Funds Urgently Needed to Replace Pier and Gangway

July 2025

East Brother Light Station, Inc. (www.ebls.org) needs to raise at least $750,000 to replace the pier and gangway which provide the only access to East Brother Island. The pier was constructed by the US Coast Guard in 1962; however, the Coast Guard lacks the funds to maintain them, and they are failing.

For the last 45 years, East Brother Light Station, Inc. (EBLS) has been the steward of East Brother Light Station, abandoned by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1969. Under a license from the Coast Guard, which owns the island, the nonprofit organization rehabilitated the lighthouse and other structures in 1979-80 and has been operating it as a bed and breakfast inn since 1980 to generate revenue to continue to maintain it. With five rooms open four days a week, East Brother has hosted over 70,000 guests since 1980.

East Brother Light Station is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a California Registered Historic Landmark. It has been the subject of hundreds of media articles and video coverage. As well as the recipient of many awards. East Brother is the oldest operating wood-frame lighthouse on the West Coast.

Since 1979, East Brother Light Station, Inc. has poured hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars from B&B revenue into the island to maintain it and keep it open for public use. However, revenue from operation of the B&B and all the volunteers in the world can never be enough to replace the pier and gangway. Without use of the pier and gangway, occupation of East Brother Island would cease, the bed and breakfast inn would close, and the stream of funding critical for maintenance would quickly dry up. The buildings would soon be destroyed by neglect, vandalism and weather.

With your help, we can avoid this sad but avoidable outcome. That is why we have begun a new campaign to save East Brother. We are soliciting donors, grants, philanthropists, foundations, and public agencies for help. Please contact tom.butt@intres.com if you want to help or know someone who does.

To learn more about East Brother, visit: ebls.org