The city of Arena Cove, which has changed little during the 19th and 20th centuries, is no stranger to natural disasters. The city and the Point Arena Lighthouse were damaged during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and the wharf was damaged beyond repair during severe storms in 1983 and was rebuilt in 1986. Distant earthquakes have created danger in the form of tsunami, but only mild effects have been observed. A wave arrived at the cove following the 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake and a wave arrived after the 1964 Alaska earthquake.