PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY LIVING A Light in the Storm

A Light in the Storm:

Point Traverse Lighthouse

BY ANDREW HIND

One of the most historic and picturesque lighthouses on Lake Ontario, the tower performs a deadly serious function.

The lighthouse stands 36-feet above the water. Its light can be seen 10 miles out onto the lake. Photo courtesy County of Prince Edward Tourism. Photo by: Karen Palmer A

square, white wooden lighthouse looms 36-feet over the sandy shoreline. Water laps against the shore. It’s a calm day on Lake Ontario, a good day for boating. Offshore, pleasure craft take advantage of the balmy weather.

But weather on the Great Lakes can change on a dime; squalls descend seemingly out of nowhere, transforming placid waters into tempests of howling wind and whitecaps. It’s at such times that boaters are grateful for the presence of the shoreline sentinel with its guiding light. This is Point Traverse Lighthouse, one of the most historic and picturesque lighthouses on Lake Ontario. Don’t let its pretty appearance fool you. The tower performs a deadly serious function.

Built in the middle of the 19th century, its job is to save ships and to save lives. Prior to 1879, there was no navigational aid at Point Traverse (also known as Prince Edward Point or South Bay Point), much to the consternation of skippers rounding this southeast tip of Prince Edward County. A petition signed by numerous ship owners and captains was put before the Canadian government, pressuring them to build a lighthouse there.

Finally, the Department of Marine relented and appropriated $1200 for construction. In 1880, John W. Fagan was contracted to build the lighthouse, which consisted of a 36-foot square wooden tower topped by a fixed red light which could be seen up to ten miles out on the lake, and an adjacent keeper’s home. Both were ready by the following summer, though the project was well over budget, at $2308.70. Fagan stepped in as interim lighthouse keeper until October when the official keeper, Daniel McIntosh, took over with an annual salary of $150.

The original lighthouse, which included a keeper’s house and boatshed, cost $2308 in 1881. Courtesy Parks Canada.

McIntosh served in this position for over 20 years, until he was removed in 1902 “owing to advancing years [he was 69], and for the efficiency of the service.” Only a decade later, the Canadian government made the decision to close Point Traverse Lighthouse. They couldn’t have imagined the uproar this would generate and once again they bowed to pressure: the lighthouse was placed back in operation in 1913.

After 1941 there was no longer any need for keepers to put themselves at risk as the lighthouse became fully automated. In 1959 the lantern room was removed from atop the lighthouse. Fulfilling its function, a 42-foot steel frame tower was built adjacent to the original lighthouse and topped by a flashing white light. This tower, though not as picturesque as the one it replaced, continues to save lives by serving as a beacon of safety and hope along this notoriously tempestuous stretch of water, guiding boats – pleasure craft today, as opposed to the fishing boats and cargo vessels of the past – to shelter, in weather fair and foul. The original Point Traverse Lighthouse still stands – minus its light - and was recognized as a Heritage Lighthouse in 2015.

Point Traverse Lighthouse is located within Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area (established in 1978) at the point just far enough south to be a favoured landing and staging place for birds migrating over the lake. >>

In answer to petitions from mariners, a lighthouse at Point Traverse is erected in 1881. Courtesy County of Prince Edward Tourism. Photo by: Terry Culbert

Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area is a haven for birds. Up to 300 species have been recorded there. Some, like these cliff swallows, nest upon the lighthouse. Courtesy County of Prince Edward Tourism. Photo Karen Palmer

At the most eastern edge of The County’s south shore lies the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, home to the Point Traverse Lighthouse. Cliff swallows are extremely social songbirds that can be found in large nesting colonies of over 2,000 nests.

During the annual spring and autumn migrations, there is no other place on the northern shore of Lake Ontario where birds can be seen in such high densities.

Over 300 species of birds, some of which are at risk, have been recorded on the point. Among the more numerous are various species of ducks, geese, swans, and shorebirds that swim in the water and scoot along the sandy shore. It’s not uncommon for birders to record 100 or more species in a single day at Prince Edward Point.

With its expansive views across Lake Ontario and soul-soothing natural serenity, Point Traverse is a special spot whose idyll is watched over by the towering lighthouse.