East Brother Island Light
The East Brother Light Station is a commissioned in 1874 California Lighthouse on the same system, only about 3500 square meter island near Point San Pablo in Richmond. The East Brother Light Station marks the transition from the bay of San Pablo to the Bay of San Francisco and is one of the best preserved lighthouse facilities on the California Pacific Coast.
Originally, the construction of the lighthouse was provided on the mainland, by the resistance of the local landowners, the plant was but then finally built in the years 1873 and 1874 on East Brother Iceland. For this purpose, the upper part of the small island was blasted away to then build a series of buildings, of which the lighthouse and foghorn building ensured the actual signal function. For the operation of the foghorn and the supply of the lighthouse keeper, a rainwater collection system was built with an attached cistern and water tank.
The operation of the East Brother Light Station took over from 1874 to 1942 civilian, the Lighthouse Board (and its successor institution, the Bureau of Lighthouses ) under standing lighthouse keeper who permanently lived with their families on the island. In 1939, the supervision was transferred to the United States Coast Guard about the plant. This automated the signal operation in 1969.
In 1971 the plant was recorded with their built in Victorian style lighthouse on the National Register of Historic Places and restored 1979-1980 as part of a voluntary initiative. Since the completion of the restoration work of the lighthouse with its surrounding buildings being used as a Bed and Breakfast.
Location and importance for shipping
The East Brother Light Station is located on one of two small islands on the eastern side of the street of San Pablo, a strait between the Bay of San Pablo and the bay of San Francisco. The island is located a quarter mile away from the land and only covers an area of a three-quarter acre, which is less than one third of a hectare. Just a stone 's throw from East Brother lies the tiny island also West Brother, which is uninhabited today.
The road from San Pablo joins the Golden Gate and ports such as San Francisco with the further inland, the ports such as Stockton or Sacramento and presented therefore - particularly in the 1850s and 1860s - an important route for vessel traffic dar. During the California gold rush was this Route highly frequented, since she joined on the current flowing into the Bay of San Pablo rivers Sacramento River and San Joaquin River, the Sierra Nevada with San Francisco. In this way, every day passed numerous postal, passenger and cargo ships the strait.
Also, all had the Strait happen since 1854 built on the Mare Iceland Naval Shipyard warships. For this reason, the safety of shipping arrived too increased importance in the Strait of San Pablo from the second half of the 19th century. Ships that came off the course at night or in the frequently occurring on the Pacific coast fog, came without a lighthouse soon in danger of colliding with one of the rocky islands on the edge of the strait or running aground.
History
From the first plans to the start of construction
With the strong increase of shipping traffic in the Strait of San Pablo in the 1850s and 1860s, the need to make the crossing of the Straits for ships safer grew. 1851 was therefore approximately one and a half miles southwest of West and East Brother attached a first buoy. Although until the early 1870s, more buoys were installed, these markers ranged for the orientation of the ship captains - especially at night or in poor visibility due to fog - not out. For this reason, the Congress of the United States presented in March 1871 a sum of 20,000 dollars for the construction of a lighthouse with attached Foghorn available.
The construction of the lighthouse was originally planned on the mainland near Point San Pablo. However, due to the resistance of the private land owner to the start of construction was delayed by several years. In January 1873 a group of captains finally handed a petition to the lighthouse inspector in San Francisco, in which they reaffirmed their needs and the island state owned East Brother suggested as a location for the new lighthouse.
The two islands West and East Brother had passed under President Andrew Johnson in state-owned and have been originally intended for the construction of gun emplacements to defend the shipyard on Mare Iceland. Both were suitable only partially for the construction of a lighthouse, as the necessary for catering the lighthouse keeper and the operation of the steam-powered foghorn freshwater missing. Despite these limitations, the Congress in March 1873, finally approved a further sum of $ 30,000 for construction on East Brother, which began in late July.
From construction to commissioning
The construction of the lighthouse took over the company Monroe and Burns from San Francisco. This first blew up the top layer of sandstone at East Brother to create a flat surface. A portion of the resulting in the blowing up of sandstone blocks was used to provide the small island with a full perimeter wall. In the fall of 1873, the foundation of the lighthouse building and the first walls were.
The building was built in the Victorian style that was prevalent even in small villas along the coast of California at the time. With its contrasting strapwork and framed with ornate railings stairs and porches it fitted well to the prevailing architectural style of its surroundings. The plans used in the construction of East Brother Light were - also used for the construction of the lighthouses of Point Fermin, Point Hueneme and Mare Iceland, California, and from Point Adams, Oregon - with minor changes. Of these, only the location in Los Angeles Lighthouse Point Fermin is obtained in addition to the East Brother Light Station today.
