The Lamp on Nottawasaga Lighthouse came to life November 30th 1858 and continued to assist mariners until the light flickered out in July 2007. It stands as a reminder of the dangers faced by early settlers travelling west and ships laden with cargo arriving in Collingwood; a bustling town known in the early days as the “Chicago of the north”. The lighthouse beacon that had saved many lives was abandoned by the Coast guard in 2003, but the solar beacon continued to operate for 4 more years as if willed on by the ghosts of the 14 men that had maintained the light for over 135 years.

John Brown, the contractor, was born in Scotland in 1809 and came to Upper Canada via New York in 1838. By 1850, Brown had developed a reputation for quality and honesty, as well as considerable wealth. These qualities were what the Public Works commissioners were looking for when the fledgling nation needed lighthouses. The Works Board originally planned for 11 towers on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, However, only 6 were built- at Point Clark and Chantry Island on Lake Huron and Cove Island, Griffith Island, Nottawasaga Island and Christian Island on Georgian Bay.

Brown built the ‘Imperial’ towers of dolomite limestone from quarries in the Owen Sound area and topped them with granite to support the enormous weight of the cast iron lantern room at the top. Nottawasaga Lighthouse rises to 86 feet. The walls are 6 to 7 feet thick at the base and taper to 2 feet at the top. However the inside diameter remains a constant 10 feet 6 inches to accommodate the lantern room and light delivered from the Louis Saulter Company of Paris France. Nottawasaga’s powerful “second order” light was visible for 17 miles and marked the dangerous shoals that lie to the North West.

Today the Lighthouse is in danger of collapse. Time has taken its toll on this magnificent tower. A combination expansion and contraction, combined with numerous lightning strikes, has cracked the outer stone wall and loosened the wall from its inner core. Safety concerns prompted the Coast Guard to decommission the Tower five years ago. During a storm on December 1st 2004, the tower was struck by lightning and approximately 35 percent of the dolomite exterior came crashing down. Now an ugly brown scar is visible from the water. It is a testimony to the skill, and integrity of John Brown the builder, that the tower is still standing.

The Federal Government has shored up the outside wall but we now face a desperate struggle with time and the elements to try and save and restore the structure. The lighthouse has been deemed to be of high significance as a heritage building but now needs our attention, as Friends of the Nottawasaga Lighthouse, to raise money and petition each level of government to do their part.

We must contact
Helena Guergis MP, guergis.h@parl.gc.ca,
Jim Wilson MPP jim.wilson@pc.ola.org and
Chris Carrier Mayor of Collingwood ccarrier@collingwood.ca
to get the necessary funds to save a part of our marine heritage