Louisbourg Lighthouse
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| Location | Louisbourg, Nova Scotia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°54′21.9″N 59°57′24.4″W / 45.906083°N 59.956778°WCoordinates: 45°54′21.9″N 59°57′24.4″W / 45.906083°N 59.956778°W |
| Year first constructed | 1734, 1842, 1923 |
| Year first lit | 1734, 1842 |
| Automated | 1990 |
| Deactivated | 1758 |
| Construction | Concrete |
| Tower shape | Octagonal |
| Markings / pattern | White tower, red lantern |
| Height | 16.8 m (55 ft) |
| Focal height | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Characteristic | Flashing White, once every 9 sec |
| Admiralty number | H3344 |
| NGA number | 9204 |
| ARLHS number | CAN-756 |
Louisbourg Lighthouse is a historic Canadian lighthouse at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, and is the site of the first lighthouse in Canada.
The first light
Construction began on the lighthouse in 1730 to assist navigation to Fortress Louisbourg. It was completed in 1734. A fire in 1736 destroyed the lantern but the stone tower was unharmed and a new lantern was installed in 1738.[1] Lighthouse Point played a decisive role in both sieges of Fortress Louisbourg as, once captured, it provided a commanding gun battery location to bombard the fortress. This lighthouse was badly damaged in 1758 during the Final Siege of Louisbourg and abandoned by the British after they demolished the fortress. Stonework ruins from the first tower are still visibile at the site.
The second lighthouse
A square wooden lighthouse with a black stripe was built by the government of Nova Scotia in 1842. The lighthouse was a large 2 1⁄2-story wooden building supported by a massive masonry base. It included the keeper's dwelling in the base of the light. A fog horn building was added in 1902. This lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1922. The foundation remains visible today and has been excavated and stabilized by Parks Canada archaeologists.
The lighthouse today
An octagonal concrete lighthouse decorated with neoclassical architectural features was built in 1923. The tower is a twin of the Georges Island Lighthouse in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Louisbourg lighthouse was destaffed in 1990. The lighthouse is a popular lookoff point and in 2008 became the start of a coastal walking trail. Interpretive plaques mark the ruins of the previous lighthouses.
References
- ↑ "Early History: Louisbourg Lighthouse". Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 2007-08-08.
- Irwin, E.R. (2003). Lighthouses and Lights of Nova Scotia. Nimbus. pp. 140–141. ISBN 9781551094267.
- Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Nova Scotia: Cape Breton Island". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 8 September 2008.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louisbourg Lighthouse. |
- "Louisbourg Lighthouse". Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society.
- "Louisbourg Through the Ages". Louisbourg Lighthouse Society.