Old Point Loma Lighthouse Flagpole and Basement

A windswept retreat from our busy modern world, a place to remember the people and times before us.

NPS / Amanda Gossard

To the right of the lighthouse is the flagpole and entrance to the basement. The flagpole was erected by Lighthouse Keeper Jenkins, who operated the lighthouse from 1867 to 1871. The ruthless wind meant that he would only raise the colors on special occasions and holidays. Currently, a 38-star flag is flown, representing the number of states in the union during most of the time that the Israel family operated the lighthouse.Next to the flagpole is a cellar door that leads to the basement of the lighthouse. This part of the house was also accessible by a separate spiral staircase located in the kitchen. The basement has the same floorplan as the 1st floor of the lighthouse. When boys reached the age of 10, they left the second-floor bedroom shared by all the kids and moved into the basement. Being much cooler than the rest of the house, this area was also used to store food and other supplies.  Thank you for listening to the Old Point Loma Lighthouse audio tour given by Cabrillo National Monument. We hope that you enjoyed learning more about the lighthouse and its final keepers.