Wood Islands Lighthouse facts for kids

The Wood Islands Lighthouse is a famous lighthouse on the southeastern shore of Prince Edward Island in Canada. It's located in a community called Wood Islands.

This historic building is a three-story tower with a house for the lighthouse keeper attached to it. The tower is painted white with a bright red iron lantern at the very top. A white railing goes around the observation deck, where people could look out at the sea. The house also has a red roof, which looks striking against the white walls.

It was one of the last lighthouses on the island to become fully automated, meaning it no longer needed a person to run it. It was also the last one where a keeper and their family lived. Today, the lighthouse and the keeper's house are a museum. You can visit to learn about lighthouses, the local ferry service, and the island's fishing history. The museum even has a kitchen and living area set up to look just like they did in the 1950s!

History of the Lighthouse

A drawing of the Wood Islands Lighthouse from 1880.

Building a Beacon

In 1874, the Canadian government set aside $6,000 to build a lighthouse at Wood Islands. The land was bought in 1875, and the lighthouse was finished and turned on for the first time on November 1, 1876.

The first builder didn't make much progress, so a local master carpenter named Donald MacMillan was hired to finish the job. Thanks to him, the lighthouse was completed.

For many years, the lighthouse helped guide fishing boats and other ships sailing in the Northumberland Strait. In 1940, a ferry service started running between Wood Islands and Caribou, Nova Scotia. The ferry boats used the lighthouse to help them navigate safely.

Upgrades and Changes

Over the years, the lighthouse received many upgrades. In 1950, the keeper's house got a new kitchen. In 1958, the lighthouse and house were wired for electricity. This meant the light could use a powerful 1000-watt lamp. The light also changed from being on all the time (a fixed light) to a flashing light, which is still used today.

In 1984, more renovations were done. A generator and fog alarm were added. A new balcony was also built to hold the fog alarm equipment.

A Big Move

After standing in the same spot for 133 years, the lighthouse was in danger. The shoreline was eroding, or washing away, and the lighthouse was getting too close to the water. On March 10, 2009, a major project began to move the entire building. It was moved 70 meters inland to safer ground. The move was done in the winter so the frozen ground would be strong enough to support the heavy structure.

The Lighthouse Keepers

Being a lighthouse keeper in the early days was a tough job. The lighthouse was hard to reach, surrounded by thick woods. Keepers had to walk along the beach or through a rough track in the woods to get to their home and the light. Over time, as the harbor was developed for the ferry, it became easier to access the lighthouse.

Here is a list of the people who served as keepers at the Wood Islands Lighthouse:

What Are Harbour Range Lights?

Besides the main lighthouse, there are also two smaller lights called the Wood Islands Harbour Range Lights. These range lights were built in 1902 to help ships enter the narrow and shallow harbor safely. They are now located near the main lighthouse but are no longer active.

Range lights work in pairs. One light (the front range) is lower than the other (the rear range). When a ship's captain sees the two lights lined up perfectly, one above the other, they know their ship is on the correct path to enter the harbor. If the rear light appears to the left of the front light, the ship is too far to the left. If it appears to the right, the ship is too far to the right. It's a simple but clever way to navigate.

The two range lights at Wood Islands are small, square wooden towers. The Front Range Light is white with a red stripe. The Rear Range Light is taller and has a neat wooden railing around its lantern deck.

See also

• List of lighthouses in Prince Edward Island
• List of lighthouses in Canada