Yerba Buena Lighthouse on Yerba Buena Island with passing sailboats on San Francisco Bay
Yerba Buena Island lies in the center of the San Francisco Bay, between San Francisco and Oakland. The island gets its name ("good herb") from the from the Spanish who found mint on the island. From the late 1800's to the 1930's, the island was called Goat Island, due to the presence of a large number of goats brought to the island by squatters after the Gold Rush. By the 1870's, numerous passenger ferries traveled passed the island, on their way to Oakland or San Francisco. In response to this traffic, a fog signal (a steam whistle and a bell from Point Conception) was installed in 1874 on the south end of the island. In 1875, a small lighthouse with a fifth-order lens (from Yaquina Bay, Oregon) was completed. The lighthouse stood by the fog signal on a 50-foot cliff. The keeper's residence was constructed further up the hill. To increase visibility, the keepers whitewashed the cliff below the lighthouse.
Size: 5190px × 3390px
Photo credit: © Chad Ehlers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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