Lighthouses Of New Brunswick: A Comprehensive Guide

New Brunswick is home to over 60 lighthouses, with many on inland rivers. The coastal lighthouses were known as sea lights, while the inland lighthouses were called beacon lights. The lighthouses of New Brunswick are a testament to the province's seafaring history and continue to guide boats through the Bay of Fundy and the surrounding rivers.

Lighthouses on New Brunswick's inland rivers

New Brunswick is home to over 60 lighthouses, many of which are on inland rivers. The lower St. John River has a unique inland system of lighthouses that was designed to safely guide old paddlewheeler steamers along the river. These inland lighthouses were known as "beacon lights", while the coastal lighthouses were called "sea lights".

One of these inland lighthouses is the Ritchie Wharf Park Lighthouse in Miramichi. This lighthouse is something of a mystery, and little is known of its history. Another is the Oak Point Lighthouse, situated at the northern end of Long Reach, a wide, straight section of the Saint John River that runs along the west side of the Kingston Peninsula.

In addition to these inland lighthouses, New Brunswick also has many coastal lighthouses, including the Miscou Island Lighthouse, which is open to visitors and offers stunning views of the sea and sand from the top, and the Head Harbour Lightstation on Campobello Island, which sits on a rocky outcrop accessible at low tide.

The history of the Quaco Head Lighthouse

The Quaco Head Lighthouse, located in St. Martins, New Brunswick, has a long and intriguing history that dates back to the early 19th century. The name "Quaco" is derived from a Micmac word meaning "haunt of the hooded seal." The community of St. Martins was settled by Loyalists fleeing the thirteen colonies during the American Revolution, and it became the third-largest shipbuilding centre in New Brunswick in the 1800s, launching over 500 vessels.

In 1834, the New Brunswick government set aside $400 for erecting a Buoy or Beacon on the Quaco Ledges near St. Martins. However, the following year, the Commissioners of Lights for the Bay of Fundy gained approval to use the funds to construct a manned lighthouse instead. Thrum Cap, a prominent ledge located off the headland west of St. Martins, was chosen as the site, and work on the lighthouse began in 1835.

The first Quaco Lighthouse was an octagonal tower painted in red and white horizontal stripes, with an attached dwelling. The lighting apparatus consisted of six lamps backed by twenty-four-inch reflectors, revolving once every twenty seconds to produce fourteen seconds of light followed by six seconds of darkness. The weights that powered the revolving machinery had to be wound up every four hours, and a bell struck by the machinery each revolution alerted the keeper that the light was functioning properly.

Captain Thomas Lamb, the first keeper of Gannet Rock Lighthouse, was transferred to Quaco Lighthouse and became its first keeper in 1835. Due to the privations and dangers of the offshore station, his annual salary was raised from $100 to $150 in 1841. In 1842, a severe storm carried away a portion of the rock on which the lighthouse stood, along with two boats used to access it. Repairs and improvements were made to the lighthouse over the years, including the addition of a lumber breastwork to protect its foundation and an increase in its height to forty-six feet.

On June 17, 1881, a fire broke out in a defective flue between the ceiling and the roof of the keeper's dwelling, completely destroying all the buildings at the station. A temporary light was erected on the nearby headland, and a contract for the construction of a new lighthouse was awarded to D.W. Clark. The new lighthouse, completed in 1883, consisted of a square, pyramidal tower with an attached keeper's dwelling. A white revolving catoptric light was displayed from the lantern room, visible for sixteen miles.

The present Quaco Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1966 and consists of a square tower rising from one corner of a concrete fog signal building. The light in its lantern room produces a white flash every ten seconds, and the fog signal emits a three-second blast every thirty seconds when needed. While wild camping was once permitted near the lighthouse, it is now permanently closed to camping and overnight parking.

The story of the Miscou Island Lighthouse

The Miscou Island Lighthouse is a historic wooden lighthouse located on the northeastern tip of Miscou Island, at the entrance of the Chaleur Bay in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The island is part of Gloucester County and is connected to neighbouring Lamèque Island by the Miscou Channel and the Miscou Island Bridge. Miscou Island had a population of 585 full-time residents in 2011, with the majority speaking French as their first language.

The 24.3-metre-tall (80 ft) landfall lighthouse was built in 1856 by James Murray from Newcastle, who won the bid to construct it. The lighthouse was built to prevent shipwrecks, an occurrence that happened each year in the region. The lighthouse is currently owned and maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard and is considered a federal Heritage Building that is open to the public. The light is still operational and automated, with a single green flash occurring every five seconds.

