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Mt. Diablo Beacon Lit Every Sunday During Pandemic

The “Eye of Diablo” is now lit every Sunday to bring us together during this difficult time.
By - posted 4/26/2020 No Comment

Thanks to claycord.com for letting us know that the “Eye Of Diablo,” beacon atop Mount Diablo, which is normally only lit one day a year, will be will lit every Sunday throughout the crisis.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Mount Diablo State Park’s Beacon, the Eye of Diablo will be lit every Sunday after sunset and shine brightly until sunrise the next day until the pandemic crisis is over. This is to honor the heroes during this global pandemic. 

Ted Clement, Executive Director of Save Mount Diablo, stated, “Lighting the Beacon every Sunday is a way to honor our heroes in this global pandemic struggle, to pay our respects to the dead and those suffering, to lift our eyes to higher ground and the light and be reminded of the healing power of nature and our Mount Diablo, and to bring our communities together during this difficult time.”

The History of The Beacon on Mount Diablo

The Beacon on Mount Diablo was originally installed and illuminated in 1928 to aid in transcontinental aviation. It is one of the five guiding beacons installed along the West Coast by Standard Oil of California and is the only one known to still be operational.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Beacon’s light was extinguished during the West Coast blackout, for fear it might enable an attack on California.

It stayed dark until Pearl Harbor Day, 1964, when Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces during World War II, relit the Beacon in a commemorative ceremony and suggested it be illuminated every December 7 to honor those who served and sacrificed.

Since that day, Pearl Harbor veterans and their families have gathered every December 7 to see the Beacon light shine once again.

The Beacon now shines brighter than ever since it underwent an extensive restoration process in 2013 thanks to a campaign led by Save Mount Diablo to ensure it continues to shine for many more years.

For updates, you may visit Save Mount Diablo. 

Let the Beacon give us hope for brighter days ahead.