Published on 10/09/2023
Mark Hancock, Executive Director of Point Arena Lighthouse, never tires of his daily drive to work.
"It's just a stunningly beautiful location," says Hancock. "It's different every day that you come here--Whenever I am driving down Lighthouse Road and I hit the crest where I first see the lighthouse and the Fog Signal Building, it always makes me smile."
The Point Arena Light Station was first lit in 1870. However, the original tower suffered severe damage during the 1906 earthquake and was replaced with the current 115-foot tower in 1908.
Today, the Point Arena Light Station covers 23 acres, including the tower, the Fog Signal Building (now a museum and gift shop), a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) communications building, and seven vacation cottages. These cottages were created from four former light keeper’s homes on the property.
The museum's highlight is the lighthouse's original 4,700-pound 1st Order Fresnel Lens, which consists of 258 hand-ground glass prisms and spans seven feet in diameter. The light station now uses an LED array for its signature signal. The vacation cottages and gift shop generate income for the lighthouse, which operates as a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit.
Conservation is a top priority for the Point Arena Lighthouse staff. The location is one of the best spots on the North Coast for whale watching. Gray Whales are regularly seen during their annual migration from late November through May. Throughout the year, visitors can spot Humpback whales, the occasional pod of Killer Whales, and even Blue and Fin Whales. It's also a sanctuary for Harbor Seals and home to various bird species, native plants, and wildflowers.
Because the Point Arena Lighthouse prioritizes sustainability and environmental stewardship, they are equally committed to sharing their passion and knowledge with the community. They host school field trips and a Lighthouse Lecture Series covering topics related to sustainability and conservation.
"We have a real platform for the 40,000+ visitors who come out here," says Hancock. The Lighthouse's annual Wind and Whales celebration during Point Arena's “Almost Fringe Festival” in late April celebrates whale watching, and the Berkley Kite Wranglers add to the spectacle with massive kites shaped like whales, squid, and colorful sea creatures soaring on the strong winds.
Electricity is the largest utility that we consume, so moving to EverGreen was very important for us because it immediately leaped us to about 80% of our goal of being completely carbon-neutral by the end of 2023
Executive Director
Point Arena Lighthouse
Hancock learned about EverGreen, Sonoma Clean Power’s locally generated 100% renewable electricity service, through regular visits to Surf Market in nearby Gualala, which committed to EverGreen in 2020 . Surf Market promotes sustainability and its partnership with SCP throughout the store.
“What was nice for me is that every time I walk into the front door of the Surf, right there is a big banner talking about clean, 100% renewable energy. And right in the middle of the banner is the Point Arena Lighthouse,” says Hancock. “That was really the thing that got me thinking ‘that’s something that we should be doing.’”
In 2022, the Point Arena Lighthouse became an EverGreen customer. Switching to EverGreen was a significant step for the Point Arena Lighthouse.
“Electricity is the largest utility that we consume, so moving to EverGreen was very important for us because it immediately leaped us to about 80% of our goal of being completely carbon-neutral by the end of 2023,” says Hancock.
He hopes other businesses along the Mendocino Coast will follow his lead. “We’re one of the top three tourist attractions in all of the Mendocino Coast and we bring in a tremendous number of visitors who all have to drive through Point Arena or Manchester, or through Elk and Fort Bragg, Mendocino or Bodega Bay, Gualala, or The Sea Ranch,” he says.
“Each of those communities benefit from us being here, in terms of having people stay, eat, shop… and I think how powerful it would be if-as people work their way up the coast from Bodega Bay or down the coast from Mendocino, everywhere they stop, they see a business somewhere that is promoting the fact that they have chosen EverGreen. That will make people ask questions and want to do the same thing.”
In Hancock’s eyes, the Point Arena Lighthouse is more than just a historic landmark, it’s a “beacon of clean energy on the Mendocino Coast.” Through their switch to Sonoma Clean Power’s EverGreen service and dedication to educating their community, he believes that the lighthouse can be a source of inspiration for visitors from Mendocino County and beyond.
"We want this tower to be here for generations to come,” he says. “That's part of our mission... and [switching to EverGreen] will, we believe, help us do that."
