Wisconsin - Calumet Harbor Lighthouse

The Calumet Harbor Lighthouse is located on Lake Winnebago, Pipe, WI. Originally it was built as a water tower for the Fdelac Table Factory. Then in 1936 it was moved to Calumet Harbor and erected by the federally funded Water Works in Columbia, and also for use as a navigational aid. The tower and light actually set in Columbia Park. Slow deterioration took its toll and in the early 1980s the wooden staircase and observation decks were removed and the structural steel frame was left standing. The tower was restored in 1992 through joint efforts of the Columbia Park Tower Fund and Fond du lac County. The restored tower was dedicated on 2 Aug 1992. It affords a panoramic view of Lake Winnebago. At the time of my visit in 2002, this was an active light.

Wisconsin - Sheboygan Breakwater Light

This light is located at Sheboygan, WI. The name means "Where the river disappears under the ground." There is a history of multiple lighthouses built in this harbor area. In 1839 the first lighthouse to serve the harbor was built on what was known as North Sheboygan Point. That light stood for two decades before being replaced in 1860 by a newer version. At the beginning of Dec 1873 a lighthouse was built on the north pier of the harbor. A fire engulfed that light in March 1880, and three months later a new building replaced the burned out structure. Harbor improvements and an extension of the harbor pier closely followed the breakwater light. Originally this light was a cone shaped metal tower with a diameter of 12 1/2 feet at its base. It was equipped with a cast iron lantern and was slightly more than 50 feet tall. The light was rebuilt and moved several times. The present light was a skeletal steel pier-head tower constructed off site and then placed here circa 1915. This was the typical pier-head style light, topped with a circular parapet and lantern room. At the time of my visit in 2002, it was not known when or why the lantern room was removed. The light tower now stands 50 feet tall and has a plastic lens but no lantern room. This was an active light at the time of my visit.

Wisconsin - Manitowock Breakwater Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located at the mouth of the Manitowock River at Manitowock, WI. Some people say it reminds them of a wedding cake. The first light here was built in 1895. This one was built in 1918 and constructed of concrete. The light tower itself is erected atop a single story structure which rises out of a lower level fog signal building that in turn is mounted on a massive crib. All of this stands 52 feet tall above Lake Michigan. If you click on the picture you can see more detail of the tower. In 1971 the light was automated. At the time of my visit in 2002 this lighthouse was active and on an active Coast Guard facility, however the lighthouse was not open to the public.

Wisconsin - Two Rivers Light

This is the Two Rivers (North Pierhead) Light after being relocated to the Rogers Street Fishing Village Museum at Two Rivers, WI. This light was extinguished in 1969. At the time of my visit in 2002, only the top 15 feet of the tower was from the actual lighthouse that stood at North Pierhead. The portion of this tower under that 15 feet was built as a display stand for the light.

Wisconsin - Eagle Bluff Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located in Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, WI. It was constructed of cream city brick at a cost of $12,000. The area was a wilderness at the time it was built and the building materials were brought in by boat from Detroit and Milwaukee, and landed on the north shore of the Lighthouse Bay (now Tennyson Bay). The light tower is 43 feet tall, enabling the light to shine 76 feet above the bay. The tower was equipped with a "Third and a half order" Fresnel Lens. Eagle Bluff's light could be seen for up to 16 miles. Then in 1918 the original lens was replaced with a Fifth Order Fresnel Lens. The light was automated in 1926, first with acetylene gas then later with batteries, and finally with solar power. There was no electricity at Eagle Bluff. The next 34 years saw the automated light shining over the bay, but the keeper's house was dark, mostly empty, and gradually it deteriorated from lack of use and interest. At the time of my visit in 2002, the lens remained in the lantern tower although no longer operational.

Restoration of Eagle Bluff:  In 1960 the Door County Historical Society selected Eagle Bluff Lighthouse to research, restore, completely furnish and open as a museum. It is thought that theirs was the first lighthouse restoration in the county. The restoration took 4 years. Volunteers worked faithfully, winter and summer, returning the house to its original floor plan including removal of additions, partitions, and as much as 80 coats of government issued paint. The house was then furnished with choice examples of furniture and artifacts of the period.

One of the Lighthouse Keepers from 1883-1918 was William Duclon, his wife Julia, and their 7 sons. Members of the Duclon family participated in the restoration by contributing photos, documents, artifacts, and information on the house. The most important family member involved in the restoration was Walter Duclon, the youngest of the Duclon boys, who was just over 1 year old when his family moved to this lonely outpost back in 1883. Although he was nearly 80 years old during the restoration, Walter Duclon was reported to be most helpful by recalling in great detail how the house was furnished. He was even able to recover some of the original artifacts. Eagle Bluff Lighthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

The year 2001 marked the 37th continuous year that the Historical Society had operated the lighthouse. The lighthouse has a kitchen, dining and living room, formal parlor, music room, master bedroom plus a hallway and formal entrance on the Bay side. The hallway leads to the attached tower where the cast iron filigree stairs circle upward to the second floor of the home and on up to the lantern room. On the second floor is a small room that had several different uses and the large bedroom at the end of the hall that housed all 7 of the boys in their youth.

Wisconsin -Rawley Point Lighthouse

The Rawley Point Lighthouse, also known as the Twin River Point Lighthouse, is located at Two Rivers, WI. It's not clear exactly when a lighthouse was first constructed here. Records indicate the first lighthouse in this area was built in 1853 at the Twin Rivers Point. The original had a brick tower that stood 100feet tall and was attached to the keeper's dwelling by a hallway. The remains of the original circular tower can be seen at the right side of the big house, behind the tree and in front of the metal tower. In 1894 the top portion of the brick tower was demolished and the remaining shorter tower with the cone shape roof became part of the keeper's quarters in 1895. One result is a curious round living room that remains inside the dwelling. A fire damaged the keeper's quarters in 1962.

The current eight sided pyramidal erector style lighthouse, the only one of this type on the Great Lakes, stands 111 feet, the second tallest lighthouse in WI. It is an alteration and expansion of a lighthouse relocated from the Chicago River Light-station in 1893 after the World's Fair. The light tower has a central cylinder iron stair containing 132 steps with support supplied by a maze of exterior steel frames. There is a double-decked set of watch-rooms with ornate fencing, placed one atop the other, below the lantern room. These dual watch-rooms are another unique feature among WI lights. The light tower was constructed next to the two and a half story keeper's dwelling. In 1920 the light was electrified. The original third-order lens was in use until 1952 when a piece of the lens broke and the lens was replaced with the current twin-bull's eye rotating beacon which can be seen for 28 miles. At the time of my visit here in 2002, this was an active lighthouse, but the tower and quarters were off limits to the public. The Coast Guard utilized the quarters for housing and as a military recreation cottage.

Wisconsin - Pilot Island Lighthouse

The Pilot Island Lighthouse is located north of Gills Rock, WI. The first light station in this strait was actually built in 1848 on Plum Island, 2 miles to the west, and was later re-built on Pilot Island. A two story cream city brick residence was built with a 37 ft tower. Undersized with the light it was relocated here to Pilot Island circa 1873 and the height of the original tower was increased to 46 ft.
Fog envelopes Pilot Island for dozens of days during the shipping season and the fog signal at this lighthouse was the loudest on the Great Lakes. It could be heard for more than 12 miles. The roar of the fog horn was so terrible, the eggs laid by the keeper's chickens would not hatch.
Power for this lighthouse in the middle 1950's was provided by a group of batteries powered by twin generators. Propane fueled a stove and refrigerator at times. An item of relative luxury, a television was also available.
At the time of my visit in 2002, hundreds of birds could be seen on the island as well as their feces on top of the lighthouse. The feces smell radiated through the air as our boat approached the lighthouse. Our captain advised everyone we would not stop at the lighthouse, and no one objected to his announcement.

Wisconsin - Plum Island Range Lights

The Plum Island Range Lights are located north of Gills Rock, WI in the middle of the treacherous Death's Door Passage. Michigan Lake links Green Bay between the end of the main Door Peninsula and Washington Island.
The original Plum Island Lighthouse was built in 1848, but was later moved to Pilot Island.
The Plum Island Range Lights were constructed in 1895. The lights are located on the southern end of the island. The front range light is on the east (bottom picture), and the rear range light is about a third of a mile to the west. The rear range light consist of a tubular and skeletal shaped tower 65 feet tall and capped with a red lantern top and ventilator ball that houses a fourth order Fresnel lens with a fixed red beam. A spacious two story keeper's dwelling and a fog signal building stand nearby (top picture). The original front range light was a wooden tower and was close to the beach. It harbored a smaller sixth order Fresnel lens. A modern, metal skeletal forty foot tower replaced the wooden tower in the mid 60's (bottom picture). The range lights display a metal banner with red stripes on either side of a middle white stripe to serve as a day marker. The day marker cannot be seen clearly in the top picture, but can be seen in the middle picture at left side of the flag staff tip. Click on the picture to enlarge it and the day marker is easier to see.
Plum Island was also home to a Lifesaving Station (bottom picture).
At the time of my visit in 2002, the Coast Guard considered the Plum Island Lights as surplus property, and were considering the State would take over the island as a possible new State Park.

Wisconsin - North Point Lighthouse

The North Point Lighthouse is the third lighthouse to be built in Milwaukee, WI. The first lighthouse was erected in 1838, however, it was not located where it could provide proper navigational assistance. It was replaced in 1855 by a 28 ft tower built on a 56 ft bluff overlooking the lake and located approximately 100 ft East of the present lighthouse. Eventually erosion forced rebuilding it, so in 1887 a new lighthouse tower was completed at a height of 39 feet. It was built entirely of bolted cast iron sections. Then, in 1912 a steel plate lower section was built and the cast iron tower placed on top as shown above. This raised the tower to a height of 74 ft and the light to a new height of 160 ft above the lake. This lighthouse operated until 1994 when it was deactivated. I visited this lighthouse in 1998, but it was not open to the public the day of my visit. It is located on N. Wahl Ave in Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI.

Wisconsin - Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse

The Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse was built in 1906 and is located in the Milwaukee Harbor. It marks the entrance to access the Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic Rivers. At the time of my visit in 1998 the lighthouse was closed to the public. Although access to the pier was permitted I chose not to pursue the traffic for a walk on the pier.

Wisconsin - Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse

This lighthouse was built in 1926 and is located in the Milwaukee Harbor. The original fourth order Fresnel Lens was removed in 1966 to convert the light to automation. I visited this lighthouse in 1998, and took this picture from long distance with a 500mm lens and 2X coupler. Hence, the light spot in the middle of the picture

Wisconsin - Port Washington Breakwater Lighthouse

The Port Washington Breakwater Lighthouse is located in the Port Washington Harbor. It was built in 1935 by the U.S. Army. At the time of my visit in 1998 this was an active aid to navigation and the light was powered by solar panels. This lighthouse stands majestically on a very unique arched foundation.

Wisconsin - Wind Point Lighthouse

The Wind Point Lighthouse is located at Wind Point, near Racine, WI. It was built in 1880 by the Lighthouse Service. The tower stands 112 ft high and has 144 iron steps to the lantern room. A kerosene "Aladdin's" lamp supplied the light until 1924 at which time it was replaced by an electrified lamp. The light was manned by a lighthouse keeper and two assistants, who, along with their families, lived in the building adjacent to the tower.
In 1964 the Coast Guard replaced the lens with a fully automated system. The foghorn was no longer needed with the use of radar on ships so it was dismantled. The light consist of a 1,000 watt bulb and a reflector which magnified the light to 2 million candlepower. The beam of light is visible for 19 miles, and the rotation is timed so that it flashes every 20 seconds. The light is activated by timers and photo-electric cells, which turns it on 30 minutes before sunset and off 30 minutes after sunrise, or whenever visibility is less than 5 miles.
Once the light became automated the Coast Guard sealed the tower. No one was permitted inside the lighthouse at the time of my visit in 1998, however, visitors were welcome to walk around the grounds.

Wisconsin - Kenosha Pierhead Lighthouse

The Kenosha Pierhead Lighthouse is located on the north pier at Kenosha, WI. The lighthouse was built in 1906. The tower is made of cast iron and stands 50 ft tall. This lighthouse marks the entrance to the harbor in Kenosha. The day I visited in 1998 the weather was windy, so it gave the lighthouse and its surroundings more character with the presents of the waves.

Wisconsin - Southport Lighthouse

The Southport Lighthouse is located in Kenosha, WI. It was built in 1866 with a tower standing 52 ft high. The keepers house was built in 1867. The lantern room housed a fourth order Fresnel Lens prior to deactivation in 1906. At the time of my visit in 1998 the lighthouse was owned by the City of Kenosha, WI.

Wisconsin - Racine N. Breakwater Light

The Racine North Breakwater Light is located at the harbor of Racine, WI, and was built in 1910. The tower stands 46 ft high. The Coast Guard deactivated the light in 1987, and it was owned by the City of Racine, WI at the time of my visit in 1998. The weather was clear enough when I took this picture that you can see the Wind Point Lighthouse in the background. That lighthouse will be featured in my post next week.

Wisconsin - Bailey's Harbor Range Lights

                       Bailey's Harbor "Upper" Range Light.

                         Bailey's Harbor "Lower" Range Light

These range lights are located at The Ridges at Bailey's Harbor, WI. They were built in 1869 to replace the Bailey's Harbor Lighthouse which I featured in a previous posting. These were once used to aid vessels safely into the harbor port. The mariner had to align the white light in the 'upper' lighthouse (range light) directly over the red light in the 'lower' tower, in order to achieve proper alignment for safe travel to the port. I visited these lights in 1998 and took these pictures from the boardwalk that spans approximately 700 ft between the two range lighthouses.

Wisconsin - Bailey's Harbor Lighthouse

Bailey's Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1853 and is located at the harbor of the same name in WI. I took this picture from across the harbor at a long distance, and although it does not show well, this lighthouse has a very unusual lantern room made in the style of a bird cage. The tower is approximately 52 feet tall. The light was operational until 1869 when it was deactivated and replaced by two range lights due to the lighthouse not providing safe guidance of ships into the harbor. I visited this lighthouse in 1998 as well as the aforementioned range lights.  

Wisconsin - Cana Island Lighthouse

Cana Island Lighthouse was built in 1869 and is located at Bailey's Harbor, WI. The lighthouse sets on a rocky Lake Michigan outcropping, and to reach it you have to wade across a rocky causeway to the island. At the time of my visit in 1998, this light was an active navigational aid operated via automation since 1944. The grounds around the lighthouse were maintained by the Door County Maritime Museum under lease with the U.S. Coast Guard. The Keepers' house was open to the public.

Wisconsin - Sherwood Point Lighthouse

The Sherwood Point Lighthouse was built in 1883 and is located at Sturgeon Bay, WI. It is situated on the point where Sturgeon Bay opens into Green Bay. It was the last manned lighthouse on the Great Lakes. The light was automated in 1983. At the time of my visit in 1998, this lighthouse facility was used as a private retreat house for the U.S. Coast Guard personnel. It was closed to the public. The light spot in the middle of the picture resulted from my use of a 500mm lens with 2X coupler. It was needed due to my distance from the lighthouse.

Wisconsin - Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse

The Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse is located at Kewaunee, WI and marks the entrance to the Kewaunee Harbor. Here the Ahnapee River flows into Lake Michigan. This lighthouse was built in 1931 to replace two range lights that helped mariners navigate into the Kewaunee Harbor. At the time of my visit in 1998 this was an active lighthouse. The light was a fifth order Fresnel Lens which the locals said could be seen from 15 miles out on the lake. (Reference: "Range Lights", see my posting for Algoma Pierhead Lighthouse for definition of how they worked compared to the single lighthouse.)

Wisconsin - Algoma Pierhead Lighthouse

The Algoma Pierhead Lighthouse is located in the harbor at Algoma, WI on Lake Michigan. It was built to replace two range lights constructed in the 1800's which provided navigational assistance to fishing boats returning to the harbor. In 1908 the first section of this tower was built, then in 1932 the tower was heightened to enable the light to be more visible further out on the lake. At the time of my visit in 1998 this was an active light and automated. (The term "range lights" may not be familiar to all, so the following information is provided:  Range Lights were two fixed lights at different elevation. The front range light was located close to the harbor entrance while the rear range light was located about a half mile back from the front light. The mariner would steer his ship/boat so as to keep the two lights aligned one above the other. This proper alignment would guide the mariner and his ship safely into the harbor.)

Wisconsin - Sturgeon Bay Station Lighthouse

The Sturgeon Bay Station Lighthouse was built in 1898. At the time of my visit in 1998, this was an active lighthouse standing in the center of a working Coast Guard station located on the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Sturgeon Bay, WI. The condition of the tower and buildings reflected that the Coast Guard personnel at this station took pride in maintaining these assets. The red roofs were typical of most Coast Guard buildings that I saw during my travels to find lighthouses. 

Wisconsin - Sturgeon Bay N. Pierhead Light

The Sturgeon Bay North Pierhead Light is located in the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Sturgeon Bay, WI. The original light was built in 1899. It is the headlight at the tip of the north breakwall that jets out well into Lake Michigan. At the time of my visit in 1998, this light was active and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Alaska - The Rockwell Lighthouse

The Rockwell Lighthouse is located by the harbor entrance to Sitka Alaska. *[It was built in 1984 and is a privately owned bed and breakfast.] My wife and I saw this lighthouse in 2009 from a cruise ship tender as we were being shuttled from the ship to the city of Sitka. The wind was blowing and the water very choppy which made it hard to hold the camera still, thus resulting in the blurry picture.  The *denotes info within the [  ] was obtained via the internet.

Canada - Burntcoat Head Lighthouse

This is a replica of the original Burntcoat Head Lighthouse built in 1859. It is located at Burntcoat Head Nova Scotia, Canada. The original lighthouse was established to guide shipping vessels into Cobequid Bay. That first lighthouse was eventually cut off from the mainland by the 50 foot Bay of Fundy tides which wore away the narrow neck of land connecting it to the shore. The second tower was built in 1913, but by 1972 the light was discontinued and the tower burned. In 1994 the East Hants Tourism Association obtained "plans" to the second light and within a few months a replica was constructed. This replica contains an interpretive center featuring the history of the lighthouse and the geology of the surrounding area. At the time of my visit in 2001, this was an inactive light.

Canada - Peggy's Cove Lighthouse

The Peggy's Cove Lighthouse is located at Peggy Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada. The first lighthouse was built here in 1868 and was a large house with a light on top. It was the home for the keeper and his family. It was also used as a radio station during World War II by the Royal Canadian Navy.
Building of this present lighthouse was completed in 1915 and it has an octagonal tower with lantern room. This lighthouse was manned until 1958 when it was then fully automated. At the time of my visit in 2001, the light was still active.
Since 1975 the village post office has been operating on the lower level during the summer months. It is the only Canadian Post Office located in a lighthouse. The village was given its own "cancellation stamp" which is a replica of the lighthouse. Like other tourist who traveled there to view the lighthouse, I had to send a card from this very unique post office/lighthouse. The space inside would only accommodate about four customers at a time. As you can see by the picture, especially if you enlarge it, there is a line of people waiting to get in.

Canada - Walton Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located at Walton, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was built in 1873. The sequence for the light flashing was driven by a clock mechanism that the keeper had to wind each night. There were nine keepers that tended this lighthouse for the nine decades it was staffed. In the early 1970's the light was discontinued, and when I visited it in 2001, it was the only original lighthouse that remained in Hants County. Although an inactive light, the beautiful white tower was open to the public during the summer. In 1992 this lighthouse was declared a Heritage Property.
The view from this lighthouse encompasses the Minas Basin, which is the upper part of the Bay of Fundy. The tides of the Minas Basin are the highest in the world with a range from 40 to 50 feet.

Canada - Indian Harbor Lighthouse

The Indian Harbor Lighthouse is located on Paddy's Head Island off shore of Indian Harbor, Nova Scotia, Canada. The light was originally built in 1901. At the time of my visit in 2001, this was an active light.

Canada - Cape Negro Island Lighthouse

The Cape Negro Island Lighthouse is located on said island off shore from Baccaro, Nova Scotia, Canada. The original lighthouse was built in 1872. The above lighthouse is located a great distance from Baccaro Point from where I took the picture. Therefore I used a 500mm lens with a 2X coupler which resulted in the light blue circle in the picture. My apology for the imperfection. At the time of my visit in 2001, this was an active lighthouse.

Canada - Baccaro Point Lighthouse

The Baccaro Point Lighthouse is located on the east side of Barrington Bay at Baccaro, Nova Scotia, Canada. The original lighthouse was built in 1850 and included a dwelling for the keeper and his family. At the time of my visit in 2001, the lighthouse pictured was an active light.

Canada - Wood's Harbor Lighthouse

The Wood's Harbor Lighthouse is located in the harbor of the same name at Nova Scotia, Canada. The lighthouse sets on a large ledge and the light is now solar power. The original lighthouse was built here in 1900. At the time of my visit in 2001, this was an active lighthouse and maintained by the Coast Guard.

Canada - Pubnico Lighthouse

The first Pubnico Lighthouse was built in 1853 at East Pubnico Harbor. The one pictured above, also located there, was built in 1984. East Pubnico Harbor is located near Pubnico, Nova Scotia, Canada. This was an inactive light at the time of my visit in 2001.

Canada - Western Head Lighthouse

The Western Head Lighthouse is located near Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada.  It was built in 1962 which made it one of the newest lighthouses in Nova Scotia. At the time of my visit in 2001 this was an active lighthouse. I was a great distance from this lighthouse, around the shore of Brooklyn, and was unable to get closer. Although I used a 500mm lens with a 2X coupler, this picture does not show any detail of the lighthouse's octagonal tower.

Canada - Cape Forchu Lighthouse

Cape Forchu Lighthouse is located near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. It sets on a point reaching out into the Gulf of Maine. The first tower was built here in 1839, and the double story keepers dwelling was built in 1912. This tower is 75 ft tall and was built in 1962, then destaffed in 1993 due to automation. In 1996 the Friends of Yarmouth Light Society opened the 1912 keepers house to visitors, and restored the station grounds. At the time of my visit in 2001, there was a small museum in the keeper's house and a tea room in the assistant's. While I was there, I was privileged to meet a Mr. Smith who use to live in the lighthouse with his parents and seven brothers and sisters. He was eighteen years of age when his father became the Lighthouse Keeper, and he helped his father by working some of the night shifts. He told of seeing his father having to use an axe to chop ice away from the entrance door of the tower so they could get in. Mr. Smith showed me the room where he lived in the house as well as the rooms where his siblings lived. This lighthouse holds the distinction of being the last lighthouse in Nova Scotia that was tended by resident light-keepers. Of all the lighthouses I have seen and visited in Canada, this one was my favorite, due to the personal connection Mr. Smith had to this lighthouse and his father as Lighthouse Keeper.  

Canada - Bunker Island Lighthouse

The Bunker Island Lighthouse is located at Bunker Island in Yarmouth Harbor, Nova Scotia, Canada. It's better known by the locals as the "Bug Light". The first lighthouse built here in 1874 was a wood tower. The second lighthouse built in 1924, also made of wood, had the tower built on top of the dwelling. The Keeper, his wife, six children, and two dogs occupied the dwelling. The third lighthouse shown here was built of concrete in 1959. At the time of my visit in 2001 this was an active lighthouse, and as depicted above, it has a red light.

Canada - Fort Point Lighthouse

The Fort Point Lighthouse is located at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was built in 1855. This very distinctive "hunchbacked" lighthouse marked Liverpool's inner harbor until it was turned off in 1989. The lighthouse had a resident keeper until 1964. His duties included the sounding of a hand cranked fog horn in answer to vessel signals during thick weather. At the time of my visit in 2001 this was an inactive light. To preserve its history, the lighthouse and attached dwelling had been restored and turned into a museum.

Canada - Medway Head, Long Cove Lighthouse

The Original Medway Head, Long Cove Lighthouse was built in 1851 at the same location as the one shown on top. This lighthouse is located at Port Medway, Nova Scotia, Canada. The lighthouse in the top picture is the third to be built at this location. The second lighthouse, shown in bottom picture, was a two story dwelling with light. Eventually it was closed down as a lighthouse and moved across the road and used for the keepers dwelling only. The lighthouse shown at top replaced the two story dwelling and light. At the time of my visit in 2001, this was an active lighthouse.

Canada - Five Island Lighthouse

The Five Island Lighthouse was built in 1914 to guide mariners up and down the Minas Basin. It was located at Sand Point on Five Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. For many years the light used kerosene oil, then shortly before 1963 the oil lamp was taken out and replaced by a light bulb system. The bulb was powered by a battery located underneath the lens. This method continued until 1967 when electricity came to Sand Point. The light had always been a natural color, but while changing to electric the light was changed to red. The "pepper pot" light was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1993 and is an inactive light.
Due to frost, severe weather, and tides, most of the original land purchased for the lighthouse is gone, thus the lighthouse has been moved back several times from its original location. The last time being in 1996.
In the spring of 1996, the county of Colchester agreed to buy the lighthouse on Five Island for their community. At the time of my visit in 2001, the lighthouse was on the grounds of the Sand Point Beach Campground. It was open to the public from July thru August.

Canada - Coffin Island Lighthouse

Coffin Island Lighthouse is located on Beach Meadows, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was the first lighthouse built on Liverpool Bay's Coffin Island but was the fifth one built in Nova Scotia. The first Coffin Island Lighthouse was built in 1812. At that time it was one of the earliest in service along with Sambro, Shelburne, and Brier Island. The first Coffin Island Lighthouse was built of wood, stood 75-feet high, and the tower was octagonal in shape. It was painted with horizontal red and white stripes. The first revolving light in Nova Scotia was housed in that lighthouse. The light could be seen for up to 15 miles away during good conditions. The old lighthouse was struck by lightning in 1913 and burned to the ground along with the keeper's house and out buildings.
The lighthouse in this picture was built in 1914 and made of concrete. Although smaller, it was built only a short distance from where the previous lighthouse was located. At the time of my visit in 2001, this lighthouse was inactive and threatened by the encroaching sea. The 87-year old tower (in 2001) was being preserved by the Coffin Island Heritage Society.

Canada - Cape d' Or Lighthouse

The Cape d' Or Lighthouse is located at Advocate Harbor, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was built in 1922 and is situated on a rocky projection of land that extends into the Minas Channel with sheer clifts rising 500 ft behind it. This is one of the most spectacular located lighthouses in the province. The light was manned until 1989, then was deactivated. The lighthouse now serves as a restaurant and bed-and-breakfast. It was the only one in Nova Scotia at the time of my visit in 2001. Visitors could walk down to the lighthouse, or enjoy the hiking trails along the cliff edge above it. The water just beyond the lighthouse, known as the Dory Rips, is almost always turbulent with the violent meeting of the currents from the Minas Basin and the Bay of Fundy. If you click on the picture above, you can see detail of these current.

Canada - Spencer's Island Lighthouse

The Spencer's Island Lighthouse was built in 1904, and is located on Spencer's Island at Nova Scotia, Canada. At the time of my visit in 2001, this active light was maintained by folks in the community.

Canada - Cape Spencer Lighthouse

The Cape Spencer Lighthouse is located at Mispec Beach, Saint John Brunswich, Canada. The first lighthouse here was built in 1873 but made of wood. Years later it was replaced, and then that lighthouse replaced in 1983 by the current lighthouse and fog horn building. At the time of my visit in 200l this was an active light.

Canada - Parrsboro Harbor Lighthouse

The Parrsboro Harbor Lighthouse is located at Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is unique in that the light is green and it was an active light when I visited in 2001. Like other lighthouses in Canada, I was unable to gather much information about this one also.

Canada - Market Square Lighthouses

The two lighthouses in the foreground are authentic lighthouses that were relocated to Market Square on the Wharf at Saint John Harbor, New Brunswick, Canada. It is unknown to me from where they were moved. These were inactive lighthouses at the time of my visit in 2001. These lighthouses are two of a few that I've seen where little data was gathered about the lighthouse.