Two range lights established on Macfarlane point, in Wallace harbour, on the south side of the Strait of Northumberland, were put into operation on the 20th October, 1904.

They are shown from wooden towers, square in plan, with sloping sides, surmounted by square wooden lanterns, the whole painted white. The fixed red catoptric lights should be visible four miles in, and over a small arc on each of side of, the line of range.

The front tower stands upon the northeastern extremity of Macfarlane point, on the south side of the harbour, about 20 feet back from the edge of the bank, on land 16 feet about high water level, and 400 feet south of the site of the old ballast jetty.

The tower is 30 feet high from its base to the ventilator on the lantern. The light is elevated 41 feet above high water mark.

The back tower stands 1,860 feet N. 80° W. from the front one, on land 60 feet above high water mark. The tower is 40 feet high, from its base to the ventilator on the lantern, and the light is elevated 100 feet above high water mark.

The buildings were erected under contract by Mr. John D. Reid, of Head Wallace Bay, N.S. His contract price was $2,400.

Forty one people signed a petition in 1986 requesting that foliage be cleared to make the Wallace Harbour Rear Range Light more visible as several vessels had run aground the previous year. The Coast Guard tried to clear the offending trees and brush, but the owner of the property on which the vegetation stood was uncooperative. Rather than enter into litigation, the Coast Guard converted the front range light into a sector light in 1990. The tower’s square lantern room was removed and replaced with a rectangular lantern to house the new light. At the same time, the marking on the seaward face of the white tower was changed from a vertical red stripe to two horizontal red stripes. Later, the tower was changed to have just one red horizontal band.

In March of 1904, the rear range tower was sold to Graham Long, who cut the tower into three pieces and relocated the sections to Malagash Point, where the tower was reassembled and converted into a summer vacation home.

References

1. Annual Report of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, various years.
2. Lighthouses & Lights of Nova Scotia, E.H. Rip Irwin, 2003.