Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Airfields
Finder Station, Farallon Islands
The Farallon Islands are a series of islands located approximately
30. miles west of San Francisco, California, trending in a northwest-southeast
direction, with the largest island being the Southeast Farallon
Island. The Farallon Islands are located within the Gulf of the
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS).
Site History: In approximately 1852, the Lighthouse Board's
construction program was instituted, and the Southeast Farallon
Island was chosen as a lighthouse location. Several setbacks
and engineering problems delayed the first operation of the lighthouse
until 1856. Coast Guard personnel and/or lighthouse keepers were
stationed on the island from 1853 to 1968 to
maintain and operate the lighthouse. In 1968 the lighthouse was
converted to be fully automated.
In approximately 1905, the U.S. Navy installed and commissioned
a Radio Direction Finder (DF) Station on the Southeast Farallon
Island. Nine Navy personnel were stationed on the island to
support the mission of the Radio DF Station until after World
War I. After the war, personnel to support Radio DF station were
cut back to four or five people. Several buildings and other
structures were constructed to support the Navy's mission on
the island. They included: officers quarters, dormitories, a
powerhouse, two compass houses, several storagelwork sheds, and
equipment associated with the saltwater distillation facility.
Navy personnel were stationed on the island up until the late
In 1969, the Department of Transportation, which owned and controlled
the islands, transferred the islands to the Department of Interior
(managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]).
From 1969 to the present, the Farallon Islands have been used
as a National Wildlife Refuge and Marine Sanctuary. Biologists
from the USFWS and from the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, who
are contracted by USFWS to man the island 365 daylyear, perform
research and studies on wildlife and restrict access to the delicate
habitat that the island provides.
Source: Sacramento District,
US Army Corps of Engineers
Questions and comments concerning
this site should be directed to the Webmaster