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The members of Piedras Blancas Light Station Association plan to build an exact replica of the entry gate that once stood at the lighthouse as a memorial to Jim Boucher, the park manager who unexpectedly passed away this past November.
Carole Adams, a volunteer coordinator, said, “Symbolically and visibly, the replica entrance gate is an appropriate project to designate as a tribute to Jim Boucher who inspired so many.” During his term as park manager, Jim Boucher completed several historic restoration and reconstruction projects at the lighthouse and he developed an educational outreach program. He was also instrumental in designating more than 400 acres surrounding the lighthouse as an Outstanding Natural Area within the Bureau of Land Management Natural Conservation System.
The Piedras Blancas Light Station was established in 1875 at the northern entrance to San Simeon Bay entrance to Monterey Bay in San Simeon, California. On December 31, 1948 an earthquake severely damaged the upper section of the tower, and shortly thereafter the Fresnel lens and the lantern room were moved from the tower. A rotating beacon was subsequently installed on top of the tower, and the lighthouse has been headless without its lantern room ever since.
You can find previous stories about the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse in the May/June 2012 and the July 2009 editions of Lighthouse Digest as well as in our on-line archives at www.LighthouseDigest.com.
This story appeared in the
Mar/Apr 2015 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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