Lighthouse chasers enjoy new mystery

Lots of RVers have "must visit" lists. All the national parks. Historic battle fields. Lighthouses.

If you're a lighthouse fan, here's a site you shouldn't miss, and now it comes with a mystery. First, the lighthouse: Just a half hour south of San Francisco is the little coastal burg of Montara, home of around 3,000 souls. Sitting on scenic Highway 1, Montara also claims fame from the Point Montara lighthouse. Still an operating light, its lightkeeping staff quarters now serve as a hostel where guests can stay on and absorb the aura of the sea.

What's the mystery? Recently historians say they've found proof that the lighthouse at Montara isn't a native. Huh? According to a story in "Lighthouse Digest," the light was originally installed a bit aways: Actually built to shed light at Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Sometime later, locals on the east coast thought the light had simply been taken down or destroyed. But according to the historians, apparently the original Wellfleet light was somehow transported from the east coast to the west coast, and eventually settled in at Point Montara.

To visit the light, travel California Highway 1 to Montara. A half-mile south of town a sign indicates the way up a dirt road to the light. The grounds are open daily for visitors to explore. And to figure out just how they got this lighthouse across the country.

pre-tweaked photo: Darin Barry on flickr.com