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The Bruce Coast Lighthouse Tour consists of 15 lighthouses. Many of these are easily accessible, some are open to visitors. On this page I have information and photos of six of these.

In the 1800's, as people began to increasingly settle in the Bruce peninsula and commerce increased, the number of ships lost in the treacherous waters of Lake Huron also increased. In response to the need for accurate navigation to avoid shoals, a lighthouse building campaign was undertaken. The "Imperial" lighthouses were the result. Six were built in the 1850's by a man named John Brown. Each of the lighthouses is similar but each also has unique features. Four of the Imperial Lighthouses are in the Bruce Peninsula area. These include three that are open to visitors: Chantry Island, Cove Island, and Point Clark.
The common features of the Imperial lighthouses include building materials and dimensions. The lighthouses were built of limestone. The thickness of the foundation walls of each of the Imperial Lighthouses is seven feet thick, with the wall thickness decreasing to five feet above ground and eventually to only three feet at the top of the tower.

I hope you enjoy my photos of the Bruce Coast Lighthouses in Ontario, Canada.

The Point Clark Lighthouse was built between 1855 and 1859. This lighthouse is one of the six "Imperial" lighthouses built in the 1850's. It is open for tours during the summer months and the lighthouse keeper's quarters in now a museum. The lighthouse is located between Goderich and Kincardine in Ontario, Canada.	The Kincardine Lighthouse is an eight-sided structure built atop a two-story lighthouse keeper's house in the town of Kincardine. The lighthouse was built in 1881 and is 74 feet tall. In the summertime, a "Phantom Scottish Piper" plays at the top of the lighthouse at sunset each night.
The original Lions Head lighthouse was built in 1903 and has since been replaced several times due to the harsh conditions of the site. The lighthouse standing here today is a student-built replica of the original.	The Big Tub Lighthouse is a six-sided wooden structure standing 43 feet tall. It's built on the site of the original, which was built in 1885.
The original Cape Croker lighthouse was built of wood in 1898, but replaced by this one in 1902. This lighthouse is 53 feet tall with a Fresnel lens imported from France. It is eight-sided in shape and built of reinforced concrete. It was reported to be the first lighthouse to have an electrically operated light and foghorn.	The treacherous waters surrounding Chantry Island are filled with over 50 shipwrecks. The Chantry Island Lighthouse is one of the original six "Imperial" Lighthouses and became operational in 1859. The lighthouse and keeper's quarters have been restored by the Marine Heritage Society and both are open to the public. Visitors must be authorized by the society in advance to tour the site and visitation is heavily regulated by the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The island and surrounding waters is a bird sanctuary. Tours can be arranged by calling 519-797-5862 or toll free at 866-797-5862.
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