Southeastern Ontario Lighthouses

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 lists about half of them, the ones in the southeastern part of the province including Lakes Ontario and Erie.

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.

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General Sources
Lighthouses of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie
Excellent photos posted by C.W. Bash under Creative Commons license; several of these photos appear on this page, including the two at right.
Lighthouses in Ontario, Canada
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses of Ontario
An extension of Bryan Penberthy's US-lighthouses.com site.
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.
Images of Ontario Lighthouses
Photos of more than 60 towers.
Detroit River Lights
Photos taken in August 2007 and posted by Noah Greenia.

 


Windmill Point Light, July 2004
Creative Commons photo by C. W. Bash


Burlington Canal Main Light, October 2006
Creative Commons photo by C. W. Bash

Ottawa River Lighthouses
L'Orignal Range Front
1915. Inactive since the early 1990s. 9 m (29 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim. Located in a private campground on the south river bank on the promontory of Pointe Laviolette (Furnis Point), west of the village of L'Orignal. Site closed, although visitors may ask for permission to view the lighthouse; tower closed. Owner/site manager: A La Rochelle Campground. ARLHS CAN-1035.
L'Orignal Range Rear
1915. Inactive since the early 1990s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim. Located in a private campground on the south river bank on the promontory of Pointe Laviolette (Furnis Point), west of the village of L'Orignal. Site closed, although visitors may ask for permission to view the lighthouse; tower closed. Owner/site manager: A La Rochelle Campground. ARLHS CAN-1036.
* Cape Race (1)
1856. Inactive since 1980. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical cast iron tower, painted with a red and white checkerboard pattern; lantern and gallery are red. A closeup photo is available. This historic lighthouse was built at Cape Race, Newfoundland. In 1907 it was relocated to Cape North, Nova Scotia, where it remained in service until 1980. It was then relocated to the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa, where it stands at the entrance to the Museum's Technology Park. The 3° Fresnel lens used at Cape North is mounted in the lantern. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Museum of Science and Technology.
* Sand Point
1909. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous white light. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white; lantern painted green. Located at the end of the pier in the village of Sand Point, about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Arnprior. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-769; Notmar 1305.
Deep River Islet (2)
1913 (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white. This obscure and rarely visited lighthouse is located on an island at a sharp bend in the river about 16 km (10 mi) southeast of the town of Deep River. Google has a satellite view. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-993; Notmar 1311.
McQuestin Point
1915. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white flash every 4 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white. Located on the south bank of the river about 5 km (3 mi) east of the town of Deep River. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1039; Notmar 1312.
St. Lawrence River Lighthouses
Lancaster Range Front
Date uncertain (station established 1844). Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 10 m (33 ft) hexagonal wood tower with gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern removed. The tower also carries a triangular orange daymark. Located on a crib near the middle of the river off Lancaster; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1037; Notmar 0123.
* Dickinson Landing (2)
1891 (station established 1865). Inactive at least since the 1950s. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is gray. Merri Wolf has a photo, and Diane Blackburn has a more distant view. Dickinson Landing is one of ten small villages on the St. Lawrence near Cornwall that were flooded during construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The St. Lawrence Parks Commission removed many historic buildings from the villages, including the lighthouse, and moved them to a heritage park near Morrisburg called Upper Canada Village. Part of the park is a short canal along the riverbank, and the lighthouse was located at the west end of the canal. Google has a satellite view. Located about 10 km (6 mi) east of Morrisburg off ON 2. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Upper Canada Village Heritage Park. ARLHS CAN-1060.
*** Windmill Point
1873 (tower built as a windmill in the 1820s). Inactive since 1978. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) old-style round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. A photo appears at the top of this page. The windmill was the site of an important battle in 1837, during a rebellion in the British colony of Upper Canada (now Ontario). Restored by the Friends of Windmill Point and opened as a national historic site in 1996. In 2004, cracks in the exterior were repaired. The tower includes a museum and gift shop. Located at the end of Windmill Point Road just off ON 2 about 2 km (1.3 mi) north of Prescott. Google has a satellite view. The area is also accessible by bridge from Ogdensburg NY. Site open daily all year; tower open (to an observation level just below the gallery) daily in July and August, weekends in June and September. Owner: Parks Canada (Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site). Site manager: Friends of Windmill Point. ARLHS CAN-534.
* Prescott Heritage Harbour
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery are green. This lighthouse is directly across the St. Lawrence from the Ogdensburg (NY) Light. Located at the end of the main breakwater sheltering Prescott Harbour, at the end of Water Street one block off ON 2 in downtown Prescott. Google has a satellite view. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-767; USCG 7-0975; Notmar 0312.5.
*** Prescott (Prescott Rotary)
1989. Active (privately maintained and unofficial); characteristics not known. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Bash has a closeup photo. A bivalve Fresnel lens, probably 3° order, is mounted in the lantern; this lantern was originally mounted atop the former Dominion Lighthouse Depot in Prescott and was used in training lightkeepers. After the Depot building was demolished in 1986, the lighthouse was built by the local Rotary Club to house the historic lens and as a memorial to a former member. The tower contains an ice cream shop and gift shop. Located one block off ON 2 in downtown Prescott; Google has a satellite view. Site open; tower open daily in the summer. Owner: Town of Prescott. Site manager: Prescott Rotary Club.

