The lighthouse was built in 1874 with lumber from California redwoods. It was designed by
Paul J. Pelz who also designed Point Fermin's sister stations,
East Brother Island Light in
Richmond, California,
Mare Island Light, in
Carquinez Strait, California (demolished in the 1930s),
Point Hueneme Light in California (replaced in 1940),
Hereford Inlet Light in North Wildwood, New Jersey, and
Point Adams Light in Washington State (burned down by the Lighthouse Service in 1912), all in essentially the same style. In 1941, the light was extinguished due to the
bombing of Pearl Harbor. There was fear that the light would serve as a beacon for enemy planes and ships. The original fourth order
Fresnel lens was removed in 1942. The lighthouse was saved from demolition in 1972 and added to the
National Register of Historic Places. The light fell into disuse and disrepair and the lantern room and gallery were removed. The site was refurbished in 1974 including a new lantern room and gallery were built by local preservationists in 1974. A wood replica lantern was also installed. The original Fresnel lens from the lighthouse, removed in the 1940s, had been missing for decades. After being found and positively identified, on November 13, 2006, the lens was relocated to a display in the restored lighthouse museum from the real estate office of Louis Busch in Malibu, California, where it had been on display. In June 2011, the
General Services Administration made the Point Fermin Light (along with 11 others) available at no cost to public organizations willing to preserve them. The restored site was open to the public as the Point Fermin Lighthouse Historic Site and Museum. ==In popular culture==