In 1902 Captain Charles Farr approached the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles City Christian Endeavor Union and asked it to support a Sailor’s Mission to be conducted by him in San Pedro, CA. After an investigation by the committee, it took over the work. Meetings were held aboard the "Warrior", an abandoned tugboat moored on the east side of the San Pedro Bay.

After about two years, a site was selected at 331 S. Beacon Street. A corporation was formed in 1905 under the name of Southern California Floating Christian Endeavor Association and the mission was named The Sailor’s Rest Mission.

Rev. J. M. Johnson was the first superintendent and continued in office until the fall of 1906, when Mr. John Makins was called to take over the work. In order to have a more central location, a building was rented at Fourth and Beacon Street. The work increased and a larger building was needed. Therefore, in 1916, the location at 430 S. Beacon Street was purchased. This location made possible a kitchen and dining room in the basement, a dormitory on the second floor, and a chapel and reading room on the ground floor. The purpose of the work was to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the men. Evangelistic services were held each night and a meal was served to all who attended. Because of the increase in the work, Robert G. Rogers was secured as Assistant Superintendent in 1920.

In 1924 the Community Chest offered to help finance the work and the offer was accepted. In 1925, Rev. Charles A. Nethery was called as an Associate Superintendent to Mr. Makins, whose health was failing. Mr. Makins died in 1926, after twenty years of service, and Rev. Nethery became Superintendent. Rev. Nethery (who had been converted at the mission in 1912), passed away in 1932 leaving Mr. Rogers as acting Superintendent for a brief period until George M. Richardson became Evangelistic Superintendent and Mr. Rogers became Welfare Superintendent.

In 1936 Mr. Richardson resigned to become pastor of a church and Rev. William Price was called as Superintendent the following year. In 1938 Mr. Rogers resigned and in 1939 Rev. Carl S. Jordan was called as the assistant. Rev. Price resigned in 1942 because of poor health and Rev. Jordan became Superintendent.

The attendance dropped markedly during the war, but after the war the work increased so much that a larger building and more workers were needed. The adjoining building was purchased in 1945, and the two buildings were joined and remodeled. There were two dormitories, a reading room, offices, and a larger kitchen and dining room space to care for about 200 men. Also, the name was changed to "Beacon Light Mission" and it became a regular rescue mission.

In 1946 C. E. (Gene) McCann joined the staff as a cook and began to have responsibilities for the program in general. Rev. Jordan retired in 1964 because of health problems. Mr. McCann was chosen to succeed him as Superintendent and performed excellent service in directing the mission during the most trying years of its existence.

A significant change in the location, financial support and beneficial results of the mission began in February 1968, when it became apparent that the Beacon Street Project of the Community Redeveloping Agency would be clearing the area. A relocation committee was appointed by the mission’s Board of Directors. By the end of 1970, the committee reported that it could not find a suitable location in San Pedro and, following the recommendation of a C.R.A. specialist, the committee turned to Wilmington.

Having received an eviction notice from the C.R.A. in April of 1971, and with a positive approval from the United Way’s Regional Welfare Council, the mission proceeded to construct a building at 525 N. Broad Avenue, Wilmington, California. The C.R.A. gave a month-to-month extension on a rental basis until December 1971. The mission opened it’s doors in Wilmington in full service on March 11, 1972.

In December 1972 United Way ended involvement with the mission and the Beacon Light became totally privately supported. The Lord has blessed the mission with financial support from churches, individuals and a few industrial and professional foundations’ employees’ charities. The conversions to Christ have increased since the mission moved from Beacon Street to Wilmington.

In 1988 we found that our mission needed more space for housing and feeding so an expansion program began and was finished August 1989. Our Chapel and dining room areas can hold 80 people and we have housing for 22 men each night plus volunteer staff. We also have a large walk-in freezer and cooler.

In October 1996 Mr. McCann retired as Executive Director after fifty years of faithful service. The Board of Directors’ President, James Van Leersum, became Acting Director at that time. Following Mr. Van Leersum’s resignation due to poor health, Mr. Jim Overstreet, the President of the Board of Directors, became the Acting Director in 2001. In July 2002 Evangelist, John L. Owens, Ph.D., a member of the Board of Directors, was appointed by the Board to be the Director, serving until his death in February 2005. Jim Overstreet then became Director.

The mission’s goal is to meet the needs of the men: to rehabilitate them physically, spiritually, and vocationally and give them a new start for individual success. Men eighteen years of age and over, of any race, color, national origin or religion are served equally. Our motto is "Soup, Soap and Salvation". We are grateful to those who proclaim the Gospel of Christ in evening chapel services. We are also thankful for loyal members of the Board of Directors.