Prescott Heritage Harbor Light, July 2004
Creative Commons photo by C. W. Bash
Cole Shoal
1856. Inactive since 1927. 10 m (31 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white. Lantern removed. In 2002 the Ontario Heritage Foundation spent $15,600 to restore this abandoned tower. Located on a rock in the river near Brockville. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Ontario Heritage Foundation.
De Watteville Island Range Rear
1927. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous white light visible only on the range line. 14 m (45 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with lantern and enclosed wood watchroom. Tower and lantern painted red; watch room painted white. The lighthouse also carries an orange inverted triangular daymark with a black vertical stripe on the range line. Jon Clay has contributed a photo. Located on the island about 5 km (3 mi) upstream from Brockville. Site presumably closed (private vacation homes in the area). Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1170; USCG 7-1115; Notmar 0334.
Wolfe Island (2)
1910 (station established 1861). Active; focal plane 11 m (37 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 6.5 m (21 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white. Lantern removed. Located on Québec Head, the northeastern point of Wolfe Island, largest of the Thousand Islands; Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse can be seen only from the water, as there is no public access to the site. Site open, tower closed. Island accessible by ferry from Kingston and (in the summer) from Cape Vincent NY. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-638; USCG 7-1605; Notmar 0378.
Knapp Point
Date unknown (station established 1847). Inactive since 2000. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. Located on the point, on the north side of Wolfe Island east of Marysville; the lighthouse is nearly concealed by trees in a Google satellite view. Apparently accessible only by boat (surrounded by private property). Owner: unknown. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-1034.
Eastern Lake Ontario Lighthouses
* Nine Mile Point
1833. Active; focal plane 16 m (53 ft); white flash every 10 s. 12.5 m (41 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white with northern channel of the St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario. Penberthy also has a good page on the light. Located at the southwestern point of Simcoe Island just off the island's single gravel road. The island is accessible by cable ferry from Wolfe Island. Site and tower closed (private property) but the lighthouse can be seen from the gate and polite visitors are sometimes admitted. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-578; USCG 7-2565; Admiralty H2864; Notmar 419.
Pigeon Island (2)
1909 (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 20 m (65 ft); white flash every 4 s. 15 m (50 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with central cylinder, lantern, and gallery. Skeletal woodwork painted white; lantern, watch room, gallery, and central cylinder painted red. All other light station buildings demolished. This is the only Canadian example of a skeletal lighthouse design common in the U.S. The island is a provincial wildlife reserve. Located on a small island in the northeast corner of Lake Ontario, about 7 km (4.5 mi) southwest of Wolfe Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-785; USCG 7-2570; Notmar 421.
Main Duck Island
1914. Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); white flash every 6 s. 24.5 m (80 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery are red. Abandoned fog signal building and other structures in poor condition. Marinas.com has aerial photos. Once owned by U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, the island has been owned by Parks Canada since 1977. Located at the western end of the island, which is in the center of the lake about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of the Ontario shore and 16 km (10 mi) west of the U.S. lighthouse at Galloo Island, New York. Accessible only by boat; tours to the island and lighthouse are available. Site and tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Parks Canada (St. Lawrence Islands National Park). ARLHS CAN-760; USCG 7-2585; Notmar 424.
False Ducks (False Duck Island) (2)
1965 (station established 1828). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); red flash every 4 s. 19 m (62 ft) round "apple-core" hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with flared top supporting the lantern; no gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. Keeper's houses demolished. Sibling of Cape Forchu NS and Point Escuminac NB. Second oldest light station on the Canadian Great Lakes. The 1828 lighthouse was demolished in 1965, but the lantern and gallery were relocated to Milford (see below). Located at the easternmost point of Swetman (False Duck) Island, off Prince Edward Point at the eastern end of the Quinte Peninsula. Accessible only by boat; distantly visible from the end of county route 13 at Prince Edward Point. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-545; USCG 7-2615; Notmar 427.
