it is true that it took
It what 20s is still pretty good for getting electrified
(16:39):
I think a lot of them put it off for a while because yeah like 40s 50s 60s 70s
1970s
In some cases some cases the eyebrows shot up in some cases you dirt bag
Dirt bag. Yeah, I would never even think that in my head land lover
(17:04):
So, yeah now we we have no more keepers past that point it's kind of crazy
Two days after the pearl harbor attack the light went dark what a shock
They they put out the lighthouse for good
It never was never really dark. So that wasn't going to be bombed probably. Well, yeah, we don't want to aid enemy ships and like submarines
(17:26):
We'll get by
So we're going to have to get rid of that
So we're going to have to get rid of that
Probably. Well, yeah, we don't want to aid enemy ships and like submarines or get bombed
And so and they never relit it. No is the end 1941
You'd know better than me circa 1941
(17:50):
You don't remember off the top of your head when pearl harbor was well
June 6th
1942
Um was d-day let me look at that up. Okay, this is a quiz. Hold on history quiz
You know more about war than
(18:11):
1944 oh, I thought the war ended in 45
Well, yeah, that's
Okay attack on pearl harbor was december 7th 1941
and
June of 1944 we were in the war
Okay, so december 9th this lighthouse 1941 crazy for good
traffic
Kind of right
Huh? That was kind of right. Yeah for sure. Let the record show
(18:35):
There were some correct numbers in there
But yeah, most of the lighthouses on the west coast went dark after this happened just to avoid aiding
But point for a man did not get relit so
Well that that's that was unlike most other lighthouses. I'm not sure. I'm not sure why but
Probably because it's surrounded by other lighthouses that had similar light characteristics
(18:55):
Shortly after extinguishing the lantern room was removed and replaced with a chicken coop
Which is basically just a windowed room to keep an eye out from like a lookout tower
Oh, yeah picture of what it looked like with its chicken coop
Uh interesting so basically anything from the balcony up was removed and replaced to be useful in war
(19:17):
And after the war a light on a metal pole replaced the light
Which is always so funny like I'm like
Which is always so funny like I I didn't include a picture in here, but you can look it up
It's literally a metal pole with a light on top. So sad like, you know with some antenna or whatever
like ah
We have this gorgeous
(19:37):
architecture just
beautiful historical
lighthouse and then it's just like
It's a little antenna
the coast guard considered demolishing the light in
1972 and then bill
Will oleson I want to say i'm just gonna go forward with that and
Anyone feel free to correct me
(19:58):
He had first visited the lighthouse at eight years old and spent his whole life nearby and he teamed up with the coordinator of
the cabrio
Maritime museum
Very good
According to online pronunciation lady, it's cabrillo
So we don't pronounce it like I was wrong
(20:22):
um
So that's all in there forever, um
Cabrillo
Okay. Wow. Let me start again now that I know it
So bill oleson teamed up with the coordinator of the cabrillo maritime museum to save our lighthouse which was in danger of being demolished
In their campaign to save the lighthouse point firman was added to the national register of historic places in the same year 1972
(20:48):
Let's go and over the next two years the chicken coop was removed and the lantern room
Reconstructed based on the original blueprints. So smart kept it historical and
Returned it to its formal glory much prettier. Yeah, so much better
By 2002 the lighthouse got another renovation this one
2.6 million dollars
(21:11):
My gosh, so here's a I put up a before and after it's
It's hard to tell but it really is like it gave it got a facelift. First of all all the colors
Yeah washed out. It looks way better. Yeah, there's like some corrosion and stuff going on
fixed it right up, which is
Great and that that's only on the outside. It also got new plumbing electrical work alarm systems air conditioning and period furnishings
(21:37):
So it's historically accurate on the inside as well air conditioning. I know
Missed out all this time
Is it hot in california is one of those places where it's hot? Okay. Yeah, it gets hot doesn't really get cold
Oh, they think it's freezing if it's 60. Yeah
Oh, I guess if you're not used to it not all of california. It's a huge state, but my grandma who lived in ventura
(22:00):
She would uh comment how cold how she could get a jacket anytime. It was 60
So funny, well, she was also a grandma. She was a grandma. They're more sensitive to that
I don't want to live somewhere where it gets hot and not cold
I'd rather live somewhere where it gets cold and not hot. Yep. You agree with that?
