Lighthouses of Canada: West Central Ontario (Lake Huron Area)

Ontario has a tremendous width east to west, including the entire Canadian side of the Great Lakes. Across this vast area there were once about 250 lighthouses. More than 130 remain, a large percentage of them active. This page covers lighthouses of Lake Huron, both sides of the Bruce Peninsula, Manitoulin Island, and the North Channel; all these lights are on or near Lake Huron. There's a separate page for lighthouses of Georgian Bay west and north of the Bruce Peninsula.

Unfortunately, there is no provincial lighthouse preservation society. Although much restoration work has been done locally, the various efforts seem disconnected. The good news is that in recent years the provincial and federal government have been more supportive of lighthouse preservation. The Canadian Coast Guard, in particular, has quietly retired its former policy of quickly demolishing deactivated light towers.

A note: this page has been greatly improved by the comments and corrections of Michel Forand. I'd also like to thank Ron Walker of the Canadian Coast Guard for answering a number of questions. (If errors remain, they are mine.)

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Notmar numbers are from the Inland Waters volume of the List of Lights, Buoys, and Fog Signals of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. For lights near the international border, USCG numbers are from volume 7 of the U.S. Coast Guard Light List.

General Sources
Ontario Canada Lighthouses
Excellent photos plus historical and visitor information from Kraig Anderson's LighthouseFriends.com web site.
Lighthouses in Ontario, Canada
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses of Lake Huron
Photos posted by C.W. Bash.
Lighthouses of the Great Lakes
This site, maintained by Neil Shultheiss, has excellent photos and brief but informative accounts for many of the lighthouses on both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the Lakes.
Bruce Coast Lighthouse Tour
Photos and information for the lighthouses of the Bruce Peninsula.
Leuchttürme Kanadas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.


Goderich Main Light, August 2006
Creative Commons photo by Cindy Funk

Huron County Lighthouses

Goderich Lighthouses
* Goderich Main (2)
1847 (station established early 1830s). Active (maintained by the town of Goderich); focal plane 42.5 m (140 ft); two white flashes every 25 s. 11 m (35 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. This is the oldest Canadian light station on Lake Huron. Cindy Funk's photo appears above, Schultheiss has several good photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the area. Located in a town park atop a high bluff at the end of West and Lighthouse Streets in Goderich; also accessible by climbing a long set of stairs from the beach along Cove Road. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Goderich. ARLHS CAN-546; Notmar 777.
Goderich North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); green flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower with a workroom in the base. Corey Seeman has a foggy 2010 view, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view of the breakwater. Located at the end of the north breakwater sheltering Goderich harbor. Accessible only by boat (the breakwater does not connect to shore). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1009; Notmar 778.

Bruce County Lighthouses

Huron-Kinloss Lighthouses
**** Point Clark
1859 (John Brown). Active; focal plane 28.5 m (93 ft); white flash every 10 s. 26.5 m (87 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. The original 1-1/2 story stone keeper's house is now a museum. A 1-story garage is also preserved. John Vetterli's photo is at right, Anderson has photos, Bash has a 2004 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Of the six Imperial Towers built by John Brown on Lake Huron, this is the best known and most accessible. It became a national historic site in 1967. The Township of Huron-Kinloss maintains the site and operates the museum. The 150th anniversary of the lighthouse was celebrated in August 2009. In April 2010, the federal government announced a grant of $495,000 for restoration of the tower's stonework. When work began in August, engineers found that the exterior wall was crumbling and unsafe; clearly the grant would not be adequate for needed repairs. In July 2011, Parks Canada awarded a $622,000 contract for a more complete restoration. The contractor quickly found that the lighthouse was in much worse condition than anticipated; in October work was stopped pending completion of a new restoration plan. In January 2012 it was anounced that work would resume and might be completed before the end of the year. Located in Point Clark, off ON 21 about 35 km (20 mi) south of Kincardine and 65 km (40 mi) north of Goderich. Site open; museum and tower open daily (small admission fee) from late June to Labor Day. Owner: Parks Canada (Point Clark Lighthouse National Historic Site). Site manager: Township of Huron-Kinloss. ARLHS CAN-388; Notmar 782.
Point Clark Light
Point Clark Light, July 2008
Creative Commons photo by John Vetterli