* Prince Edward Point (Point Traverse) (1)
1881. Inactive since 1959. 11 m (36 ft) square pyramidal wood tower attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters. Lantern removed. Modern light (focal plane 14.5 m (47 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off) on 13 m (43 ft) triangular pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted white, next to the original lighthouse. Lighthouse Explorer has a photo by Susan LeFever, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Clearly endangered, this abandoned lighthouse is in very poor condition. Watch List. Located on the point, at the extreme end of county route 13 (rough road, 4WD recommended) about 35 km (22 mi) east of Milford. Site open, tower closed. Owner: unknown. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-787 (original light) and 788 (active light); USCG 7-2630; Notmar 429.
** False Duck Island (1)
1967 tower with 1828 lantern. Inactive. 10 m (33 ft) round stone tower with the lantern, gallery, and 3° Fresnel lens of the original False Duck Island lighthouse. Built as a memorial to sailors of Prince Edward County, the lighthouse is one of the exhibits of a maritime museum. Penberthy has a nice closeup photo. Located at the intersection of county roads 10 and 13, southeast of Milford near South Bay. Google has a satellite view. Site open; museum open on weekends from late May to mid October and daily except Friday in July and August; tower closed. Owner/site manager: Mariners Park Marine Museum. ARLHS CAN-864.
* Point Petre (2)
1967 (station established 1833). Active; focal plane 21.5 m (71 ft); white flash every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower rising from a square workroom. No lantern, but there is a round "watch room" with the light displayed from its roof. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. The 1-story wood keeper's house is now used as an environmental research station. Bash has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This modern lighthouse replaced a historic stone tower very similar to the Nine Mile Point Light. Located just east of the point, at the southern end of the Quinte Peninsula and at the end of county route 24. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen easily from the gate and visitors are sometimes admitted to take photos. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-763; USCG 7-2635; Notmar 490.
Salmon Point
1871. Inactive since 1917. 9 m (30 ft) square wood tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Bash has a photo. This lighthouse is a good example of a design common in Canada in the late nineteenth century. The lighthouse is available for vacation rental. Located in a campground off county route 18 west of Cherry Valley, marking the southwestern tip of the Quinte Peninsula. Site and tower closed, although polite lighthouse fans may be admitted to take pictures. Owner/site manager: Salmon Point Campground. ARLHS CAN-789.
Scotch Bonnet Island
1856. Inactive since 1959. Ruined 16.5 m (54 ft) round stone tower attached, more or less, to the ruins of a 1-story stone keeper's house. Modern light (focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 4 s) on 19 m (63 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted white. Marinas.com has aerial photos. Watch List. This critically endangered lighthouse is also on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. In fact it is nearly lost already, and it's hard to see how it could be saved. Located on a rocky islet off the west coast of the Quinte Peninsula, about 800 m (1/2 mi) southwest of Nicholson Island. Accessible only by boat (no landing). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-791 (old light) and 790 (active light); Notmar 491.
*** Presqu'île Point
1840. Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); continuous red light. 21 m (68 ft) octagonal limestone tower with gallery, painted white with red trim. Lantern removed in 1952. 500 m lens. The original 1-story limestone keeper's house is part of the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre. Volunteers from the Friends of Presqu'île operate the Centre and its gift shop. A photo appears at right, and a good 2007 photo is available. Located on the point in a provincial park at the end of Lake Street south of Brighton. Site open (entry fee); Interpretive Centre open daily in July and August and otherwise on weekends April through October; tower closed. Owner: Ontario Parks; site manager: Presqu'île Provincial Park. ARLHS CAN-412; Notmar 492.
* [Cobourg East Pierhead (2)]
1924 (station established 1844). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 12 m (40 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower on a square concrete base. Adam Belnap has a closeup photo, and a historic image of the original lighthouse is available. Located at the end of the east breakwater at Cobourg. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-755; Notmar 493.