It's important. Am I signing off on something?
(22:21):
gosh
We'll see we'll see
What do you mean? What do you mean?
This has always been something that you knew
Somewhere that gets cold and not hot. Yeah
Yeah, it gets too hot here then we'll have another house in arizona. We'll go there every year to golf
I'm never going to no no no only when it's nice there. You can't drag me there. It's a golf mecca
(22:46):
Incredible place anyone that wants to weigh in let us know
Yeah, let us all let us know about how hot it gets in arizona. Oh, no, don't say that. I lived in arizona for a short time
125 degrees is the hottest I saw
There were heat stroke warnings
You'd get tired walking between your car and the restaurant
(23:07):
Yeah now
That's when you don't live in arizona is the summertime
Yeah, that was also a terrible
That was also a terrible. Um, well we had a terrible experience in a town called kingman, arizona
What happened? Oh, it's just not like we live there and we didn't enjoy it. Okay, we
(23:27):
So you're not thinking of that. I don't want to trash kingman
But the experience wasn't good. Was it 10 years ago?
Maybe in the past at least 10 years ago, maybe in the past decade. It's turned itself around 15 years ago
Maybe you're insulting like an arizona mecca. It's not just a golf resort. This is the whole
(23:48):
Okay, okay. Sorry
No, I know you did this. Yeah. Yeah, sorry. Sorry. Sorry
Okay, sorry so after many years as park employee housing it was open to the public after this renovation
and this
Kind of led into the question. Where did the lens go?
Because someone definitely has it we've heard it a couple times that a war happens a lens gets crated
(24:15):
like taking apart and created somewhere and
They just lose track of where it is. It's just
I'd love to see these warehouses where lens get lost it would have to be like
Don't you think there's probably like really awesome stuff hidden in there that nobody knows?
I think there's some in some warehouses. I think most
That were ever in warehouses have been rediscovered and sold yeah for cash
(24:39):
And what does that mean? Like?
Where are these warehouses where things get rediscovered like who goes in there and
Look at the crepes. There's gonna like imagine. It's a it's a shipping receiving dock area
And they have a massive storage and there's this one that
Something happened a business went out of you know out of business or something
(25:02):
Changed there was a war that started it's like some big event and some warehouse was left dormant shipments were lost or whatever
They were never processed well before too long
The odds are that shipping yard handling area that I clearly I don't know anything about this world
They're gonna say hey, we need to use that one again
Everything that's in there is trash because we got to get rid of it so we can use it to make money
(25:27):
So someone on their off time wink
It's gonna go through and see if there's anything valuable
Things like historic items things like a fresnel lens that you know they could it's not black market
But it is just unofficial. I know a guy and they buy it and this guy just gets the cash
He's a he's a shipping worker versus whatever. There's there's a house in california
(25:53):
I think los angeles that was sold not too long ago has a velociraptor
Skeleton like fossilized
Skeleton just as part of the house. Oh my gosh. It's included in the house
There's people out there that are that wealthy
Like there's like like beyond you can imagine there's people that have a giant first order from that lens in their living room
(26:15):
Just like as a talking piece gonna be us one of these days and we're not gonna steal it in a person
Instead of having another house in arizona, we're gonna have a friend of ours
Yeah, we're gonna have a copy of gay head
Fresnel lens first order
Clockwork. Oh, whatever. What's that clock? Yeah, yeah a rotational device
(26:37):
And um, we'll decorate it around the christmas time like a big ass tree
Very nice, that's the plan someone has it somewhere. Yeah, and you're right
So old listen remember he was the guy who saved it originally
He wanted to find the lens before the hundred year celebration back in the 70s. He found the lens
(26:58):
he wanted to
And he was talking about it in a restaurant and apparently met somebody
There who knew where it was kind of wet market. Is this very strange? I'd be like why are you following me?
