HistoryOn April 1, 1859, the first beacon flashed from the Point Clark lighthouse, the same day its sister lighthouse, Chantry Island, began flashing its warnings of dangerous waters to Lake Huron sailors. The lighthouse was built to warn mariners of a dangerous shoal extending about 3 kms from Point Clark into Lake Huron. Although the days of heavy shipping traffic along the shoreline are long past, the lighthouse is now used by recreational boaters and commercial vessels as a reference point by which to travel. Originally fuelled with oil, the rotation of the light was controlled by a device similar to a large clock spring which the lightkeeper rewound every eight hours. In April 1953, the light became electrically operated. The signal, which flashes for 20 seconds, can be seen for 15 miles. In 1967, Parks Canada acquired this lighthouse to commemorate the importance of Great Lakes lighthouses and their role in navigation. Point Clark was the first lighthouse in Ontario to be protected through designation as a National Historic Site. |
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