Long before Point Loma became a destination for visitors with cameras and smartphones, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse stood as one of San Diego’s most recognizable silhouettes—its white tower rising 422 feet above the Pacific Ocean.
Old Point Loma lighthouse was built in 1855. (Photo courtesy of U.S. National Parks)Completed in 1855, the lighthouse guided ships safely into San Diego Bay, but its influence went beyond navigation. Even after its light was extinguished in 1891, the structure became a favored subject for early photographers and filmmakers, appearing in scenic shorts, travel reels, and promotional footage that introduced San Diego’s dramatic coastline to audiences nationwide.
Even after it ceased functioning as a navigational aid, the lighthouse continued to command attention from visual storytellers. Although it was not used for Hollywood feature films, it appeared in short films often commissioned by civic groups or government agencies. These productions showcased the lighthouse’s dramatic cliffs, sweeping ocean views, and iconic silhouette, helping cement its place in the region’s maritime and cultural heritage.
Still photography played an equally important role. Historic images preserved in city and federal archives show the lighthouse featured prominently in postcards, tourism brochures, and military-era documentation. In many of these images, the lighthouse symbolized watchfulness and permanence, standing quietly above a harbor that was rapidly changing below.
View of a man and a woman in horse drawn buggy on the road passing the US Upper Lighthouse at Point Loma in the 1910s. Two automobiles are parked further up the road. US Upper Lighthouse has also been called Old Spanish Lighthouse erroneously, as it was built in the American Period in the 1850s. (Photo courtesy of the San Diego History Center)The site’s association with visual storytelling was further reinforced by its location within what is now Cabrillo National Monument. According to the National Park Service, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse was “one of the first original eight lighthouses built on the west coast of the United States,” a distinction that added historical weight to its already striking presence.
Today, the lighthouse is restored to reflect its 1880s appearance and welcomes visitors who walk the same paths once used by keepers, photographers, and early camera crews. Though the klieg lights and hand-cranked cameras are long gone, the setting remains unmistakably cinematic. The wind, the cliffs, and the endless horizon echo the qualities that first drew lenses to this remote corner of Point Loma.
Lighthouse at sunset, Cabrillo National Monument, 2012. (Photo courtesy of U.S. National Parks)In its second life, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse did more than watch over the sea. It helped frame how San Diego learned to see itself—steadfast, dramatic, and worthy of being remembered in both film and photographs.
Sources
National Park Service, Cabrillo National Monument – Old Point Loma Lighthouse history and restoration.San Diego History Center, Journal of San Diego History – Contemporary 1891 account of the lighthouse’s final lighting.KPBS, “Repairs underway at Old Point Loma Lighthouse,” Jan. 19, 2024.City of San Diego Digital Archives – Old Point Loma Lighthouse historical context and imagery.
For more flashbacks, five things, click here.
Hence then, the article about from beacon to film point loma lighthouse on camera was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( From beacon to film: Point Loma Lighthouse on camera )
Also on site :
- Skanska signs additional contract with existing client to build a data center in USA for USD 228M, about SEK 2.2 billion
- ‘No way out’: Telangana student dies in Germany after jumping from burning apartment on New Year’s Eve
- Switzerland fire latest: King Charles ‘heartbroken’ after 40 killed in ‘horrific’ Crans Montana bar disaster