Louisbourg Lighthouse

Louisbourg Lighthouse
Location	Louisbourg, Nova Scotia
Coordinates	45°54′24.1″N59°57′30.5″W / 45.906694°N 59.958472°W
Tower
Constructed	1734 (first); 1738 (second); 1842 (third)
Construction	concrete tower
Automated	1990
Height	16.8 m (55 ft) (current); 16.5 metres (54 ft) (first); 17 metres (56 ft) (second)
Shape	octagonal tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	white tower, red lantern
Operator	Louisbourg Lighthouse Society
Heritage	recognized federal heritage building of Canada
Light
First lit	1923 (current)
Deactivated	1758-1842
Focal height	32 m (105 ft)
Range	16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi)
Characteristic	Fl W 15s.

Last updated December 22, 2023

Louisbourg Lighthouse is an active Canadian lighthouse in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. The current tower is the fourth in a series of lighthouses that have been built on the site, the earliest was the first lighthouse in Canada.

The first lighthouse

Construction began on the lighthouse in 1730 to assist navigation to Fortress of 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.^[2] Lighthouse Point played a decisive role in both the Siege of 1745 and 1758 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 visible 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, the Louisbourg Lighthouse Trail. Interpretive plaques mark the ruins of the previous lighthouses.

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References

↑ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Canada: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . Retrieved January 3, 2016.
↑ "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 Canada: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . Retrieved 8 September 2008.

External links

"Louisbourg Lighthouse". Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society.
"Louisbourg Through the Ages". Louisbourg Lighthouse Society. Archived from the original on 2013-09-06. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
Aids to Navigation Canadian Coast Guard

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[1] Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Canada: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . Retrieved January 3, 2016.

[2] "Early History: Louisbourg Lighthouse". Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 2007-08-08.

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v t e Lighthouses of Canada
British Columbia	Amphitrite Point Ballenas Island Boat Bluff Brockton Point Cape Beale Cape Mudge Cape Scott Carmanah Point Chrome Island Discovery Island Entrance Island Estevan Point Fisgard Langara Pachena Point Point Atkinson Race Rocks Sheringham Point Trial Islands Triple Island
Manitoba	George Island Warren Landing Lower Range Warren Landing Upper Range
New Brunswick	Beaver Harbour Belyea's Point Bouctouche Cape Enrage Cape Spencer Cape Tormentine Caraquet Caraquet Island Cocagne Dalhousie Island Fort Monckton Gagetown Gannet Rock Grand Harbour Lighthouse Leonardville Long Eddy Point Long Point Machias Seal Island Maisonnette Point Miscou Island Musquash Head Petit-Rocher Point Escuminac Point Lepreau Quaco Head Richibucto Head St. Andrews North Point Shediac Harbour Range Rear Swallowtail
Newfoundland and Labrador	Baccalieu Island Balcalhoa Island Bay Bulls Bell Island Belle Isle Northeast Brigus Burnt Islands Cape Anguille Cape Bonavista Cape Norman Cape North Cape Pine Cape Race Cape Ray Cape Spear Cape St. Francis Cape St. Mary's Channel Head Conche Cow Head Dawson Point Ferryland Head Flower's Cove Fort Amherst Fortune Bay Fox Point Garnish Grand Bank Green Island Greenspond Hant's Harbour Heart's Content King's Cove Lark Harbour Lobster Cove Long Point Rose Blanche New Férolle Peninsula Offer Wadham Peckford Island Point Amour Point Riche Port de Grave Puffin island Pushthrough Random Head Cape St. Mary's Westport Cove Woody Point
Nova Scotia	Balache Point Cape d'Or Cape Forchu Devils Island Fort Point Georges Island Grandique Point Kidston Island Louisbourg Low Point Peggys Point Point Prim Sambro Island Schafner Point Seal Island
Ontario	Battle Island Bois Blanc Island Caribou Island Chantry Island Colchester Reef Cove Island Gibraltar Point Gros Cap Reefs Ile Parisienne Kincardine Lion's Head Mimico Cruising Club Point Abino Point Clark Port Burwell Queen's Wharf Toronto Harbour Windmill Point
Prince Edward Island	Annandale Range Big Tignish Brighton Beach Cape Tryon Cascumpeque Haszard Point Leards Range Little Channel Range Malpeque Harbour Malpeque Outer Range Miminegash Range Murray Harbour North Cape North Rustico Harbour Northport Range Point Prim Seacow Head St. Peters Harbour Summerside Outer Range Warren Cove Range Wood Islands Wrights Range
Quebec	Cap-des-Rosiers Île-Verte Pointe-au-Père
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