Tier 3 · Curiosities

Oakland Harbor Light

Oakland Harbor Light Station

Oakland · Alameda County · Bay Area

Active aidstandingRestricted accessdifficultU.S. Coast Guard

Photo coming soon

Year first lit

1890

Current structure built

1890

Tower height

unknown ft

Focal plane

unknown ft

Optic

Automated LED beacon

Owner

U.S. Coast Guard

Manager

U.S. Coast Guard

Coordinates

37.7950, -122.2580 Map

Current hours

Not open to public. Visible from Oakland waterfront.

History

Oakland Harbor Light (also known as the Brooklyn Basin Light or the 'Coffee Pot' lighthouse) is a distinctive spark-plug style lighthouse built in 1903 on a concrete caisson in the Oakland Estuary. It was deactivated in 1966 and is now privately owned. Its unusual cylindrical design earned it the 'Coffee Pot' nickname.

Why it matters

One of the few surviving spark-plug (caisson) style lighthouses on the West Coast. Privately owned and not publicly accessible, but visible from the Oakland waterfront.

Logistics

Recommended base

Oakland

Accessibility

Active USCG aid to navigation. No public access. Visible from Oakland waterfront.

Nearby lighthouses

Alcatraz Island Light

San Francisco, Bay Area

Tier 1Active aidPublic accessmoderate⚠ Verify

The first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast. The Alcatraz connection makes it one of the most-visited lighthouse sites in the United States. The lighthouse is often overlooked by visitors focused on the prison — a compelling story angle.

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Sources

Officialen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Harbor_Light
Officiallighthousefriends.com/light.asp

Image rights: unknown

Research confidence: medium · Last verified 2026-05-13