The 156th birthday of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse will be celebrated today with tours of the tower, lantern and gallery -- areas normally closed to the public.
The lighthouse was built in 1855 and illuminated San Diego Bay for 36 years before officials decided to discontinue its use.
The Point Loma Lighthouse was one of the first eight lighthouses constructed on the West Coast. Officials decided to stop using the lighthouse in 1891 because fog and low clouds would often obscure its light.
Today, the lighthouse is maintained by the National Park Service.
