Point Piños Lighthouse
Point Piños is known to be California’s oldest remaining lighthouse, which continues to operate. It is a quaint and charming working residence, yet also a unique type of lighthouse that allowed its keeper the rare opportunity to engage in social interactions.
The lighthouse was built in 1855 and has seen many updates to its operation from running on whale oil before upgrades to lard, then kerosene and finally electricity. Being located on the mainland, just a short distance from Monterey, this particular lighthouse distanced its keeper’s from the traditional solitary lifestyle they would typically be subjected to.
This unique living space and the history of the building, which contains some death, have led many to the belief that it may be haunted.
Ghosts of Point Piños
One of the lighthouse’s best-known keepers is believed to haunt the space to this day. Between 1893 and 1914, Emily Fish lived within and maintained the Point Piños Lighthouse. She enjoyed her time living within the lighthouse, so much so that she became known as the Socialite Keeper. She built-up and maintained the manicured gardens that still surround the lighthouse, as well as used the space to entertain the locals in the area.
Although Emily did not pass away within the lighthouse, she is believed to haunt the building. She is thought to have connected strongly to the lighthouse during life and loved the place so much that she felt the need to return to her former home in death. Visitors to the lighthouse have claimed to sight Emily’s apparition, typically inside her former living quarters. Her bedroom is believed to be one of the most active areas of the lighthouse. Many have reported to smell the scent of Emily’s perfume here and to hear the unexplainable sounds of someone walking past them as if they were wearing a large flowing skirt typical of Emily’s day and age.
Emily’s spirit is said to share the lighthouse space with that of another spirit. It is believed that the ghost of a young teenage female is also said to haunt the Point Piños Lighthouse. Her ghost is said to have remained within the building since her death from Tuberculosis in the early 1900s.
Visiting the haunted Point Piños Lighthouse
The Point Piños Lighthouse is definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the area. The lighthouse is open 5 days a week for self-guided tours and runs as a museum. The building has been restored to what it would have been like during the 1890s and is meticulously detailed.
If you are interested in other haunted places in Northern California, I recommend checking out the Moss Beach Distillery.
Thanks for reading!
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