 The first lighthouse was in height, and was based on a design that was typical of early "Cape Cod style" lighthouses, in which the light tower was an integral part of the keeper's house, and was centered atop the dwelling's roof.Construction of the foundation started in 1852, and the one-and-a-half-storied keeper's house and light were completed in 1853.The lens arrived in October 1853 and Michael Cassin lit it on June 1, 1854, thus setting a "milestone" of sorts for this lighthouse, as the first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast.