Lighthouses of Canada: Western Prince Edward Island

Port Borden Lighthouses

* Port Borden Range Front 1917. Inactive since 1997. 6.5 m (22 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with square lantern, painted white presumably with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Lorne Hull has a 1998 photo showing both Port Borden range lights in their original locations with the Port Borden Pier Light and Confederation Bridge in the background, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the shore near the former Port Borden ferry terminal, made obsolete by the bridge. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Borden-Carleton Marine/Rail Historical Park. ARLHS CAN-803; Admiralty H1040. * Port Borden Range Rear 1917. Inactive since 1997. 12 m (35 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with square lantern, painted white, formerly with a red vertical stripe on the range line, but the stripe has apparently been removed. Robert Ciavarro's photo is at right, Charles Bray has a 2005 photo, a 2007 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse has been restored and relocated to the grounds of a museum just east of the Confederation Bridge. Lorne Hull has a 1998 photo showing both Port Borden range lights in their original locations with the Port Borden Pier Light and Confederation Bridge in the background. Site open June through October, tower closed. Site manager: Borden-Carleton Marine/Rail Historical Park. ARLHS CAN-054; Admiralty H1040.1. Port Borden Pier 1925. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 9 m (28 ft) hexagonal pyramidal wood tower with square lantern and hexagonal gallery, painted white with red trim. Lighthouse Explorer has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse has been restored as part of a community development project that includes shopping and entertainment venues on the site of the former rail yard. Located on the end of the former ferry pier at Borden-Carleton. Site and tower closed (privately owned pier). Site manager: Borden-Carleton Community. ARLHS CAN-052; Notmar 1017.5; Admiralty H1039; NGA 8292.

Port Borden Range Rear Light, October 2007 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Robert Ciavarro

Summerside Area Lighthouses
* Seacow Head

1864. Active; focal plane 27 m (88 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off, 2 s on, 6 s off. 18 m (60 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. Linda Leighton has a good photo, a 2008 photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, but Google has only a very distant satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated in 1979 to escape erosion of the bluff on which it stands. This lighthouse was featured in the 1990s CBC and Disney Channel television series Road to Avonlea. Located off PE 119 in Fernwood. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-453; Notmar 1018; Admiralty H1046; NGA 8308.

Summerside Range Front (1) 1898. Inactive since 1961. 11.5 m (38 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is red. Kelly Anne Loughery's photo is at right. Replaced by a skeletal tower, this lighthouse was relocated to private property and incorporated into a residence at McCallum's Point on PE 112; Google has only a distant satellite view of this location. Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo of the lighthouse when it was active. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse is visible at a distance through trees. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-488. Indian Head (2) 1930 (station established 1881). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white light, 5 s on, 5 s off. 13 m (42 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story octagonal base, mounted on a concrete foundation at the end of a rough stone breakwater. David Lowther has a fine closeup, Lorne Hull also has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a distant satellite view. The breakwater is exposed only at low tide, so access is dangerous without local guidance. Visible from the waterfront at Summerside or from McCallum's Point at the end of PE 112. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-248; Notmar 1020; Admiralty H1048; NGA 8316. * Summerside Range Rear 1898. Active; focal plane 24.5 m (81 ft); continuous green light visible only on the range line. 20 m (66 ft) square wood tower with lantern and gallery, lower 2/3 pyramidal and upper 1/3 cylindrical; square lantern. Tower painted white with a vertical red stripe on the range line; lantern painted red. Lighthouse Explorer has a photo by Carol Livingstone, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, but Google's satellite view does not show the tower. Originally built as a skeletal tower, the lighthouse was enclosed in 1904 and raised in height by 3 m (10 ft) in 1916. Located at the end of Glovers Shore Road in Summerside. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-489; Notmar 1022; Admiralty H1050.1; NGA 8324. Summerside Outer Range Front 1991. Active; focal plane 9 m (31 ft); continuous red light. 9 m (30 ft) square wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; there is also a vertical red range daymark on a board mounted on the gallery. Hull has a page with a photo, another closeup photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a very distant satellite view. These range lights were probably the last wood lighthouses built by the Coast Guard. Located on the shore at the western end of Water Street (PE 11) in Summerside. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-486; Notmar 1018.1; Admiralty H1049.

1898 Summerside Range Front Light photo copyright Kelly Anne Loughery used by permission

Summerside Outer Range Rear

1991. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous red light. 10 m (33 ft) square wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; there is also a vertical red range daymark on a board mounted on the gallery. Lighthouse Explorer has a good photo by Alan Culley, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, but the light is hard to identify in Google's distant satellite view. Located at the western end of Water Street (PE 11) in Summerside. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-487; Notmar 1018.2; Admiralty H1049.1.

Wellington Area Lighthouse

* Cape Egmont 1884. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white light, 2 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (42 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. The keeper's house, formerly attached, has been demolished. Lighthouse Explorer has Alan Culley's photo, Shelly O'Connor has a good closeup photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view of the station. The lighthouse was relocated in April 2000 to escape erosion of the bluff on which it stands. Located at the end of an unmarked gravel road off PE 11 at Cape Egmont. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-114; Notmar 1024; Admiralty H1056; NGA 8328. West Point Area Lighthouses * West Point 1876. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white light, 6 s on, 6 s off. 20 m (67 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern painted red. The 2-story wood keeper's house was demolished but has been reconstructed on the original plans; some of the original furnishings are displayed. John Beales's photo is at right, Anderson has a fine page with good photos, Lorne Hull also has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse deteriorated after being automated in 1963. The West Point Development Corporation restored the light station beginning in 1982. The station now offers overnight accommodations and includes a restaurant as well as the museum. A restoration and renovation of the entire station was completed in the summer of 2010. However, the lighthouse is endangered by beach erosion; a seawall to protect it was completed in December 2011. Located on PE 14 at the southwestern tip of Prince Edward Island. Site open; guest rooms available and museum and tower open mid May to late September. Site manager: West Point Development Corporation. ARLHS CAN-524; Notmar 1029; Admiralty H1062; NGA 8360. * Howards Cove (2) 1976 (station established 1960). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 6 m (19 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with square lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern roof painted red. Lighthouse Explorer has Alan Culley's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on private property overlooking the Seal Point harbor, off PE 14 near Howard's Cove. Site and tower closed, although the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-232; Notmar 1032; Admiralty H1068.1; NGA 8380.

West Point Light, July 2007 Flickr Creative Commons photo by John Beales

Tignish Area Lighthouses

* North Cape

1867 (station established with a temporary light in 1861). Active; focal plane 24 m (78 ft); yellow light, 1 s on, 4 s off. 19.5 m (62 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Stephen Downes's photo is at the top of this page, Charles Bray has a good photo, Wikimedia has two photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. In 1951, the lighthouse was relocated to escape erosion of the cliff. The nearby North Cape Interpretive Centre has a museum, aquarium, gift shop, and restaurant. Located on on Lady Slipper Drive, PE 12, at the northwestern tip of the island north of Tignish. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-345; Notmar 1036; Admiralty H1076; NGA 7852.

** Big Tignish (Judes Point) (Range Rear)

1881 (station established with a pair of mast lights in 1877). Inactive since 1997. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern painted red. This abandoned lighthouse seemed likely to become endangered, and it did appear to be deteriorating in a September 2006 photo by Corey Hallisey, in an October 2007 photo, and in Alan Culley's photo. In 2008 the lighthouse was restored and moved to a nearby park. The Shanklins have a photo of the lighthouse at its new location, and the World Lighthouse Society has Craig Kane's 2011 photo. Google's satellite view shows the lighthouse at the original location. The light was the rear light of a range for most of its service; the front light was on a skeleton tower at the end of the nearby breakwater. The range was discontinued in 1989, but the lighthouse remained in service as a single light until 1997. Located on Judes Point Road in Tignish Shore. Site open; according to the Shanklins the tower is open, but we have no details on this. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS CAN-037; ex-Admiralty H1080.

* Miminegash Range Rear (1)

1886. Inactive since 1972. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim; the lantern roof is red. Kelly Anne Loughery has a photo, and the Shanklins have a photo, but the lighthouse is not seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. Formerly located at Miminegash south of North Cape on the west coast of the island. Once relocated to the side of PE 12 at Kildare, the lighthouse has been relocated a second time and now stands on a dirt road on private property off O'Rourke Road (route 162) about 10 km (6 mi) north of Alberton. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-319.

Alberton Area Lighthouses

* Northport Range Rear (1) 1897. Inactive since around 1970. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Kelly Anne Loughery has a photo, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the area. Both Northport lights were built as skeletal towers, but they were enclosed in 1903. Both lights were relocated twice, in 1910 and 1943, to track changes in the alignment of the channel. After deactivation, the lighthouse was sold, relocated, and incorporated into a 2-story residence. Located at the end of Carol Street in Alberton. Site and tower closed, although the former lighthouse can be seen from nearby. Site manager: private. * Northport Range Rear (2) (formerly Front (1)) 1897. Active; focal plane 13 m (42 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off (visible only on the range line). 12 m (39 ft) square tower with lantern and gallery, lower 2/3 pyramidal and upper third cylindrical. Lighthouse painted white with red trim and a vertical red stripe extending 2/3 of the way down the tower. Kelly Anne Loughery's photo is at right, Lighthouse Explorer has Alan Culley's photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos (misidentified as Cascumpeque Light), and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This is the original front light of the range; it became the rear light in 1962. The current front range light is on a skeletal tower. The tower was extended by 1.8 m (6 ft) in 1970. Located at the entrance to Northport Harbour off PE 12 in Alberton. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-355; Notmar 1082; Admiralty H1094.1; NGA 7896. Cascumpeque (2) 1899 (station established 1856). Inactive since 1970. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square wood pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story wood keeper's house. Kelly Anne Loughery has a photo, and Google has a very fuzzy satellite view. When the lighthouse was replaced, it was sold to a group of Charlottetown residents who have used it as a vacation retreat. Located on an island guarding the entrance to Northport Harbour. Accessible only by boat; visible from the Northport Range Rear Light. Site and tower closed; the island and lighthouse are privately owned. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-808. #Cascumpeque (3) 1970. Inactive since 2004; demolished in 2005. 17 m (58 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with enclosed central cylinder, lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern painted red. A view from across the harbor is available. This lighthouse was demolished in June 2005 after being severely damaged by a storm in December 2004. The light was not replaced. Located on an island guarding the entrance to Northport Harbour. Accessible only by boat; visible from the Northport Range Rear Light. Site and tower closed; the island is privately owned. ARLHS CAN-122; ex-Notmar 1076; ex-Admiralty H1086; NGA 7872.

Northport Range Rear (ex-Front) Light, Alberton photo copyright Kelly Anne Loughery used by permission

Freeland Area Lighthouse

Little Channel (Hardy's Channel) Range Rear

1873. Inactive since 1969. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, originally attached to a 1-story keeper's cottage. Kelly Anne Loughery has a photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. The range guided ships through Conway Inlet to the harbor of Poplar Grove; it was replaced by a light on a short skeletal tower. For many years this lighthouse was listed as lost, but Michel Forand discovered that it was moved to the mainland and incorporated into a private residence. In 2008, Kelly Anne Loughery located the lighthouse at the end of Henderson Lane in Freeland, where it is attached to a 1-1/2 story dwelling. The site is well inside private property. Site and tower closed. Admiralty H1100; ARLHS CAN-1257.

Malpeque Harbour Lighthouses

Malpeque Harbour Approach Range Rear 1961. Active; focal plane 17 m (55 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 15 m (50 ft) skeletal tower with wooden upper portion, lantern and gallery. Skeletal portion painted red, wooden portion white. Kelly Anne Loughery has a photo, and David Lowther has a distant view, but the tower is not visible in Google's distant satellite view. Located at the eastern end of Fish Island. Site and tower closed; visible from Cabot Beach Provincial Park on the other side of the harbor entrance. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-298; Notmar 1067; Admiralty H1106.1; NGA 7924. * Fish Island (Malpeque Outer Range Front, Billhook Island Range Front) (2) 1961 (station established 1876). Inactive since the 1980s. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, formerly attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, Alan Culley has a photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. The lighthouse was replaced by the Malpeque Harbour Approach Range lights. In 1989 the station was threatened by beach erosion. The keeper's house was demolished, but volunteers from the Malpeque Historical Society sawed the light tower into two sections. A Canadian Forces helicopter relocated the sections to Cabot Beach Provincial Park, where the lighthouse was reassembled and restored. In the late 1990s the lighthouse was part of the set of the CBC television series Emily of New Moon, which was filmed in the park. Located in the park, off PE 20 northwest of Malpeque. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Tourism PEI. Site manager: Cabot Beach Provincial Park. ARLHS CAN-770; ex-Admiralty H1106.

Fish Island Light at Cabot Beach Provincial Park, July 2005 Flickr Creative Commons photo by N. Houlihan

* Malpeque Outer (Darnley Point) Range Front (4?)

1922(?) (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 14 m (45 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. 7.5 m (25 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. Lighthouse Explorer has Carol Livingstone's photo, L.P. Spanner has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on private property off PE 20 at Proffitts Point, north of Darnley. Site and tower closed but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-299; Notmar 1062; Admiralty H1116; NGA 7912.

* Malpeque Outer (Darnley Point) Range Rear (4?)

1922(?) (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. 7.5 m (25 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. Lighthouse Explorer has Carol Livingstone's photo, Alan Culley has a 2007 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The history of these range lines is poorly known. A pair of mast lights in 1889 were replaced by skeletal towers in 1897. There's a 1919 photo that shows a different tower. Located on private property off PE 20 at Proffitts Point, north of Darnley. Site and tower closed but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-300; Notmar 1063; Admiralty H1116.1; NGA 7916.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Fish Island Main (Outer Range Rear) (1876-1960s?), Malpeque, north coast.
• Miminegash Range Front (1886-1972), Miminegash, west coast; ARLHS CAN-318.
• Northport Range Front (1905-?), Cascumpeque Harbour, north coast; ARLHS CAN-354.
• Sandy Island Range Front (1897-?), Cascumpeque Harbour, north coast; ARLHS CAN-1258.

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Eastern Prince Edward Island | West: Northern New Brunswick

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Posted December 2002. Checked and revised May 24, 2012. Lighthouses: 24. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.