Point Pinos Lighthouse.
In the words of a close friend, “the things you can do every day are the things you never do.” Point Pinos Lighthouse sits about 1 mile from our home and we finally had the chance to wander over and take a tour.
The lighthouse is immaculately preserved and furnished as it would have originally been in mid-1800s.
Loved this kitchen!
This lighthouse’s story is unique. The first lighthouse keeper, Charles Layton, and his wife, Charlotte, took up residence in 1855. He died shortly after while on a posse (fabulous word that we don’t often get to use), and the wife, Charlotte, took over as keeper. She was the one responsible for turning the lighthouse into a ‘home’ and making the living area functional.
There was a large cistern built under the house that stored the water collected from the roof during stormy weather. A manual hand pump then pulled it up to the kitchen and bathroom for use.
The lighthouse was under the functional control of the U.S. Coast Guard up through WWII, actually. The Coast Guard would stop by to do an inspection, and to drop off fuel and supplies.
Here’s what they lighthouse keeper and his wife received as provisions:
There was an antique cookbook left open for viewing, though you couldn’t turn the pages to see what year it was printed. Below is an excerpt – and we see, once again, these lengthy cooking times for vegetables:
Fantastic local discovery!
Convivial Supper 
It’s interesting that the beans are measured in gallons rather than pounds. Any idea why?
What are they doing with the veggies that requires that much cooking time? I can’t imagine what string beans look like after 2 1/2 hours of being boiled!
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Maybe because all of the food would have been shipped in barrels? Just a guess.
Yes, the really long cooking times for veggies are pretty typical. No idea why – there are oblique references to having to make the vegetable digestible – but it’s extreme.
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We will have to go there. Your photos make it impossible to pass up. Thank you!
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My pleasure!
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I love old light houses. There are quite a few in my neck of the woods.
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They are so much fun to visit! I couldn’t imagine being a light house keeper – or the keeper’s wife! Talk about a 24-7 job!
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Thank you for taking us on such a wonderful trip!
I hope you thrill us with more new discoveries like this again soon!!!!
To Ms. Charlotte!
Keeper of the home as she certainly kept the light burning.
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So glad you enjoyed the post! The lighthouse was enchanting – as most are. What a different era it would have been. It’s one thing to read about domestic life in a cookbook, another to go and see it in person. To Ms. Charlotte!
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Can you imagine cooking and working there? Wow!
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I absolutely could! It’s far above a fireplace – seemed to have almost every convenience. But I’m sure working with coal would have been really, really messy! Thanks for stopping by!
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