Kincardine Lighthouse
**** Kincardine (Range Rear)
1881. Active (privately maintained since 1980); focal plane 24 m (80 ft); red flash every 5 s. 19 m (63 ft) octagonal frame tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story stone and frame keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; the lantern and gallery are red and the tower has an orange-red vertical stripe marking what was formerly a range line (the front range light has been discontinued recently). Bash's photo is at right, a fine closeup photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This unusual lighthouse is one of the best known landmarks of the Lake Huron shoreline. In 1980 it was officially deactivated but leased to the local yacht club, which has continued to maintain the light. The keeper's house is the headquarters of the yacht club, but it also includes a small maritime museum exhibiting artifacts from the Bruce County Museum. Guided tours of the tower are available when the museum is open. Located on Huron Terrace at Harbour Street in downtown Kincardine. Site open; museum and tower open daily (small admission fee) from July 1 to Labor Day. Owner/operator: Municipality of Kincardine. Site manager: Kincardine Yacht Club. ARLHS CAN-264; Notmar 784.

Saugeen Shores Lighthouses
McNab Point (Southampton Harbour Range Rear)
1877 (relocated in 1901). Inactive for most of the 1970s and since 1989. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern; lantern painted red. Anderson has a page for the lighthouse, and a 2009 photo is available, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the point. Originally located on the north side of Horseshoe Bay south of Southampton, the light was relocated in 1901 to McNabb (or McNab) Point, the tip of the peninsula south of Horseshoe Bay. In 1988 the Coast Guard covered the lighthouse with white aluminum siding, which caused the underlying wood to rot. In 2008 the Marine Heritage Society leased the lighthouse, removed the siding, and restored the tower to its original appearance. The Society hopes to reactivate the light as a private aid to navigation. Located in an area of vacation homes; there's no public access. Visible from the water or distantly from Chantry Island Light. Site and tower closed. Owner: Municipality of Saugeen Shores. Site manager: Southampton Marine Heritage Society. ARLHS CAN-643.
Kincardine Light
Kincardine Light, September 2006
Creative Commons photo copyright C.W. Bash
Chantry Island
1859 (John Brown). Active; focal plane 31 m (103 ft); white flash every 4 s. 26 m (86 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. The original 2nd order Fresnel lens remains in use. Original 1-1/2 story stone keeper's house, recently restored. Mark Totten's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, an excellent 2007 photo and a closeup photo are available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is another of the six Imperial Towers built by John Brown on Lake Huron. The Supporters of Chantry Island (now the Southampton Marine Heritage Society) formed in 1998 to work for restoration of the light station, and through their efforts the keeper's house has been restored. In 2008, the Town of Saugeen Shores leased the lighthouse from the Coast Guard. In 2011, the town began negotiations to take title to the lighthouse and the other three lights within town limits. The island is a Federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Located on the east side of the island about 1 mile off the Southampton beachfront; visible from the end of Beach Street in Southampton. Accessible only by boat; the preservation group offers guided tours periodically during the summer. Site and tower generally closed (wildlife preservation area) except for guided tours. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Southampton Marine Heritage Society. ARLHS CAN-619; Notmar 788.
Stokes Bay Range Front (Knife Island) (1) (relocated)
1904. Recently deactivated (sometime in the 1990s). 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. The light was moved to a cylindrical tower built immediately in front of the historic light. Ron Walker has contributed a photo showing both light towers, and Google has a satellite view of the original site. In 2009 the endangered lighthouse was relocated by helicopter to the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre in Southampton, where it was restored; Bev White has a September 2010 photo of the relocated and freshly repainted lighthouse. The lighthouse was rededicated on 11 June 2011. The move is too recent for the lighthouse to appear in Google's satellite view of the museum. Located at museum, overlooking Fairy Lake on Victoria Street north of High Street in Southampton. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre. ARLHS CAN-624; ex-Notmar 797.
* Saugeen River Range Front (2)
1903 (station established 1883). Active; two lights on one tower: (1) Saugeen Light, focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous white light; and (2) Saugeen River Range Front Light, focal plane 10 m (34 ft), continuous green light visible only on and near the range line. 11 m (36 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern roof is red. User-activated fog horn (3 s blast every 20 s). Anderson has a page for the lighthouse, Bash has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was on a mast at the end of the pier. Located at the end of the breakwater on the north side of the Saugeen River entrance and at the end of Rankin Street in Southampton. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-626; Notmar 790.
Chantry Island Light
Chantry Island Light, October 2010
Creative Commons photo by Mark Totten
* Saugeen River Range Rear (2)
1903 (uncertain when a rear light was first added). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); continuous green light visible only on and near the range line. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern roof is red. Anderson has a page for the lighthouse, Bash has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a well known Southampton landmark. When the Coast Guard began to replace its shingles with aluminum siding in 1989, public protests convinced them to mount new shingles instead. Located on South Rankin Street on the east side of ON 21. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-627; Notmar 791.