Presqu'île Point Light, July 2005
Creative Commons photo by Dave Kellam
Western Lake Ontario Lighthouses
* Toronto Harbour
1974. Active (maintained by Toronto Port Authority); focal plane 22.5 m (74 ft); red flash every 10 s. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal steel tower without lantern. Upper 1/4 of the lighthouse painted red, the rest white. Michael Rugosi has posted a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks the eastern outer entrance to the harbor, at the end of a long artificial peninsula. The area is part of a large city park, located at the foot of Leslie Street off Lakeshore Boulevard (ON 2) on the east side of downtown. Accessible by bicycle or by a hike of about 5 km (3 mi) each way through the park; from mid May to mid October a free shuttle van covers more than half this distance. Site open, tower closed. Owner: City of Toronto. Operator: Toronto Port Authority. Site manager: Tommy Thompson Park. ARLHS CAN-544; Notmar 509.2.
* Gibraltar Point
1808. Inactive since 1958; a decorative continuous green light is reportedly displayed. 25 m (82 ft) hexagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted gray stone; lantern and gallery painted red. A photo appears at the bottom of this page, another good closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The height of the tower was raised from 16 m (52 ft) in 1832. This is the oldest lighthouse in Ontario and second oldest in Canada, one of the oldest buildings in Toronto, and the oldest lighthouse on either side of the Great Lakes. It is famous as being haunted by the ghost of its first keeper, who died mysteriously in 1815. The city maintains the lighthouse but has failed to interpret it as the important historical monument it is. Lighthouse Digest has a January 2002 feature article on the lighthouse. Located at the southwestern point of Centre Island, which shelters the city's inner harbor. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from the foot of Bay Street in downtown Toronto. Lighthouse accessible from the ferry by bike trails and two footbridges; bike rentals available during the summer. Site open daily year-round; tower closed. Owner: City of Toronto. Site manager: Toronto Island Park. ARLHS CAN-199.
* Queen's Wharf (Range Rear) (2)
1861 (station established 1838). Inactive since 1929. 8.5 m (28 ft) octagonal cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story octagonal wood base. Lighthouse painted brown, lantern dark red. Alan Brown has posted a good photo. Originally located on the waterfront, this lighthouse was relocated in 1929 and now stands beside Lakeshore Boulevard (ON 2) at Fleet Street on the west side of downtown Toronto, near the entrance to Exhibition Place, a city park. Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Toronto. ARLHS CAN-542.
* Port Credit Inner Channel
1990s. Active (maintained by City of Mississauga); focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) square pyramidal tower with an open lantern, raised on four concrete pillars, attached to the office of the Port Credit Business Association. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern roof is red. A good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This modern lighthouse is part of the Credit Village Marina development. Located on the south side of the Credit River a short distance from Lake Ontario, at Front Street and Lakeshore Road in Mississauga. Parking available. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Mississauga. ARLHS CAN-642; Notmar 525.5.
* Oakville (2)
1889 (station established 1837). Inactive since 1960. 7.5 m (25 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. C.W. Bash has posted a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Replaced by a modern cylindrical lightbeacon, the lighthouse was relocated in 1960 and now stands on the grounds of a marina on the southwest side of Sixteen Mile Creek, just off Lakeshore Road (ON 2) in Oakville. Parking available nearby in the city's Shipyard Park. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Oakville Yacht Squadron. ARLHS CAN-632.
* Burlington Canal South Pier (Burlington Canal Range Front) (2)
1909 (station established 1842). Active; focal plane 14.5 m (48 ft); yellow light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower with gallery, rising from a square concrete base. A closeup photo is available. Located at the end of the south pier at the entrance to the Burlington Canal, a shortcut through a barrier spit that provides access to the protected harbor of Burlington and Hamilton at the west end of Lake Ontario. Parking available off Eastport Drive under that street's bridge over the canal. Accessible by walking the concrete pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-618; Notmar 535.

