The Imperial Towers of Ontario were six of the earliest lighthouses built on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay , all constructed primarily of stone, by the Province of Canada . The origin of the designation Imperial is not certain, but some historians speculate that because the towers were public construction built under the colonial administration while Canada was a self-governing colony of Britain, the name would assure at least some funding from the British Empire 's Board of Trade.
23-627: All were built at a time when commercial shipping traffic was increasing on the Great Lakes between Canada and the U.S. because of new trade agreements and the opening of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal locks in 1855. The settlement of the Bruce Peninsula was already well underway at the time, also making the lighthouses timely as navigational aids for the boats and ships. All are currently operating as automated lights. In 1855, John Brown ,
46-414: A builder from Thorold, Ontario , was contracted to build eleven lighthouses and keepers' dwellings on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay between Point Clark and Christian Bay . Eventually, only six of the towers were completed. These were: All six were built between 1855 and 1859 and all were lit by 1859; for the most part, their construction was simultaneous and the design virtually identical, although
69-782: A movable lighthouse at Isle aux Raisins, Quebec (1867). Four towers were built along the approaches to the Saint Lawrence: at fr:Cap-des-Rosiers on the Gaspe peninsula; in the Strait of Belle Isle ; at Pointe Amour near L'Anse Amour on the Labrador coast; and at West Point on Anticosti Island. Other imperial towers are Mohawk Island (Gull Island), Lake Erie, built in 1848 by John Brown and Government historians list Bois Blanc near Amherstburg Ont built before that as also being an imperial tower. The imperial towers were originally spelt with
92-534: A prominent navigational hazard which was already well-recognized. Sites were also chosen based on their proximity to good anchorages. The projects cancelled were to be at White Fish Island, Mississagi Strait, Isle St. Joseph, Clapperton Island and Badgley Island. Construction of the lights was plagued by difficulties. Brown lost four full supply boats, all of which sank before reaching their destinations and unloading. More supplies were lost from being swept overboard during storms and rough seas. Furthermore, delivery of
115-477: A small "i" and this is the definition of an imperial tower - Webster's Dictionary 1904-1951. imperial : In architecture, designating a form of dome or roof, as used in a Moorish buildings. imperial: In architecture, a kind of dome which viewed in profile, pointed toward the top and widens as it descends, as in Moorish buildings; an imperial dome. Sault Ste. Marie Canal The Sault Ste. Marie Canal
138-591: Is a National Historic Site in Sault Ste. Marie , Ontario , and is part of the national park system, managed by Parks Canada . It includes a lock to bypass the rapids on the St. Marys River . The first canal near the site was built in 1798, but was destroyed in 1814 during the War of 1812 . The present canal dates to 1895, and formed part of the shipping route from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Superior , along with
161-693: Is part of the Chaudière-Appalaches region and the population was 855 as of the Canada 2021 Census . It is named after the seigneurie of which it was part. Bordered in the northwest by the Saint Lawrence River , Lotbinière is part of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec network. It was constituted in 1979 from the amalgamation of the parish of Saint-Louis-de-Lotbinière and the village of Lotbinière. The area
184-525: Is underway to restore the Nottawasaga light but more funds will be required. The Christian Island light, located on Beausoleil First Nation lands, also requires restoration. Other Imperial Lights were built in the 1860s usually of rock shipped from Scotland, at Lotbinière, Quebec (1860); Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec (1862); L'Islet, Quebec (1865); Port St. Francis, Quebec on Lake St. Peter (1865); Isle aux Prunes opposite Verchères, Quebec (1866); and
207-591: The two locks on the US side of the river. One of the walls of the lock collapsed in 1987 and the canal was closed to traffic. In 1998 a smaller lock was opened within the original canal. It is suitable for smaller boats and mostly used for pleasure craft. The first lock was completed in 1798 by the North West Company . On July 20, 1814, an American force destroyed the North West Company depot on
230-530: The Christian Island Light is not as tall as the others. Cove Island was the first to be lit, on October 30, 1858; construction on Christian Island was the first to be started but this Light was the last to be lit, on May 1, 1859. (The projects cancelled were to be at White Fish Island, Mississagi Strait, Isle St. Joseph, Clapperton Island and Badgley Island.) The locations of the towers were chosen based on known traffic patterns; each tower marked
253-564: The Heritage Character Statement from the Government of Canada (for the nearly identical Chantry Island light), the design is very strong and somewhat ornate. As of 2017, all six towers are still standing and are functioning as automated lights. Three have been extensively restored. However, Griffith (on a private island), and especially Nottawasaga, are deteriorating due to lack of maintenance. A fund raising effort