The Lighthouse East Brother house is built of wood, but has the special feature that the space between the inner and outer walls is filled with bricks. Frank Perry suggested that this was done either for reasons of stability, insulation against wind and rain, or for sound insulation against the loud signal of the foghorn.
After the completion of the actual lighthouse a cistern, a water tank, the foghorn building, a boat dock and other smaller buildings were added. In February 1874 lighthouse keepers were made and indicated in a notice entitled " Notice to Mariners " on the upcoming commissioning. Shortly thereafter, on March 1, 1874, the lighthouse went into operation and two months later - after sufficient water had been delivered - even the foghorn.
Operation of the lighthouse in the late 19th century
This electrified lens replaced the former Fresnel lens.
Today in use befindliches LED beacon.
In 1880, the Lighthouse Board decided to change the identification of East Brother. The timing of the light signal was changed from " Blitz" ( light shorter than dark, lightning < 2s) changed to "Fixed" ( continuous fire ). As part of this change, the Lighthouse Board had a fourth-order Fresnel lens in the lighthouse building install. At the same time the previously operated with a special form of lard lamp was replaced by a kerosene lamp. This had the advantage that kerosene lamps were burning longer; Moreover, the operation of petroleum was cheaper.
At night, monitored the lighthouse keeper in shifts on the proper function of the light signal. They operated to a clockwork -like elevator, which ensured the rotation of the lens. In addition, their task was to regularly wipe the glass of the lens with a cloth to keep out moisture. At sunrise, the guards turned down the wick and prepared the lens for the next night. To this end, they dusted the lens with a spring brush and rubbed the glass with a soft linen cloth. If the lens was dirty with oil, they had to be cleaned with a vinegar solution. In their work, the lighthouse keeper wore a linen loincloth, to avoid scratching the fragile glass through the buttons of her dress.
In addition to the flare, the lighthouse keepers were also responsible for the maintenance and operation of the foghorn. The fog horn was operated over a coal-fired steam engine. Water from the fresh water tank was heated and then directed the water vapor through the pressure of the steam engine at regular intervals in the mounted on the roof of the foghorn building horn. An automatic device came a four- and eight -second beep every twenty-four seconds. Ship captains were able to distinguish this characteristic signal of East Brother of other fog horns and orient themselves in this way in fog and poor visibility.
Since it took about 45 minutes to generate enough steam for the operational readiness of the foghorn, this time had to be bridged. To this end, the Lighthouse Board was in April 1878 a large fog bell on East Brother Iceland install. If fog occurred unexpectedly, had to ring up to the commissioning of the foghorn that bell in fünfzehnsekündigem distance, while one of his colleagues heated up the boiler of the steam engine of a lighthouse keeper.
Extensions at the beginning of the 20th century
By building a based in Richmond oil refinery by the Standard Oil Company in 1901 (now Chevron Richmond Refinery ) the meaning of the lighthouse rose again on East Brother Iceland. And also a built south of Point San Pablo factory for wine production and bottling through the California Wine Association in 1909 and the resultant rise in traffic volume increased the need for security in shipping. In addition, the dramatic growth was Richmond - 1901-1917 its population grew from 200 to 23,000 - the number of mail and passenger ships rise.
The first action taken in this context, extension of the lighthouse system was the installation of two additional fresh water tanks in the years 1903 and 1910. With the help of the steam engine in the fog horn building water could be pumped from the cistern into the tanks, leading to an expanded storage options, on the other, in September forthcoming annual cleaning the tank easier.
In July 1903 also the boat dock was moved. To this end, the location far in the north investor was abandoned and built a new jetty at the east of the island. The new investors included a derrick, a boathouse and a motor-driven winch, with the heavy goods the downward ramp could be pulled up to the island.
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 also left its mark on East Brother Iceland. The former lighthouse keeper John Stenmark, who was responsible for East Brother Light since 1894, wrote on April 18 in his logbook: "A major earthquake this morning at 5 Clock 15 The lenses of the lighthouse [ are ] destroyed and Glassware broke and everything from glass broke. Doors opened of itself, and the whole island trembled. All lenses were broken. "
Re- conversion of the lamp and austerity measures in the 1920s
In June 1912, the Lighthouse Board, the date that is in use kerosene lamp with a high-powered lamp (English Incandescent Oil Vapor Lamp or short- IOV ) was replaced. In this type of lamp, the oil was vaporized prior to combustion in a gasifier, with a considerably lighter flame is produced than with an ordinary kerosene lamp. In addition to improved light yield, the I.O.V. was also more economical and thus all the major lighthouses were equipped in the United States with the new lamp technology in the first decades of the 20th century. In July 1912 East Brother Light was one of 27 lighthouses on the California Pacific Coast, which were provided with the new lamp type.
