Makapu’u Lighthouse was built by the Corps in 1909 on a 600-foot sea cliff overlooking Makapu’u Beach in southeast Oahu. Makapu’u Point is an important location passed by all ships moving between Honolulu and the U.S. Mainland. The critical need for this light was demonstrated in August 1906 when the 27,000-ton S.S. Manchuria ran up on a reef off the point. Congress had already appropriated $60,000 for the light on October 1, 1909. The lens for this light was one of the wonders of the Pacific. Press clips of the time noted that the lens, which had been exhibited at the Jamestown Exposition, was one of the most expensive in the world. The lighthouse is 46-feet-tall (14 meters) and was fully automated in 1974. It is still an active U.S. Coast Guard navigation aid in use today.