How is that possible that someone just like oh I know where that is some kind of trench coat you're looking for a Fresnel lens
Like yeah, but not from you
(27:19):
A guy named louis bush worked in real estate in malibu
And there was a fourth order lens sitting in his office
Nice and he was told that the lens came from a nautical museum on santa monica pier
And was a gift from a family friend. So like there's a lot of backstory to how sure he came to have it
(27:40):
But there was like a storm and it got damaged. So then the guy
Who worked there or something took it home and then he died so then his son got it then this south a family friend got it too
Nice louis
He didn't believe that it was from point firman and hung on to it for many years because it's cool. Yeah
So then jim woodward a fresnel lens expert gave some insight on how to tell if the lens was from point firman or not
(28:05):
So this is a new thing. I learned like it's when you hear it. It's like oh, yeah, that makes sense
But in the early 2000s a member of the coast guard auxiliary and jim compared a photograph of the lens from 1912
And the lens in louis's office and because the lens was made by hand the screw slots would be in random positions
(28:26):
They're not like all perfectly lined up or anything
So it was like a it was like a fingerprint. It's like
You'd never unscrew so then you'd screw it in and then you'd screw it in and then you'd screw it in and then you'd screw it in
Never unscrew the screws that were in the copper. Yeah, or brass. Yeah the brass screws
You would compare those in a photo and if they matched up then it was like because apparently no two lenses ever made have the same
(28:53):
positioning of interest
Not made by electricians
Yeah, wait what?
It's a it's kind of a joke electricians when they put those plates on
Yeah, like on a light switch they so focused on making the slots run perfectly up and they do
Some people I guess if it's like the only visual
(29:13):
Proof that something is like well done. Yeah, it's like you might as well make them perfectly up and down, right?
Yeah, not here not our lenses
So here's a picture of what they were comparing that is so cool a picture of the first photo they were using and then
There's one of it at the lighthouse right now because by using this they compared two photos and found that
(29:37):
They matched perfectly. There was no doubt that this was the point point firman
Brunel lens so there was a lie told to this guy
Who someone had gifted him?
Well, that's not true because the lens could have ended up at a maritime museum, but someone lied or forgot
The history or maybe it was just in an unlabeled crate and they're like because it doesn't have any sort of plate on it
(30:01):
That says where it's from so it was probably just uncovered. Like you said somebody sold it off and yeah, like oh, that'd be great
And it's a museum. It's portable enough. Yeah, it's uh, yeah
Couple dudes I forgot. I had a really cool picture of them
Uncrating it at the lighthouse. You can go to their website. I have it linked in
Uh our references in the show notes and they have tons of pictures of when they uncreated the firnell lens and were
(30:27):
Setting it up back in the lighthouse
So this is on the ground floor in 2006
Um, louis allowance allowed the lens to return to the lighthouse where it was placed on display on the ground floor
And on december 16th, they had a celebration for the lens return complete with a parade free cake and ice cream and fireworks
It's like heck. Yeah. Oh, yeah
(30:47):
That's the kind of energy we need to bring to the table when something like this happens
I mean, it's just like a little lens nobody who?
knows
I mean some it's a big deal though people who don't know anything about lighthouses would be like
Cool, but we like wow
We'll set off fireworks
Yeah, very exciting. So now you can see the original lens that was used
(31:11):
Since it's the lighthouse's conception. Yeah, there's only ever one lens there
Other than a little light they still have that light on a pole. Is it somewhere else on the point? Heck. Yeah good for him
Good for him. He has a job. It's super cool
In 2015 the los angeles department of recreation and parks was awarded the lighthouse under the national historic lighthouse preservation act of 2000
(31:36):
I can't help every time we talk about it. It just I can't help but say it
That house preservation act. Yeah punchy because it's so long
But um, they run it today as the crown jewel of pound. Oh my gosh. I did it again point firman park
point perman
Pound park
I don't know why and it's open for free guided tours from 1 to 4 pm
(31:59):
Tuesdays through Sundays. So they're only closed on Mondays, but it's free free. It's nice. Of course. You should always donate donate. Yeah
But keep it spinning. They do I think one tour every hour. So it's actually pretty limited. You gotta
It's got a beautiful floor. Mm-hmm. It does
It was beautifully restored. So it's definitely
A gem that everybody should be going to see
(32:21):
They're quite romantic too. In fact, emily thought that I would propose to her at a lighthouse. Yeah, which is why I fully convinced
No, it's not true, but I didn't because we are living in kansas. Yeah, we don't have any of those. Yeah
So I would if I if we plan a lighthouse trip, I would be expecting it
And but now we're engaged we're gonna get married
(32:44):
Just as a fun side fact emily's christmas present this year. I finally hung it
it is a
It's a it's a ship mounted lantern
That is red. So what is that port side starboard port?