Northern Bruce Peninsula Lighthouses
Note: The scenic Bruce Peninsula separates Georgian Bay from the main body of Lake Huron. The peninsula is about 80 km (50 mi) long and generally 10-15 km (6-9 mi) wide. Located about three hours northwest of Toronto, it is a very popular vacation destination. Ontario highway 6 runs the length of the peninsula and then crosses the mouth of Georgian Bay by ferry to Manitoulin Island.
Lyal Island (2)
Late 1960s (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 4 s. 13.5 m (44 ft) square skeletal tower carrying a large rectangular daymark painted with red and white horizontal bands. The Coast Guard has a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lighthouse, a square wood tower attached to a keeper's house, was demolished; foundation ruins can be seen. Located at the west point of Lyal Island, an island in the mouth of Stokes Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1073; Notmar 796.
Stokes Bay (Range Rear)
1904. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. 19.5 m (64 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery; the top 1/5 of the tower is enclosed. Lighthouse Explorer has a Coast Guard photo, Bruce County has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Lighthouse painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. Located on Lyal Island about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) east northeast of the front range light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-625; Notmar 798.
** Big Tub (Lighthouse Point, Tobermory)
1885. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); continuous red light. 12.5 m (41 ft) hexagonal frame tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Andrew Kisliakov's photo is at the bottom of this page, Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Firda Beka has a good photo, Fabiano Rebeque has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. A well known symbol of Tobermory, at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. The lighthouse was repaired after being heavily damaged by a storm in 1987. The Friends of Bruce District Parks have improved the grounds and installed a walkway. Located at the end of Big Tub Road, which circles Big Tub Harbour from the ferry terminal. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-549; Notmar 815.
Cove Island
1858 (John Brown). Active; focal plane 31 m (101 ft); white flash every 5 s. 24 m (80 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story stone keepers house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is red. Of the six Imperial Tower light stations of Lake Huron, this is the most complete: the fog signal building, boathouse, two assistant keeper's houses, outbuildings and dock all remain. Grant MacDonald's photo is at right, Simon Chambers has a good 2007 photo, Bash has a view from the lake, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. The Cove Island Lightstation Heritage Association, formed in 2005, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Coast Guard to restore and preserve the light station. Volunteers from the Association have cleaned the tower and painted the keeper's house. Located at Gig Point on the northern corner of the island, marking the entrance to the main channel into Georgian Bay from Lake Huron. Accessible only by boat; tours from Tobermory are available in the summer. Visible from the ferry carrying ON 6 between Tobermory and South Baymouth. Site open, tower may be open to guided tours. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Parks Canada (Fathom Five National Marine Park). ARLHS CAN-149; Notmar 805.
Cove Island Light
Cove Island Light, August 2009
Creative Commons photo by Grant MacDonald
*** Flowerpot Island (2)
1968 (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 28 m (91 ft); continuous white light. Approx. 15 m (50 ft) square pyramidal steel tower, painted white; no lantern. The principal keeper's house (1901) is open for tours, and the assistant keeper's house (1959) provides housing for volunteer keepers in season. A boathouse (1963) is also preserved. The original lighthouse was destroyed in 1969. Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Allison Durno has a view from the lake, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view of the station. In 1995, the Friends of Bruce District Parks signed a memorandum of understanding with the Coast Guard to restore the surviving buildings. In summer 2005, work came to a temporary halt when the government demanded that the volunteer group assume all public liability for the site; fortunately this issue was resolved within a few weeks. The Friends have a page on the history of the light station. The island, part of Fathom Five National Marine Park, is accessible by passenger ferry daily from mid May through September. Located on Castle Bluff at the northeastern point of the island about 7 km (4 mi) northeast of Tobermory. Site open (park entry fee); museum open daily from mid May to the end of September; tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Friends of Bruce District Parks. ARLHS CAN-181; Notmar 819.
**** Cabot Head (1)
1896. Inactive since 1971. Approx. 11 m (35 ft) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with red trim and red roof; lantern is red. Active light (focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 15 s) on 13 m (42 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower next to the lighthouse. Original lantern removed, but replaced by a replica. Steve Urszenyi's photo is at right, Anderson has a fine page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was restored in the 1980s by the Friends of Cabot Head and has been operated since as a museum. Located on the point of Cabot Head, on the east side of the peninsula about 20 km (13 mi) miles north of Dyer Bay on the shore road. Site open; museum and tower open daily May 1 to mid-October. Owner: Ontario Parks (Cabot Head Nature Reserve). Site manager: Friends of Cabot Head. ARLHS CAN-067; Notmar 826.