As part of the lamp upgrade the Lighthouse Board again decided to change the identifier of the East Brother Light Station. In order to ensure a better differentiation of other lighthouses, the identification of " hard " ( continuous fire ) was changed to " Interrupted " ( light intervals longer than dark phases ). From now on, blinked East Brother with a clock speed of " light seven and a half seconds, Dark two and a half seconds ." At the same time the light intensity increased due to the use of the new lamp of 520 to 2,900 candlepower.
The difficult economic situation in the United States in 1925 called for austerity measures for the operation of the lighthouse. From now on, the lighthouse keeper operated in fog instead of the steam-powered foghorn from April to September only the fog bell. This has now been driven by clockwork, which set every 15 seconds a hammer in motion.
The electrification in 1934
However, the biggest change in the first half of the 20th century, the electrification of the East Brother Light Station in 1934. A submarine cable supplied the island from the mainland with electricity. As part of this conversion, including the optic was replaced again. Instead of the high-powered lamp was from now on a 500 -watt bulb for use, which reached a luminosity of 13,000 candlepower. An electrically operated time clock switched the bulb every ten seconds for two two-second flashes on and then off again.
Diesel generator for the generation of compressed air in case of power failures.
Foghorn building of East Brother.
Diaphone on the roof of the fog horn building.
Between October 1 and April 1 being used is electric fog horn of the Coast Guard on the edge of the island.
In the same year, the steam-powered fog horn was replaced by a Diaphon. It is an air-driven fog horn that still lingers after switching off the sound engine, producing a characteristic for Diaphone " grunt ". The Diaphon had the advantage that its sound is not - as it was when steam-powered foghorn the case - could be mistaken for a ship's siren. In addition, it only took a few minutes to make the signal ready for use. An electric motor driving the compressor, the generated air pressure to the Diaphon. In case of power failure, the air pressure could be generated for the Diaphon with a diesel generator.
Automation and restoration
With the assumption of the duties of the Bureau of Lighthouses ( the successor institution to the Lighthouse Board ) by the United States Coast Guard in 1939, the era of commercial operation, the East Brother Light Station came to an end. Four years later, Willard Miller, the last civilian lighthouse keeper of East Brother Light, retired. Under the pressure of rising labor costs in the 1960s, the management decided the Coast Guard to convert most of the 400 under their supervision lighthouses on automatic mode. The articles published in a notice from the 1967 plans for East Brother Light before saw the historic building by a slight -to-maintain structure - replace - in the form of a steel or cement tower. Against these plans stirred at a group of citizens of Contra Costa County resistance. In their appeal, the Coast Guard relented and got in the transfer of East Brother Light to automatic operation in July 1969, the historic building. On a tarnished in early 1970 media campaign of the Contra Costa Shoreline Parks Committee towards the lighthouse system was finally added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 1971, is so since as a cultural monument.
In 1979, a group of citizens of Richmond founded a nonprofit organization, the restoration and maintenance of the lighthouse went to the task. Supported by donations and a grant from the Ministry of the Interior of the United States in the amount of $ 67,000, volunteers began in late 1979 with the restoration work. A total of about 300 workers involved in the project run by volunteers. Using old photographs and through the analysis of paint remains, the buildings were set on East Brother Iceland faithfully repaired. In November 1980, less than one year after commencement of work, the restoration work had been completed.
Current usage
Since 1980, the East Brother Light Station is used as a Bed and Breakfast. Guests can book either a day trip to the island or nights with dinner and breakfast. You will be picked up on this with a motor boat in the marina at Point San Pablo and brought to the small island. There, they can then take a tour of the historic building companies and get an introduction to the history and operation of the lighthouse. For day visitors East Brother Iceland is only open in the summer months. Overnight guests of the Bed and Breakfast are the showers only for bookings of more than one night available because the fresh water of East Brother Light is obtained as before about the rain collection system and is therefore limited. All guests must meet certain physical requirements, as access to the island via a steep ladder carried to the boat jetty.
The Bed and Breakfast is - run by a married couple whose task it is to provide for the transport of guests to maintain the operating board to cook meals and to conduct sightseeing tours - now in its fourth generation. In addition, sell the Innkeeper in a small shop books and souvenirs, with a portion of the proceeds benefit the preservation of the lighthouse.