Queen's Wharf Light
photo copyright Kelly Anne Loughery
used by permission
* Burlington Canal Main (Burlington Canal Range Rear) (2)
1858 (station established 1837) (John Brown). Inactive since 1961. 17 m (55 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, unpainted; lantern is a rusty brown. 1-1/2 story brick keeper's quarters apparently used as a private residence. The builder, John Brown, is famous as the builder of the Imperial Towers of Lake Huron. This lighthouse is not usually included in that group, but it should be. One of C.W. Bash's photos appears at the top of this page, and Google has a satellite view. Endangered: the lighthouse has been abandoned and in poor condition for years. Watch List. The Beach Canal Lighthouse Group was organized in late 2003 to work for restoration of the tower. In September 2004 engineers studied the tower to determine what need to be done. Restoration was estimated to cost C$250,000. Progress on this effort has been slow, but in October 2007 the City of Hamilton agreed to provide C$50,000 for detailed planning. Located just to the west of the older lift bridge that carries Eastport Drive over the canal. Parking available off Eastport Drive under that street's bridge over the canal. Owner/site manager: City of Hamilton (?). ARLHS CAN-063.
* Port Dalhousie (Range Front)
1879. Active; focal plane 13 m (42 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 14 m (45 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and tower base painted green. C.W. Bash has a good closeup, and a nice photo of both range lights is available. This lighthouse marked the northern entrance to the Welland Canal until the entrance was relocated to Port Weller in 1932. Located at the end of the breakwater on the east side of the Port Dalhousie harbor entrance, at the end of Lighthouse Road in St. Catherines. Accessible by walking the concrete pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-540; Notmar 539.
* Port Dalhousie Range Rear
1898 (station established 1852). Inactive since 1988. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, covered by aluminum siding. Lighthouse painted white with green trim; lantern is green. C.W. Bash has a good closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and a nice photo of both range lights is available. Located at the end of the breakwater on the east side of the Port Dalhousie harbor entrance, at the end of Lighthouse Road in St. Catherines. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Niagara College. Site manager: Niagara College Sailing School. ARLHS CAN-541.
* Port Weller Outer
1931. Active; focal plane 15.5 m (51 ft); red flash every 10 s. 12 m (40 ft) lighthouse consists of a 6 m (20 ft) red pyramidal skeletal tower atop a 6 m (20 ft) square Art Deco concrete base. C.W. Bash has a closeup. This lighthouse marks the northern entrance to the Welland Canal. Located at the end of the west breakwater at the canal entrance in the Port Weller district of St. Catherines. Access is blocked by an active Coast Guard station, but the lighthouse can be seen from the east breakwater on the other side of the canal entrance. Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-766; Notmar 543.
Niagara River Lighthouses
* Niagara River Range Front
1903. Active; focal plane 10 m (34 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. 10 m (34 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Another photo is available. Located at the entrance to a marina on Ricardo Street in Niagara-on-the-Lake, a short distance from Lake Ontario; Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen and photographed from outside the marina. Also visible from Fort Niagara, across the river in the U.S. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club. ARLHS CAN-620; Notmar 549.
* Niagara River Range Rear
1903. Active; focal plane 14 m (47 ft); continuous red light visible only on the range line. 13.5 m (45 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. C. Seeman has a photo showing both lights as seen from the U.S. side of the river, and Google has a satellite view. Located near the Niagara Pumphouse Art Centre at the end of Collingswood Street, off Ricardo Street, one block south of the front range light. Parking nearby. Site technically closed, but there's no obstacle to approaching the tower; tower closed. Also visible distantly from Fort Niagara, across the river in the U.S. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-621; Notmar 550.
Eastern and Central Lake Erie Lighthouses
Point Abino
1917. Inactive since 1996. 30 m (98 ft) square concrete Greek Revival tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is red. A photo appears at right. Endangered; Watch List. This remarkable lighthouse has been the object of an extended controversy. The land behind the lighthouse is occupied by upscale vacation homes whose owners were determined to prevent any public access to the lighthouse through their neighborhood. Lighthouse Digest had a story on the problem in 1999. In May 2001 the town of Fort Erie agreed to accept ownership of the lighthouse, and the Point Abino Lighthouse Preservation Society has been formed to work for its restoration. In 2003 a deal was reached allowing tightly restricted public tours of the lighthouse. In 2007, there was considerable concern about the continuing deterioration of the building. However, the provincial and federal governments are unwilling to contribute to its restoration until better public access can be arranged. Lighthouse Digest has an April 2006 feature article on the lighthouse. Located on the point, roughly halfway between Fort Erie and Port Colborne. Normally accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed except for occasional tours; eight tour dates were announced for 2007. Owner/site manager: Town of Fort Erie. ARLHS CAN-385.
Port Colborne Outer
1928. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light, more intense to the south southwest. 7.5 m (25 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 1-story concrete fog signal building. The lighthouse, floodlit at night, is painted white, lantern red. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This little lighthouse marks the southern entrance to the Welland Canal. Located at the south end of the T-shaped west breakwater at the canal entrance in Port Colborne. Visible distantly from Lakeview Park at the end of Elm Street. Accessible only by boat (breakwater does not connect to shore). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-765; USCG 7-6755; Notmar 556.
Port Colborne Inner
1903. Active; focal plane 15 m (50 ft); white flash every 10 s. 13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. The lighthouse is painted white, lantern and gallery red. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the northeast end of the T-shaped west breakwater at the canal entrance in Port Colborne. Visible distantly from Lakeview Park at the end of Elm Street. Accessible only by boat (the breakwater does not connect to shore). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-764; USCG 7-6765; Notmar 558.