Cabot Head Light, August 2009
Creative Commons photo by Steve Urszenyi
* Lion's Head Harbour (2) (replica)
1983 replica of 1911 lighthouse (station established 1903). Active since 2000; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim. Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, R.G. Daniel has a good closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The original light on a pole was replaced by a square lighthouse in 1911. That lighthouse survived being blown off the pier twice by storms as well as a 1933 fire. It was replaced with a post light in 1969 and demolished. The replica was built by local high school students in 1983 and stood nearby on the beach until 2000, when the post light was damaged by a storm. The replica was then moved to the end of the pier and activated. Located on the pier at Lion's Head, off ON 6 on the east side of the peninsula about 65 km (40 mi) southeast of Tobermory. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Lion's Head. ARLHS CAN-276; Notmar 825.

South Bruce Peninsula Lighthouses
* Cape Croker (2)
1909 (station established 1898). Active; focal plane 18.5 m (61 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The original 3rd order Fresnel lens, removed in 2007 for fear of vandalism, is on display at the Bruce County Museum in Southampton. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. 1-story keeper's house. Kelly Anne Loughery's photo is at right, Herman Giethoorn has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The cape area is a reservation of the Chippewa Nation of Nawash. Located on the east side of the peninsula at the end of Lighthouse Road, a dirt road off county road 18 north of Wiarton (ask locally for directions). Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-094; Notmar 828.
Griffith Island
1858 (John Brown). Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 20 m (65 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story stone keepers house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is red. The 1-story keeper's house is collapsing into ruins. Anderson has photos, another closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is another of the six Imperial towers. The isolated lighthouse is rarely visited, and the keeper's house, abandoned since 1955, is nearly lost. Located on the northeast point of the island off Cape Commodore at the east side of the base of the Bruce Peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-216; Notmar 832.
Cape Croker Light
Cape Croker Light
photo copyright Kelly Anne Loughery
used by permission

Manitoulin District Lighthouses

Note: Manitoulin Island lies at the northern end of Lake Huron and the northwestern end of Georgian Bay. Roughly 130 km (80 mi) long and up to 50 km (30 mi) wide, it is thought to be the largest island in the world located within a fresh water lake. The island is separated from the mainland by the North Channel. Ontario highway 6 arrives on the island at South Baymouth by ferry from Tobermory and reaches the mainland by bridges connecting islands that nearly close off the eastern end of the North Channel. Manitoulin's permanent population is less than 13,000, but it is popular summer resort area.
Georgian Bay and Lake Huron Lighthouses
Lonely Island (2)
1907 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 59.5 m (195 ft); white flash every 10 s. 16.5 m (54 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Anderson has several aerial photos, Ron Walker has contributed a photo, and Google has a satellite view. All other light station buildings demolished; the light is now accessed by helicopter. Lonely Island is an isolated high island about 30 km (19 mi) east of Manitoulin Island in the northwestern part of Georgian Bay. Located on the north side of the island. Accessible only by air; the island has no landing facilities for boats. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-282; Notmar 971.
* South Baymouth Range Front
1898. Active; focal plane 8.5 m (28 ft); continuous green light. 5 m (17 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. User-activated fog horn (2.5 s blast every 30 s). Bash's photo is at right, Anderson has photos, a 2008 photo is available, Schultheiss also has a page on these range lights, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on the rocky beach in South Baymouth, just west of the terminal for the ferry carrying ON 6 from Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-591; Notmar 807.
* South Baymouth Range Rear
1898. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous green light. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim and a red vertical stripe on the range line. Bash has a good photo, Anderson has photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on private property across the road from the front range light and just west of the ferry terminal. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-592; Notmar 808.
* Providence Bay (2)
1973 (station established 1904). Active; focal plane 14.5 m (47 ft); continuous white light. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower. Three sides of the tower carry a large-slatted daymark painted with red and white horizontal bands. Richard Forget has a photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The original lighthouse, a 13 m (43 ft) octagonal wood tower, was destroyed by fire in 1973. Located on Providence Point, the eastern entrance to Providence Bay on the south coast of Manitoulin Island. Accessible by road (some local knowledge may be needed). Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-416; Notmar 810.

