Green Point Lighthouse
Heritage Lighthouse
Port de Grave, Newfoundland and Labrador
Aerial view
(© Department of Fisheries and Ocean Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada)
Address :
Lighthouse Road, Port de Grave Peninsula, Port de Grave, Newfoundland and Labrador
Recognition Statute:
Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (S.C. 2008, c 16)
Designation Date:
2017-10-20
Dates:
-
1883 to 1883
(Construction)
Event, Person, Organization:
-
Robert Andrews, first lighthouse keeper
(Person)
Description of Historic Place
The Green Point Lighthouse is a 6.3 metre (20.7 feet) cylindrical, cast-iron tower. It was constructed in 1883, and is located on the rugged point of rural Port de Grave Peninsula. It serves as a secondary coastal light, guiding vessels entering the southern entrance to Bay Roberts Harbour, on the Avalon Peninsula in Eastern Newfoundland.
Heritage Value
The Green Point Lighthouse is a heritage lighthouse because of its historical, architectural, and community values.
Historical values:
The Green Point Lighthouse is a good example of the expansion of navigational aids in the colony of Newfoundland in the 19th century. A system of lighthouses was initiated in 1811, with major shipping routes marked initially, followed by minor lights to make local shipping and fishing safer for outport communities. The tower at Green Point was erected in 1883 at the specific request of the local community of Bay Roberts, which had suffered a devastating loss of 45 men when the Huntsman vessel sank in a storm. The lighthouse has served an important role in the socio-economic development of the communities along the Port de Grave Peninsula. By the 19th century, the area had become a leading fishing, trading and commercial settlement. The lighthouse served both the inshore and Labrador fisheries, contributing to the growth of the local economy and surrounding communities. Today Port de Grave continues to be one of the most active fishing ports in the province, and the lighthouse guides numerous tankers, ferries, fishing and cargo vessels, and recreational boaters.
Architectural values:
The Green Point Lighthouse is a good example of a cast-iron, straight, cylindrical tower with a red and white colour scheme, similar to many cast-iron lighthouses built in Newfoundland in the 1870s. The tower has a small window and a ‘crow’s nest’ inspired gallery. It reflects a utilitarian design, modest, with little decoration. The Green Point Lighthouse was inexpensive to build and easy to construct. It has both low maintenance requirements and long-term durability. It is a good example of a cast-iron construction that reflects the desire to achieve a functional design that would withstand the rigours of the Newfoundland coast. In the 1980s, the lighthouse was automated and today is powered by solar-charged batteries.
Community values:
The Green Point Lighthouse sits on a rugged, exposed setting at the end of the narrow Port de Grave Peninsula. A few fishing villages dot the rocky point, reinforcing the maritime character of the setting. It is a very familiar landmark to mariners in the region. The local communities in the Port de Grave region value the lighthouse as a beacon to guide mariners on the water. The site also attracts visitors and community members for picnics and to admire the ocean view. Local residents staffed the lighthouse for many years, and as such, it remains a cultural symbol of the community.
Character-Defining Elements
The following character-defining elements of the Green Point Lighthouse should be respected:- its location on the rugged, exposed tip of the narrow Port de Grave Peninsula; - its intact, as-built structural form, height, profile and balanced proportions; - its excellently preserved cast-iron cylindrical shaft; - its small lantern with triangular glazing and prominent cap; - its “crow’s nest”-inspired gallery surrounded by metal railing; - its elevated entry door; - its simple reinforced concrete foundation; - its traditional red and white exterior colour scheme, notably the alternating red and white bands on the tower; and, - its visual prominence in relation to the water and landscape.