Point Abino Light, July 2005
anonymous Creative Commons photo
Mohawk Island
1848. Inactive since 1969. Approx. 24 m (80 ft) stone tower attached to a stone keeper's house; both buildings are in ruins. The lighthouse was gutted by fire, and only the shells of the buildings remain. A good closeup and a wintertime aerial photo are available; Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo. Watch List and Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. The Mohawk Lighthouse Preservation Society was formed to work for restoration of the lighthouse, and fundraising is in progress. Located on a small island about 1.5 km (1 mi) offshore between Mohawk Point and Rock Point. Visible from the end of Pyle Road off Lakeshore Road (regional route 3) about 20 km (13 mi) southeast of Dunnville; probably visible also from Rock Point Provincial Park. Accessible only by boat. Site closed April through July (bird sanctuary), tower closed. Owner: unknown. Site manager: Mohawk Island National Wildlife Area. ARLHS CAN-324.
* Port Maitland (Range Front)
1898. Active; focal plane 15.5 m (51 ft); green light (2 s on, 2 s off). 12.5 m (41 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery are green. Bill Strong has posted a closeup photo. The lighthouse was formerly the front light of a range, but the rear light has been demolished. Located on the end of the west pier at the mouth of the Grand River, off regional route 11 in Port Maitland, south of Dunnville. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-617; Notmar 563.
* Port Dover West Pier (2)
Date uncertain (station established 1846). Active; focal plane 11 m (37 ft); green light (2 s on, 2 s off). 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern and gallery are green. User-activated fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). Mark Lewis has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the end of the west pier at the foot of Harbour Street, two blocks off ON 6 in downtown Port Dover. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-616; Notmar 571.
* Long Point Cut (Old Cut, Long Point West End)
1879. Inactive since 1916. 15 m (50 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story wood keeper's quarters. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; the lantern (a replica) is painted red. C.W. Bash has a good photo, and a historic postcard view is available. This lighthouse marked a former channel through the base of the Long Point Peninsula; it was deactivated after the channel silted shut. There's only dry land in the area today. The lighthouse, which had been considerably modified, was restored by new owners in 1999-2000 and is now close to its original appearance. The original lantern was removed long ago; the gallery is an observation deck with an open replica lantern. Private summer residence. Located just off county route 59 near the entrance to Long Point Provincial Park. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen easily from the street. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-580.
Long Point (2)
1916. Active; focal plane 29.5 m (97 ft); white flash every 8 s (it is reported that every fourth flash is omitted, due to a broken prism in the lens). 26 m (86 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. The original 3° Fresnel lens is on display at Port Burwell Light. The lighthouse was originally 32 m (102 ft) tall, but its base has become buried in the sand. During a renovation in the late 1980s the buried base was filled with concrete and a new entrance cut. The lighthouse marks the end of the Long Point Peninsula, a 40 km (25 mi) long finger of sand extending due east into Lake Ontario. Most of the peninsula is an ecological reserve, and there is no public land access to the light station. The reserve has a page of lighthouse photos, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site open, if you can get to it by water; tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Long Point World Biosphere Reserve. ARLHS CAN-759; USCG 7-6785; Notmar 579.
**** Port Burwell
1840. Inactive since 1963 (a decorative light is displayed). 20 m (65 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern and gallery painted red. 3° Fresnel lens still in place in the lantern. C.W. Bash's photo is at right, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. In 1986 the lighthouse was beautifully restored by Mennonite craftspeople using authentic construction techniques. The Port Burwell Marine Museum, across the street, has a large collection of lighthouse lenses and artifacts, including the 3° Fresnel lens and rotating mechanism from Long Point Light. Located on the waterfront in Port Burwell. Site open; museum open daily from mid-May to Labor Day, except closed on non-holiday Mondays and on Tuesdays after holiday Mondays during May, June, and September. Tower open for climbing whenever the museum is open (small fee). Owner: Municipality of Bayham. Site manager: Port Burwell Marine Museum. ARLHS CAN-405.
Port Stanley Breakwater
1908. Active; focal plane 11 m (37 ft); green flash every 5 s. 9.5 m (31 ft), steel skeletal tower mounted atop a 1-story square pyramidal concrete structure. Lighthouse painted white. A photo is available. Located at the outer end of the breakwater on the west side of the harbor entrance in Port Stanley. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-622; Notmar 588.

