This
lighthouse was built by the Canadian
government in 1840. It is 65 feet (17 meters) tall, and is white with red trim. It is located at the mouth of
Otter creek in
Port Burwell, Ontario. It is
Canada's oldest wooden lighthouse, and was the first
lighthouse in Ontario to shine over
Lake Erie.
The lighthouse was built with the classic eight sided design, encasing the stairs to the lantern room. The original optic piece, a third-order Fresnel lens, is still in place. It was originally lit with whale oil, then kerosene and eventually by electricity.
It was decommissioned in 1963, and was refurbished in 1986 by Mennonite craftsmen. They used the same tools and techniques as were used when it was built. It is now open to tourists. The lamp is still lit recognizing its importance to early shipping.
Contact Information:
Port Burwell Marine Museum and Historic Lighthouse
20 Pitt Street
Port Burwell, Ontario
N0J 1T0
Phone: (519) 874-4807