Early view of Black Bear Island Lighthouse Photograph courtesy Marine Museum of Manitoba

Lake Winnipeg is the eleventh-largest freshwater lake in the world and is contained entirely within the province of Manitoba. The lake stretches 416 kilometres (258 miles) from north to south and served for several centuries as an important trade route, helping link York Factory, the longtime headquarters for the Hudson’s Bay Company, on Hudson Bay to the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers at Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Near its middle, Lake Winnipeg narrows, with only about two kilometres separating West Doghead Point from East Doghead Point. Just north of this constriction in the lake, known as The Narrows, lies Black Bear Island.

In 1898, the Department of Marine announced the establishment of two new lighthouses on the lake, including one on Black Bear Island.

To accommodate the increasing steamboat traffic on Lake Winnipeg, two additional lighthouses were built this year on that stretch of water, one on the point of land running out from Big Island to form Gull Harbour, the other on the easternmost extremity of Black Bear Island. The towers, which are similar, being square wooden buildings with sloping walls, surmounted by square wooden lanterns, all painted white, were erected by Mr. John W. Scott, of Selkirk, his contract price for the Gull Harbour lighthouse being $380, and for the other $405. The fixed white lights were put in operation in the autumn.

Black Bear Island is roughly three-and-a-half kilometres long and one-and-a-half kilometres wide, and its east end was the perfect location for a light to mark the northern entrance to The Narrows.

Daniel Matheson was hired as the first keeper of the lighthouse in 1899 at an annual salary of $150. A hand-operated foghorn was established on Black Bear Island in 1910, and Keeper Matheson was paid an extra sum each year to operate it. In 1919, the least year of his service, Keeper Matheson was earning an annual salary of $405.

The lighthouse is now located on the grounds of the Marine Museum of Manitoba in Selkirk. In 2020, a cylindrical mast, with a red and white rectangular daymark, was being used on the east end of Black Bear Island to display a flashing white light for mariners.

Keepers: Daniel Matheson (1899 – 1919), A. Coullard (1919 – 1920), J.A. McLennan (1920 – at least 1937).

References

1. Annual Report of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, various years.

From Winnipeg, travel north on Main Street (Hwy 9A) for 35 km to Selkirk, Manitoba. Once in Selkirk, turn right on Queen Avenue, continue one block, and you will see the lighthouse on the grounds of Marine Museum of Manitoba.

The lighthouse is owned by Marine Museum of Manitoba. Grounds open, tower closed.

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