Port Burwell Light, January 2004
Creative Commons photo by C. W. Bash
Western Lake Erie Lighthouses
* Rondeau East Pier
1905. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) square pyramidal skeletal steel tower with lantern and gallery. Tower and gallery painted white, lantern red. Located at the end of the east breakwater at the entrance to Rondeau Harbour in Ereiau. Accessible only by boat (the breakwater does not connect to shore); easily visible from the west pier across the entrance. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-636; Notmar 591.
* Rondeau West Breakwater Range Front
1912. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal white concrete tower; there is a small gallery but no lantern. A photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located at the end of the west breakwater at the entrance to Rondeau Harbour in Erieau. Parking available nearby. Accessible in good weather by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-623; Notmar 592.
* Rondeau West Breakwater Range Rear
Date uncertain. Active; focal plane 18 m (60 ft); continuous green light. 16 m (53 ft) square pyramidal steel tower, painted white; no lantern. The tower also carries a triangular orange daymark. No photo available. This light is located directly across the entrance channel from the east pier light. Parking available nearby. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. Notmar 593.
Southeast Shoal
1927 (lightship station established 1901). Active; focal plane 21 m (70 ft); red flash every 10 s. 18 m (60 ft) square 3-story concrete building mounted on a square pyramidal base; lantern replaced by a helicopter landing pad. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; each of the four faces of the base has two vertical red stripes. This lighthouse was gutted by a disastrous explosion and fire on July 7, 1950. Located at the south end of a dangerous shoal extending south from Pélee Point into the Pélee Passage. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-468; USCG 7-6795; Notmar 597.
Pelée Passage (3)
1975 (station established 1861). Active; focal plane 28 m (91 ft); white flash every 4 s. 12 m (40 ft) round cylindrical steel (?) tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one corner of a 1-story keeper's quarters with a helipad on its roof, all mounted on a cylindrical steel caisson. Tower and building painted white, lantern and caisson green. The second (1902) lighthouse has been relocated to Lakeview Park in Windsor (see listing below). The lighthouse marks the north end of the Middle Ground Shoal about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Southeast Shoal. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-371; USCG 7-6835; Notmar 602.
Pelée Island
1833. Inactive since 1909. Approx. 18 m (60 ft) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted stone; lantern painted black. A closeup photo and a good view from the water are available. Watch List. This historic but long-abandoned lighthouse fell into picturesque ruins before it was rescued by the Relight the Lighthouse Committee in a restoration in 1999-2000. However, the tower is still shored up by timbers and the lighthouse is threatened by wave action; riprap has been piled around the tower to protect it. Located on Lighthouse Point at the northern tip of Pelée Island. Accessible by a walk of at least 1.5 km (1 mi) from the end of East Shore Road. Pelée Island is accessible by ferries from Kingsville and Leamington, Ontario, and from Sandusky, Ohio. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Ontario Parks (Lighthouse Point Nature Reserve). Site manager: Relight the Lighthouse Committee. ARLHS CAN-370.
[Middle Island]
1872. Inactive since 1918. The lighthouse, a 15 m (49 ft) square pyramidal wood tower attached to a keeper's house, burned sometime after deactivation, but the stone foundation can be seen. No current photo available, but a good description of the island and its history is available. Middle Island, located 11 km (7 mi) east of Middle Bass Island, Ohio, is the southernmost point of Canada. Formerly private, the island was bought by the Nature Conservancy in 1999 as an addition to Point Pelée National Park. Accessible only by boat. Site open. Owner/site manager: Point Pelée National Park. ARLHS CAN-1076.
* Leamington
1880s. Inactive since the 1920s. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Bash's photo is at right. Located next to Seacliff Park, on Seacliff Drive West (ON 18) in Leamington, in an area of small summer cottages. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen easily from the park. Owner/site manager: Leamington Lighthouse Club. ARLHS CAN-758.
* Kingsville
1889. Inactive for many years. Approx. 7.5 m (25 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white; lantern painted gray. This lighthouse was sold into private ownership and had been relocated on private property when the Carters visited in 1995. By 1999 it had been relocated a second time to the Kingsville Historical Park. A restoration of the lighthouse was completed in 2003. Located on South Division Street, south of ON 18 in Kingsville. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Kingsville Historical Park. ARLHS CAN-756.
Colchester Reef (2)
1954 (station established 1885; lightship station established 1870s). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); red flash every 4 s. 12 m (39 ft) square steel skeletal tower and helicopter landing pad mounted atop the cylindrical stone pier of the 1885 lighthouse. Entire structure painted white. To make room for the landing pad, the light tower is cantilevered off one side of the pier. The Carters also have a photo. Located at the south end of the reef about 6 km (4 mi) south of Colchester. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-143; USCG 7-6870; Notmar 620.