You sure because I don't know
Anyways, it's from japan and it was manufactured. I think in the 70s
(33:07):
1970s so, uh a really cool company
That um, I guess it's not sponsored, but I should shout them out because they're cool. They're nice to me big ship salvage
Um, yeah, they worked with me. I mean they worked with me. They answered questions. I wired the thing
So there's a light inside of it
Anyway, so now we have a red lantern in our living room. It's pretty dope. Yeah, I cried when I opened it
(33:31):
First I was like, what the heck is this and then he wrote a little note
In there about like what it is. Yeah, and I was like, oh
It just thins wasn't around. So I just sent him a video be like this is the best gift i've ever gotten
Then I got a ring shortly after that. So
Trumped it gotta keep going up
Next to be a fourth order for now lens. Yes
That's all I want put it in the bed of your truck
(33:54):
That would be my wedding gift
Yeah, if anyone has one just sitting around anyone who wants to donate really
any order
Anything anything eight would even be spectacular
Or just a picture of it
I guess i'm a little pickier than that. All right. All right. I interrupted so we're talking about the tours
(34:15):
They got tours every hour. They're free. Yep. That's it. Oh
What a perfect time for me to interrupt
Everyone's probably annoyed. What a perfect time to bring focus to the fact that I had no more notes
Everybody's probably super annoyed by me this episode. We're just really
Super annoyed by me this episode. We're just we're back in the saddle again
As that song says everybody likes when we just chat
(34:35):
I everyone who leaves review or leaves comments or everything says that they just like to have us chatting in the background
Well for those that are still listening and there are some I would like to thank you because you listen longer and longer on youtube
Yeah, which means even though right now the numbers are not growing as far as our followers
Um, which we don't advertise zero with zero percent. Um, those who do listen are listening more and longer
(35:03):
So that's invested in our content and that's all we want is for people to
Listen about lighthouses appreciate that. I think we're the number three lighthouse podcasts in the world and number two in the us
Pretty sure
That's what I tell people
In the world, I think there's three lighthouse podcasts in the u.s. Oh that i'm aware of I think you're right
Yeah, so at least in the ones that i'm aware of which we've been doing this for several years
(35:26):
Uh, we are number two in the united states behind
Jeremy de etremont and lighthearted from the united states lighthouse society
they are very in depth and focused and
uh professional folks and
Uh, what's the uk one? I've forgotten
I'm sorry. I don't I don't forget on purpose
I also forget the name of the venue that emily likes wants us to go get married at over and over and over again
(35:52):
Yeah, it's like I swear it's on purpose
It's not
Oh keeping watch perhaps believe it's keeping watch
Let's go. Let's find uh
The host name so we can
Let's I feel like we talked about them. It's part of the association of lighthouse keepers. So it's the uk
Okay produced and presented by a lk member edward pebbot
(36:16):
Cool. That's also a nice it's a cool name. Yeah, it is. That's a podcast name
We're about to both have the same last name for our podcast. Yep. He's so cute. I'm still working on swag
I know I keep saying that
I'm stuck between like doing a hoodie
Or a shirt which that's kind of the same thing or a hat maybe a crewneck
(36:39):
Sweatshirt, we're already a couple hundred dollars invested in hat research. So
Maybe maybe both we'll see I wore the hat a lot on vacation if it's a really cool design. I wouldn't mind just
Uh, no one wants them and I just have you know, 20 sweatshirts
the minimum order of folks is uh
Anyways, no one cares. We're working on swag. Keep you on your toes. Maybe 2025 it'll happen
(37:04):
We're also supposed to get married
So there's a lot going on going on multiple trips might be helping my dad move. Yeah, this is going back to sweden
So back to sweden. I really want you to see a light lens sorts. Sure. Sure
Sure
Long sorts. I don't know. It's a pretty cool lighthouse and you should check out our episode
(37:26):