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#1732771903289276-548: The construction of a Canadian Sault Ste. Marie Canal, which was completed in 1895. This event is now known as the Chicora Incident . The construction of the canal and lock was completed in 1895. At that time it was the largest lock and first electrically operated lock in the world. The canal is about 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) long and originally the lock portion was 274 metres (899 ft) long and 18 metres (59 ft) wide. On June 9, 1909, an accident occurred at
299-411: The exception of Christian Island, a 55-foot (17 m) tower. The rock courses at the bottom of the towers reach some seven feet thick, and the walls at ground level are six feet thick, tapering towards two feet thickness at the top. Though the lighthouses are conical , their interior diameter is 10'6'' throughout. The towers and dwellings are constructed of limestone , with a granite section near
322-545: The lighting apparatus for each tower was delayed by competing demand from lighthouse expansion in the United States and a bottleneck in the delivery of the lenses. The Fresnel lenses were made by the Louis Sautter Company of Paris and installed by specialist workmen from France. The most powerful (second-order) lenses were used at Point Clark, Chantry, Cove and Nottawasaga Island. Consequently, Brown
345-554: The lock. The lower gates were closed and the lock was filled with water, while the upper gates were open. The Canadian Pacific steamer Assiniboia was inside the lock, tied up, and the Pittsburgh Steamship Company's freighter Crescent City was entering the lock. Another ship, the Perry G. Walker, was approaching the closed lower gates from below. Despite a sign indicating where the Perry G. Walker should stop, there
368-712: The north shore of the St. Marys River. Since the Americans were unable to capture Fort Michilimackinac , the British forces retained control of the Sault. The lock was destroyed in 1814 in an attack by U.S. forces during the War of 1812 . In 1870, the United States refused the steamer Chicora , carrying Colonel Garnet Wolseley permission to pass through the locks at Sault Ste Marie. The Wolseley Expedition incident led to
391-497: The old lock, was opened in 1998 and is 77 metres (253 ft) long, 15.4 metres (51 ft) wide, 13.5 metres (44 ft) deep, with a 3 metres (9.8 ft) draft. The canal is used for recreational and tour boats; major shipping traffic uses the U.S. locks . The canal was designated a National Historic Site in 1987, and is managed by Parks Canada as a unit of the national park system. It welcomes recreational boating and land-based visitors. There are several heritage buildings on
414-598: The only one to ever be used in an emergency. Guided tours are available in the summer only. The visitor centre is open Mid-June to Mid-October. The Red River Expedition of 1870 , a National Historic Event , portaged nearby, prior to the canal's construction, and was the major reason for its creation. Lotbini%C3%A8re, Quebec Lotbinière is a municipality in Lotbinière Regional County Municipality in Quebec , Canada . It
437-506: The site: the administration building, the superintendent's residence, the canalmen's shelter, the powerhouse and the blacksmith shop, all constructed from red sandstone dug up during the canal's construction. Most of the original machinery used to operate the lock is also still in place. Another unique feature of the site is the Sault Canal Emergency Swing Dam , the only emergency swing dam left in existence, and
460-399: The top of the tower for extra rigidity to support the lantern rooms . Most other lighthouses of the era were built of brick, wood, iron or concrete. The lanterns are made of copper alloys , glass , and cast iron . The towers are whitewashed and painted with red trim. Each was initially equipped with a Fresnel lens ; they were the first Canadian lighthouses so equipped. According to
483-496: The upper gates were also harmed. The rush of water through the destroyed locks was stopped by activation of the Emergency Swing Dam, allowing repairs to commence. Amazingly, there was no loss of life or injury associated with this disaster, and repairs required only 12 days, with the bridge reopening on June 21, 1909. Due to a wall failure in 1987, the historic lock was shut down indefinitely. A new lock, built within
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#1732771903289506-473: Was a miscommunication between the captain and engineer. As a result, the Walker struck the pier and crashed into the southern gate while moving at approximately 6 miles per hour. This caused significant damage to the lower gate. The impact of the collision led to the water inside the lock rushing out at a speed of over 40 miles per hour, carrying all three ships with it. All three ships suffered severe damage, and
529-464: Was facing bankruptcy by 1857, and petitioned the provincial government for assistance. Presumably, the government responded favorably since he completed all six and remained in business until his death. By 1859 all six towers were lit. The final cost was approximately $ 223,000, a massive sum in that era. Only minor variations exist in the design of the six towers, as was required for the different building sites. They are all 80 feet (24 m) tall, with
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