Point Sur Lightstation at sunset on the Big Sur Coast. Point Sur, a National Historic Landmark, is the only complete turn-of-the-century light station open to the public in California. From 1899 until 1974, families lived and worked at Pt. Sur; today it's a ghost town. Unique stone lighthouse still guides ships with its light, though now totally automated. To top of lighthouse is a rise in elevation of 360 feet via two stairways of 40-60 steps each.