Angel's Gate Restoration & Preservation

Angel's Gate Lighthouse sits along a 40 foot breakwater in Los Angeles Harbor. Like many of the structures in California, the lighthouse is subjected to the forces of nature - namely earthquakes. When the structure was built in 1879, earthquake building codes did not exist. The lighthouse has sustained damage over the years from southern California's multiple earthquakes and severe storms.

Like many other lighthouses, once automated, maintenance becomes an afterthought. Restoration and preservation efforts are usually undertaken by private not-for-profit organizations. The Boater's Yacht Club has proposed doing just that, using a fund specially created to reduce boater hardships due to the commerical success of the port.

I think this is a great idea and hope that it comes to fruition, but if it doesn't, all is not lost. If the yacht club is serious about its restoration and preservation, it can petition the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Trust earmarks funds for project just such as this. They also have the expertise when it comes to historic preservation.

This project will have to be conducted in two phases - restoration and preservation. Although many people use the two terms interchangably, they are have very different meaning. Restoration refers to returning the structure to its original state, as much as possible. Preservation means to conduct routine maintenance on the structure to prevent it from falling into disrepair again.

It will be almost impossible for the restoration of this lighthouse to be completely historic. For one, the lighthouse will have to meet the earthquake building codes that have been put in place since it was originally built. This alone will prevent the restorers from restoring the lighthouse to it's original form. Estimates for the restoration appear to be between $1.5 and $2 million dollars. The preservation is a different story. Preservation costs will be much higher, because preservation does not cease. It is an ongoing affair that carries the project indefinitely into the future. A prime example of this is the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla, North Carolina. The Outer Banks Conservationists spent 20 years restoring the lighthouse and are now entering the preservation phase of their project.

To read Sue Clark's article on the Angel's Gate Lighthouse in the Lighthouse News, please follow the link below.

Earthquakes and Storms Damage Lighthouse