Leamington Light, January 2004
Creative Commons photo by C. W. Bash
Detroit River Lighthouses
Bar Point Pier
1962. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower mounted on a 1-story concrete workroom. Entire structure painted white. Located on a pier on the west side of the entrance channel to the river from Lake Erie, off Bar Point. Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1008; USCG 7-6995; Notmar 642.
Boblo Island
1837. Inactive since the late 1950s. 12 m (40 ft) round limestone tower, painted white; lantern destroyed. A view from the river is available. Vandals set a fire in 1954 that gutted the tower and destroyed the lantern. Watch List and Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. Parks Canada, which has owned the lighthouse since 1961, has a page on its history; the lighthouse is viewed as an early example of the Imperial Tower style. The park service has stabilized the building, but it has no plans to provide any public access. The tower appears to have been recently painted in a 2005 photo. Most of the island is occupied by an upscale residential community accessed from Amherstburg by a private ferry. Located near the southern tip of the island; Google has a satellite view. Site and tower closed; the lighthouse can be seen from Front Street South, Amherstburg. Owner: Parks Canada. Site manager: Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse National Historic Site. ARLHS CAN-049.
* Hackett Reach Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 22 m (72 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted white. The tower also carries an inverted triangular slatted daymark, painted orange. Noah Greenia has a closeup photo. Located on the waterfront in Amherstburg. Site open, tower closed. USCG 7-7025; Notmar 657.
Livingstone Channel Upper Entrance (3)
About 1980 (station established 1915). Active; focal plane 12 m (40 ft); white flash every 10 s. Round cylindrical steel tower without lantern, rising from the center of a 1-story workroom, mounted on a square crib. Entire structure painted white with red trim. Noah Greenia has posted a closeup photo. Located in the river north of Amherstburg; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1038; USCG 7-7195; Notmar 677.
Ballard Reef (Livingstone Channel Light 77D)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical tower centered on a square 1-story workroom, mounted on a round concrete pier. Lighthouse painted white with green vertical stripes at the corners of the tower. Noah Greenia has a closeup photo. Located about 600 m (0.4 mi) north northwest of the Livingstone Channel Upper Entrance Light; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. USCG 7-7200; Notmar 678.
* Pelee Passage (2)
1902. Inactive since 1975. Approx. 18 m (60 ft) round steel tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Martin Crest has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated in 1980 to a site on the Detroit River in Windsor. Located on Riverside Drive East at Riverdale Avenue, opposite Peche Island, about 10 km (6 mi) east of the downtown tunnel. Site open, tower closed. Owner: City of Windsor. Site manager: Lakeview Park Marina.
Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River Lighthouses
* Thames River Range Rear (2)
1818 (reconstructed 1973-75). Station established 1810. Reactivated (inactive 1966-75). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); continuous red light. 54 ft round limestone tower, painted white with red trim; lantern painted red. A photo showing both range lights is available; the front light is on a cylindrical Claymar tower. Ontario's second oldest lighthouse, after Gibraltar Point. Its height was raised from about 11 m (35 ft) around 1870. The lighthouse was in very poor condition, leaning and cracked, before being restored in 1973-75 by the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority. The lighthouse was taken down, stone by stone, and rebuilt on a restored foundation. The site is leased to the Coast Guard for a search and rescue station. Located on the south side of the mouth of the river, just off Lake St. Clair; the lighthouse is off Harbour Drive in Lighthouse Cove. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (Lighthouse Conservation Area). Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-594; Notmar 713.
Maybury Highway
1928. Active; focal plane 7 m (24 ft); red flash every 4 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower built on a small square crib. No lantern. Located on the south side of the St. Clair Flats Channel, which is also the international border, at the south entrance to the St. Clair River. Accessible only by boat; should be visible from a residential area on the U.S. side. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1015; USCG 7-9605; Notmar 734.
Southeast Bend
1913. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red flash every 4 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower built on a small square crib. No lantern. Located on the south side of the St. Clair Flats Channel, which is also the international border, at the south entrance to the river. Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat; should be visible from a residential area on the U.S. side. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1023; USCG 7-9645; Notmar 736.
* Corunna Range Rear
1892. Inactive 1941-1951 and since 1982. 13 m (42 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white. No lantern, but the tower is surmounted by a diamond-shaped slatted daymark. The lighthouse has been relocated to the grounds of the Moore Museum, located at 94 Moore Line, off ON 40 in Mooretown. Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Moore Museum. ARLHS CAN-1029.

Thames River Range Rear Light, February 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Information available on lost lighthouses:


Gibraltar Point Light, Toronto, November 2006
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted December 16, 2003. Checked and revised November 8, 2007. Lighthouses: 65. Site copyright 2007 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.