The Diamond Head Lighthouse is a prominent symbol of Hawaiian
history to residents and visitors alike.
The lighthouse rests aside a tuff-cone volcano, formed by
explosive eruptions thousands of years ago.
In 1825, British sailors ascended the crater and found hard,
clear calcite crystals among the black rocks. Mistaking them for
diamonds, the sailors named the crater Diamond Head. One of
the Hawaiian names for Diamond Head is "leahi", meaning "wreath of fire."
This name reflects the ancient Hawaiian practice of lighting a fire
on the crest of the volcano to guide canoe fleets back to the island.
The first lighthouse on this site was built in 1899. It was rebuilt in 1917
when cracks developed in the earlier structure. The Diamond Head
Lighthouse still uses the original Fresnell Lens. The flash of a modern
1000-watt electric bulb is focused by the lens, so it can be seen
more than 18 miles out to sea.
The Lighthouse Service was combined with the Coast Guard in 1939.
Since then, the Coast Guard has been responsible for the
maintenance of lighthouses, buoys, and other aids to navigation
throughout the United States.
The lighthouse keeper's dwelling, built in 1921, now serves as the
quarters of the Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District.
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