Description of Historic Place

The Tower at Louisbourg is situated on a rugged site at the north side of the entrance to Louisbourg Harbour. The octagonal tower is a tapered, reinforced concrete structure built in a classically inspired design. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Tower at Louisbourg is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
The Tower at Louisbourg is strongly associated with the theme of aids to navigation in Canada. The current Tower is the fourth to have been built on this same site, the site of the first lighthouse in Canada. The Tower at Louisbourg contains a plaque marking the construction of the first tower by the French in 1731-1733 and commemorates the defence of Louisbourg. The Tower continues the tradition of serving the active marine community of Louisbourg and acts as a coastal light as well as an indication of the entrance to the Louisbourg Harbour.

Architectural Value
The aesthetic quality of the Tower at Louisbourg is very good. Designed in a classical style, the structure was built to a plan that was used on one other occasion for the Tower at George’s Island in Halifax Harbour. The classical influence in its design is evidenced in the tower’s columnar form, with its defined base, shaft and capital. The Tower also displays very good craftsmanship such as the exaggerated voussoirs scribed in the concrete to simulate rustic masonry.

Environmental Value
The Tower at Louisbourg, as the only structure on its site, reinforces the character of its coastal maritime setting and is a prominent landmark on the coastline.

Sources:
Federal Heritage Building Review Office Building Report 90-267; Heritage Character Statement, 90-267.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Tower should be respected.

Its aesthetic design with classical detailing, good materials and very good craftsmanship,
for example: its tapered octagonal form with a defined base, shaft and capital; its reinforced concrete construction; its deep horizontal channels and exaggerated voussoirs scribed in the concrete of the lower storey of the tower; its pedimented windows; its octagonal lantern and lantern platform supported on decorative brackets; the traditional Canadian Coast Guard colour scheme of white with a red lantern.

The manner in which the Tower reinforces the character of its maritime coastal setting and is a prominent landmark on the coastline, as evidenced by: its overall design, scale and appearance which stands against its rugged coastal environment; its high visibility and familiarity to the marine community in the area, and to residents of Louisbourg, as well as to visitors frequenting the Visitor Reception Centre area of the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The Louisbourg lighttower was built in 1923-24 by the Department of Marine and Fisheries. It is the property of Transport Canada and continues to serve as a coastal light and an indication of the entrance to the Louisbourg harbour. See FHBRO Building Report 90-267.

Reasons for Designation

The Louisbourg lighttower was designated Recognized because of its association with the theme of aid to navigation, because of its historical and environmental significance as the site of the first lighthouse in Canada and the second on the North American continent, and for architectural reasons.

The current structure is the fourth lighttower on the site. Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaques on the tower commemorate the defence of Louisbourg by the French, and the fireproof lighthouse built after the first tower succumbed to fire.

The Louisbourg lighttower was built to a plan that appears to have been used only here and at George's Island in Halifax Harbour. Architecturally, it is more decorative than many of the reinforced concrete lighthouses built during the 20th century by the Department of Marine and Fisheries.

Character Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Louisbourg lighttower resides in its tapered octagonal form and classical detailing competently rendered in reinforced concrete, and in its relationship with the landscape and the remains of earlier towers on the site.

The classical influence is evident in the tower's columnar form, with its defined base, shaft and capital. The base - the lower storey - has deep horizontal channels and exaggerated voussoirs scribed in the concrete to simulate rusticated masonry. The shaft is smooth concrete pierced with pedimented windows. The capital is comprised of the lantern and lantern platform supported on decorative brackets. The octagonal lantern, which is original, continues the vertical lines of the shaft.

Exterior features and finishes which contribute to this differentiation of base, shaft and capital should be preserved. Alterations to windows and doors should seek to retain original material and respect the original configuration, and any proposed alterations to the interior should be preceded by an investigation of original finishes and features.

Apart from the free-standing fog alarm equipment, the lighttower is the only structure at the site, standing out as a landmark on the coastline. This prominence in the landscape underscores the tower's function and should be preserved. Similarly, the traditional Canadian Coast Guard colour scheme of white with a red lantern contributes to the tower's visibility and is the most historically appropriate scheme for the structure. Near the base of the tower, the remains of earlier structures are interpreted for the benefit of visitors, but the site is otherwise rugged and natural in character and should be retained as such.