And the guy that owns it will take you up there. Yeah, he was super nice. Although we didn't meet him
Um, i'm gonna be so jealous. Let's briefly revisit this. There's an episode we covered
L-a-n-d s-o-r-t-s
Yeah, long sorts. But we didn't this we recorded it before we went on our trip. So we didn't actually I
(37:48):
I don't know if we actually said anything about it. Oh, well, it's in sweden
it's
A couple hours from stockholm via bus and then ferry. Yes, we missed the ferry
um and the next one was
Three hours later and then which doesn't sound that bad, but we had other plans
You know we're international traveling. Yeah, the spot where you stopped for the ferry has a really nice restaurant. That was delicious
(38:15):
But there's not much else that that's like it you're you wait for the ferry and eat at a restaurant and it was a good restaurant
the last ferry out of the island
was like
An hour and a half or something so we wouldn't have had enough so we wouldn't have had time
To uh, we had a whole day planned on the island. So it just kind of got screwed
(38:35):
So my my mom is uh, obviously my family that's not obvious my family comes from swedish background
um
The the name family name was uh, johnson before that it was swanson and then
I'm not sure before that but um my my mom
My my mom and my grandma who's now gone
(38:59):
She really focused a lot on family heritage
Towards the end of her life. She she wanted to reconnect the people and she
She took my mom to sweden
when
A long time ago. I think I know my mom went to sweden when she was studying abroad
She went as a college student and then she took my sister to sweden when she was young. She my sister was the firstborn
(39:22):
and then
Now we're gonna go back and it's gonna be me and my brother
I don't know if my sisters are going or not. I don't think so
And then my mom so she's gonna she's gonna take us
And who knows maybe she's got one more trip. Maybe two more trips in her life. Who knows? Yeah, but uh,
I i'm really excited to be a part of this one
So I got to go to sweden with emily. Obviously we had some time there with her and her brother
(39:45):
but uh, this would be a
family
focused visit
Uh kind of learning some history about yeah, you can see a lot of sweden instead of just stockholm and a little bit extra
Yeah, I don't even know where i'm going yet. It's all on a spreadsheet of course, but
so cheat family if um
Lensorts
Sure lawns lawns sorts. I always say it wrong americans
(40:07):
If that's of interest particularly or we know it is but if there's other lighthouses that you should say we should check out
Even if I can't go
for some reason
We're going between two major cities
Stockholm and
Another big one that I should know but i'm not very well trained. Oh, you don't have the you haven't been studying your spreadsheets. So
(40:30):
Yeah, all the apps i'll just be jealously waiting at home for him to come back i'll send pics
We'll facetime you snapchat give you a call when I get there
Very good
Yeah, we'll still be pushing out episodes and thank you all for
Listening in and keeping track. You can see our stuff on instagram. I
(40:52):
I haven't
I haven't posted
Um our instagram post from the last episode. Oh my gosh. I'm so that's all right. We can stagger our releases
Post whenever you get a chance
Gosh, it's a failure. I've never done this before. I I was a day late on youtube
Once and then I was a day late or a week late or two on linkedin
(41:15):
Those are the the platforms I run now. We're doing a new screen recording
software and a new video editing software, so
hopefully that means we can improve the quality of things and
Get things out on time
But either way different people see instagram and youtube and maybe spotify or apple music they see things different times
So yeah anywhere you're seeing this anywhere you're hearing it. We appreciate you. Um, thanks for following along
(41:40):
Yeah, it's even if we're a little sporadic, but hey we do have other jobs
So this this one is like our second hobby. This is like our philanthropy every time we're like, yeah, you should
Leave them a donation. That's our that's our
Our efforts so we love it so much though and we're glad you guys are long for the ride
And on that note we will catch you next time on the lighthouse
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