South Baymouth Range Front Light, January 2004
Creative Commons photo by C.W. Bash
Great Duck Island (2)
1918 (station established 1877). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); three white flashes (separated by 2.5 s) every 15 s. 26 m (85 ft) octagonal concrete tower, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. Anderson has aerial photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Great Duck Island is an uninhabited 1300 ha (5 sq. mi.) island in Lake Huron about 25 km (15 mi) off the southwestern coast of Manitoulin Island. Except for the light station it is privately owned. Located on the southwest coast of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed; the island is privately owned. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1032; Notmar 812.
*** Mississagi Strait
1873. Reactivated (inactive 1970-2003); focal plane 14 m (47 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11.5 m (38 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters. 1-story wood fog signal building (1881). Buildings painted white with red trim; lantern and gallery are red. The keeper's quarters houses a lighthouse museum, and the fog signal building is now a restaurant. A rare diaphone fog horn (1908) protrudes from the upper portion of the fog signal building. Anderson has good photos, Ken Johnston also has a good photo, Schultheiss also has a page on this lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The light was moved to a skeletal tower in 1970 and returned to the lighthouse in May 2003; the skeletal tower has been demolished. In 1983 the Meldrum Bay Society and the Manitoulin Tourism Association saved this historic and very attractive lighthouse from destruction by securing a lease from the Canadian Coast Guard. Mississagi Strait separates Manitoulin Island from Cockburn Island and provides a passage between the North Channel and Lake Huron. Located at the western tip of Manitoulin Island and at the end of Mississagi Lighthouse Road, off ON 540. Site open; museum and restaurant open daily May through September. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Manitoulin Tourism Association (Mississagi Lighthouse and Heritage Park). ARLHS CAN-322; Notmar 813.

North Channel Lighthouses
Cape Robert (2)
1950s. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower. Three sides of the tower carry a large-slatted daymark painted white. A photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lighthouse was a handsome square wood tower attached to a keeper's house. When it was demolished, the lantern was relocated to the top of a guardhouse at the Parry Sound Coast Guard Base; Ron Walker has contributed a photo. Foundation ruins of the lighthouse are visible. Notmar lists the tower height as 9 m (30 ft), but the tower is clearly taller than that. Located at the tip of Cape Robert, a prominent cape on the northwestern coast of Manitoulin Island. Accessible by the Nimkee's Trail, a popular route for hikers. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-104; Notmar 1026.
* Gore Bay (Janet Head)
1879. Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Anderson has photos, and Bash has a good photo, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the area. The lighthouse is leased to the owners of the adjacent campground; they use it as their residence. Gift shop on site. Located at the end of Water Street off ON 540 in Gore Bay on the north shore of Manitoulin Island. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Janet Head Tent and Trailer Park. ARLHS CAN-203; Notmar 1023.
* Kagawong (2)
1894 (station established 1880). Active; focal plane 13.5 m (44 ft); continuous red light. 9.5 m (31 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Anderson has good photos, Bash has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse overlooks Main Street and the harbor of Kagawong, on ON 540 on the north shore of Manitoulin Island. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-259; Notmar 1019.
Strawberry Island
1881. Active; focal plane 14.5 m (48 ft); white flash every 4 s. 12 m (40 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Sam MacCutchan's photo is at right, Anderson has good photos, Matt Young has a fine 2007 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse guards the eastern approach to the Little Current Strait, where ON 6 crosses from the mainland to Manitoulin Island. The keeper's quarters is leased as a private residence. Located at the northern tip of the island about 8 km (5 mi) east of Little Current. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-483; Notmar 996.
Strawberry Island Light
Strawberry Island Light, August 2006
Creative Commons photo by Sam MacCutchan
* Manitowaning
1885. Active; focal plane 24.5 m (81 ft); continuous green light. 10 m (34 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Anderson has photos, Murray Dewing has a good photo, Bash has a 2004 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a very fuzzy satellite view. Built above the harbor entrance, the lighthouse commands a view of Manitowaning Bay. Located at the end of Arthur Road off ON 6 in Manitowaning, on the north side of Manitoulin Island. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-302; Notmar 991.
Badgeley Island (Range Rear)
1912. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) square steel skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed watch room. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. Anderson has good photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse was formerly the rear light of a range, but the front range light was discontinued and demolished in 1981. Located on the south point of the island, marking the eastern entrance to the North Channel about 6 km (4 mi) southwest of Killarney. Note: lighthouses of Killarney are described on the Central Ontario page. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-016; Notmar 987.

Information available on lost lighthouses:
Big Tub Lighthouse
Big Tub Light, Tobermory, October 2006
Creative Commons photo by Andrew Kisliakov

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Western Ontario | East: Central Ontario | South: Southwest Ontario | West: Eastern Lower Michigan

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Posted December 16, 2003. Checked and revised December 15, 2011. Lighthouses: 30. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.