In 1874, the Point Fermin Lighthouse began operation. It stayed lit until December 7, 1941, a date Americans will recognize as the day Japan bombed the American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The lighthouse was saved from demolition in 1972 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Although its original fresnel lens was missing for decades, it was found in a realtor’s office in 2006 and returned to the lighthouse. Point Fermin Lighthouse is now a museum.
Located nearby to the lighthouse is the Korean Friendship Bell. The Republic of Korea presented the Korean Bell of Friendship to the American people in July 1976 to celebrate the American bicentennial and symbolize the friendship between the two nations. Its bell is modeled after the Emille Bell of Gyeongju, cast in 771 AD. They are among the two largest bells in the world.
Translation: Friendship Bell Pavilion
Point Fermin Lighthouse is open 1:00-4:00pm Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed Mondays. It is located in Angels Gate Park at 807 W. Paseo Del Mar in San Pedro (Los Angeles). The Korean Bell of Friendship can be visited at all times. You can hear the bell being struck on the first Saturday of every month at 11:30a.m. plus an additional five holidays, including New Year’s Eve and Independence Day.