Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse
Heritage Lighthouse
Havre-aux-Maisons Island, Quebec
General view
© Agence Parcs Canada | Parks Canada Agency, Luc Miousse, 2015.
Address :
De la Pointe-Basse Road, Alright Cape, Havre-aux-Maisons Island, Quebec
Recognition Statute:
Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (S.C. 2008, c 16)
Designation Date:
2015-04-16
Dates:
-
1928 to 1928
(Construction)
-
1928 to 1928
(Established)
Other Name(s):
-
Cape Alright Lighttower
(Other Name)
-
Echouerie de la Pointe-Basse Lighttower
(Other Name)
Description of Historic Place
The Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse, also known as Cape Alright Lighthouse, is a wooden square tapered tower that measures 8, 5 metres (28feet). Built in 1928, it stands atop 20-metre-high red sand cliffs on Cape Alright at the eastern extremity of Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons. It warns off its shore and around the Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Heritage Value
The Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse is a heritage lighthouse because of its historical, architectural, and community values.
Heritage values
The Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse is a very good example of the efforts of the Canadian government to improve aids to navigation in the maritime corridor of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, particularly around Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, which has been notoriously known for its dangerous waters that have caused more than 700 shipwrecks.
Since its establishment in 1928, the Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse has served the fishing industry, which is the main economy of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. The local fishery’s success has always been dependant on the lighthouses built on Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Architectural values
The short, broad base design of the Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse is very well suited to the maritime conditions of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. The lighthouse is well built using durable local materials and high quality craftsmanship, and has withstood the fierce weather conditions on the island. It also reflects the popular design favoured by the Department of Marine and Fisheries from the late-19th century onwards since wooden square-tapered lighthouses were economical to build, durable, and able to withstand heavy winds due to their low centre of gravity.
Community values
Standing atop 20-metre-high cliffs and surrounded by a vast expanse of grassy meadows, the Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse reinforces the maritime character of the area. With only a round-topped hill and a scattering of houses as its backdrop, the lighthouse is highly visible from land and water.
The Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse is a symbol of the Municipalité des Îles-de-la-Madeleine. The lighthouse serves as a strong reminder of the area’s cultural, economic and maritime history. It is highly valued by the local community as it is a significant navigational aid fro the area and a popular destination for walking.
Related buildings
No related building.
Character-Defining Elements
The following character-defining elements of the Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse should be respected: its location atop a cliff on the eastern tip of Île-du-Havre-aux-Maisons; its current, as-built form and proportions, based on the standard design of wooden squared-tapered towers; its square, wooden frame structure with tapered sides rising from a square base; its wood-framed lantern room topped by a pyramidal roof with vent, and the door leading to the lantern; its flared cornice that supports a square gallery; its simple iron railing surrounding the gallery; its single six-paned window that projects from the façade; its sole entry door with its plain shed dormer; its wooden exterior siding; its traditional red and white exterior colour scheme consisting of white for the tower, gallery, and lantern, and red for the gallery railing, roof ventilator, lantern door, window frames and door pediment; and, its visual prominence in relation to the water and landscape.