Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sailed from the Port of Navidad (now Acapulco) in 1542 and, after bucking head winds and seas for five months, sighted the Coronado Islands.

Working his way past the kelp beds, he dropped anchor in the quiet waters inside the present Ballast Point on September 28, 1542.

Sixty years passed before the placid waters around Ballast Point were again disturbed by deep-sea keels, when Sebastián Vizcaíno anchored on November 10, 1602.

The light was a fifth order fixed classical lens with a green shade, inside a brass and glass lantern with a focal height of 34 feet (10 m).

After the tower was torn down, the lantern room moved around San Diego County, finally settling outside the West Sea Company in Old Town (2495 Congress St), where you can view it today.

"[2] Historical information from Coast Guard web site:[1] It was decided to relocate the light on top of the fog signal building and demolish the old tower.

The new light, even though it uses a slightly smaller lamp, 32 volt, 250 watt, will give 9000 candlepower, due to the increased efficiency of the filament and the removal of the green shade.

Adjacent to the light structure are located a new three-bedroom and a four-bedroom duplex type dwelling, completely furnished which house resident personnel and their families.