National Register of Historic Places

Cape St. Elias Lighthouse

Katalla, Valdez-Cordova County, Alaska
Listed
December 18, 1975
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75002157

About this property

The Cape St. Elias Light is a lighthouse on Kayak Island in Alaska. Congress approved the construction of a light station at Cape St. Elias in October 1913, appropriating $115,000 for the construction. construction began in 1915 and a third order Fresnel lens was installed. In 1927 the station was equipped with radio beacon facilities, which was the second such facility in Alaska. The light was automated by the United States Coast Guard in 1974. In 1998 a solar powered Vega optic was installed, replacing the original lens, which is in the Cordova Museum in Cordova, Alaska. Cape St. Elias Lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It is now being leased by the Cape St. Elias Lightkeepers Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring and sharing the lighthouse. It began operations in 1916, which was the year that the Alaska Engineering Commission started building the Alaska Railroad "which eventually established Southcentral Alaska as the economic hub of all Alaska". This lighthouse "proved to be an indispensable navigational aid along the shipping lanes from the contiguous American states and Southeastern Alaska to Cordova, Valdez, Seward, and Anchorage." Those ports could be notified of ships arriving, by station keeper radio that also was installed in 1916. National Register of Historic Places listings in Chugach Census Area, Alaska Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Alaska". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Location

Katalla, Valdez-Cordova County, Alaska
59.80694, -144.61324

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Cape St. Elias Lighthouse

This page lists Cape St. Elias Lighthouse. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Cape St. Elias Lighthouse report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Bering Expedition Landing Site
Listed
7.4 mi
Chilkat Oil Company Refinery Site
Industrial
26.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cape St. Elias Lighthouse listed on the National Register?

Cape St. Elias Lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Cape St. Elias Lighthouse?

Cape St. Elias Lighthouse is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cape St. Elias Lighthouse?

The period of significance for Cape St. Elias Lighthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Cape St. Elias Lighthouse?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Cape St. Elias Lighthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Valdez-Cordova County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Valdez-Cordova County.

Explore Valdez-CordovaCounty ›

More historic places in Alaska

Browse all historic places in Alaska.

View Alaskahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Alaska history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Alaskahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Cape St. Elias Lighthouse will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report