In 1860, smoke conductors were installed due to the calm weather being insufficient to clear the smoke from the lantern room. Fourteen years later, in 1874, a building was constructed to house a steam fog whistle, which blasted for 5 seconds with 25-second intervals of silence. In 1903, the height of the lighthouse was increased by 1.8 metres to extend the range of light. Due to shoreline erosion, the lighthouse was relocated 61 metres inland in 1946.

Today, the Miscou Island Lighthouse stands as a testament to the seafaring history of New Brunswick, offering sweeping views of the surrounding area from the top. Visitors can enjoy the nearby tourism information centre, which is open during the summer months, as well as the picnic area and deck that were added in 2009.

The story of the Head Harbour Lighthouse

The Head Harbour Lighthouse, also known as the East Quoddy Head Light, is a 51-foot-tall octagonal tower made of heavy timber. It is located on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, and was erected in 1829 by the provincial government to aid navigation for ships in the Bay of Fundy.

The tower is painted white and marked with a large red St. George's Cross, making it a highly visible landmark. The construction of the lighthouse, as well as the keeper's residence, fog alarm building, workshed, and boathouse, were funded by the House of Assembly of New Brunswick, which appropriated £400 (approximately $44,461 in 2023) for the project.

The lighthouse is situated on a small tidal islet, connected to the primary landmass and accessible by land for only two hours during low tide. Visitors must be cautious as the incoming tide rises rapidly at a rate of five feet per hour, and it is easy to become stranded. The footpath to the lighthouse includes a wooden bridge, metal ladders, and slick rocks.

John Snell was the first keeper of the lighthouse, serving from 1829 to 1847, and he resided in the lower portion of the tower until a dwelling was built nearby in 1840. In 1842, a larger lantern room was installed, and the tower was painted with its iconic red cross. A fog horn was added in 1880, and the first modern Fresnel lens was installed in 1887.

The Canadian Coast Guard manned the station until 1986, after which it was automated. The "Friends of The Head Harbour Lightstation" organization was established in 2000 to manage the site as a historical and tourism attraction, and they offer paid tours during the summer months. The Head Harbour Lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse in New Brunswick and is a designated heritage site.

The story of the Inch Arran Lighthouse

In the 1800s, the Arseneau family lived near Inch Arran Point, and Marie-Louise Arseneau would place a candle, and later a lamp, in her window to guide her husband, sons, and other local fishermen back home at night. Marie-Louise was known as the medicine woman of Dalhousie, treating the sick with her knowledge of herbs and roots.

The current wooden tower of the Inch Arran Lighthouse was built in 1870, standing at 11 metres (36 feet). The fixed white light was first exhibited on November 7, 1870, by Louis Arseneau, Marie-Louise's husband. The iron lantern on top of the tower has a diameter of four and a half feet, and its glass panes measure 44 by 21 inches. Over time, the lantern's reflectors were upgraded from 15 inches to 18 inches.

In 1888, after the death of Louis Arseneau, his grandson Joseph Arsenau took over as the lighthouse keeper. Joseph had already been caring for the light before his grandfather's passing, but due to an oversight, he was not formally appointed keeper until 1894. In 1895, the tower's stone foundation and steps were pointed with cement, and a new floor was laid.

In 1901, Joseph Arseneau petitioned for a raise in pay, as he was earning an annual salary of only $100, the same amount given to his grandfather in 1870, while having to pay for repairs and freight. However, his request was denied by the Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries, who stated that the light was an "unimportant harbour light" and that he could seek additional employment due to its proximity to a village.

After Joseph Arseneau's death in 1913, his wife, Denise, became the temporary keeper until the close of navigation that year. Denise was eventually appointed as the permanent keeper, as her property was right next to the light, and any other caretaker would have to live at least a mile away. She served as the keeper until at least 1929, when records show she suffered a fall and fractured her right humerus.

In 1972, a metal skeleton tower with a light was erected a few hundred metres west of the Inch Arran Lighthouse, turning it into a front-range light. This new range light helped mariners find the entrance to the Restigouche River.

Inch Arran Lighthouse was recognised as a Federal Heritage Building in 1991, in part due to the unusual "birdcage" of iron bars surrounding the lantern. It was further designated a heritage lighthouse under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act in 2017 and remains in operation today. Visitors can enjoy the panoramic views, birdwatching opportunities, and stunning sunrises from this northernmost point in New Brunswick.

Frequently asked questions