|
New London Range Rear, PE |
  |
Description:
George McKenzie of French River was awarded a contract of $1,300 to construct the New London Lighthouse, work which he completed during the summer of 1876. The tower, which has a height of 13.3 metres (43.6 feet), is 4.5 metres (15 feet) square at the base and tapers to 2.3 metres (7.5 feet) square at the lantern room. A narrow, two-story dwelling is attached to the landward side of the tower.
George McKenzie must have been quite satisfied with the result of his work as he stayed on as keeper of the lighthouse for two decades. In 1878, a front range light was constructed near the entrance to New London Harbour by John McKay for $130, and the New London Lighthouse started to serve as a rear range light. Just a few weeks after the front range was completed, the tower was lifted up during a heavy gale, carried 183 metres (600 feet) westward, and its lantern was completely destroyed. One night in 1894, Keeper McKenzie was asleep in the watchroom just below the lantern when a chimney in the lantern broke, causing the lamps to catch fire. The lighting apparatus was completed destroyed, and the tower was saved from total destruction only “by the brave and energetic action of the keeper, Captain George McKenzie, who entered the lantern, all aflame with burning oil, and succeeded, unaided, in getting the fire out.” Milton Walsh, foreman of works of general repairs for the Prince Edward Division of the Department of Marine and Fisheries installed a new light, while P. McMahon scraped and painted the lantern. During the winter of 1902-1903, heavy ice grounded off the entrance to New London Harbour causing the heavy current running out of the harbour to scour a new channel through the outer bar, northwest of the channel marked by the range lights. A new rear range light was hastily erected in the form of a fixed white light shown from a square lantern hoisted on a mast to serve the new channel. The New London Lighthouse remained in operation, showing a fixed red light as a coastal light. The following year, the channel shifted back to its former location, and the New London Lighthouse resumed its operation as the rear range light. James McLeod was appointed keeper of the light on January 29, 1896. Other keepers of the light include James A. Pigeon who served from 1918 to October 1931, when he was replaced by Hugh John MacRae. McRae kept the light until October 31, 1940, when he went on military leave and was replaced by his brother, Charles Earl MacRae, who kept the light for the next month. Claude Adams took over as temporary keeper on December 1, 1940 and served until his death on January 23, 1943. His wife, Maisie Adams of French River, then assumed responsibility of the light, becoming one of the few women to mind a light on Prince Edward Island. She resigned in 1956, and W. Roland Paynter was hired as temporary keeper on May 1, 1957 and served until the tower was electrified. New London Lighthouse was rented from the mid-1960s to 2000, when the Canadian Coast Guard discontinued private leases of Prince Edward Island lighthouses. The light remains active today helping guide vessels into New London Harbour. References
Location: Located at the end of Cape Road, just north of Fish River. Latitude: 46.51042 Longitude: -63.48728 For a larger map of New London Range Rear Lighthouse, click the lighthouse in the above map or get a map from: Mapquest. Travel Instructions: From Highway 6 in New London at the Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace, go north on Highway 20 for 6.9km (4.3 miles) and then turn right on River Road (Route 263). Follow River Road until it ends, then turn right onto Cape Road and drive for 1.6km (1.0 miles) to its end where you can park your car and walk down a dirt road to the New London Range Rear Lighthouse. The lighthouse is owned by the Canadian Coast Guard but leased privately. Grounds/tower closed. Find the closest hotels to New London Range Rear Lighthouse Notes from a friend: Kraig writes:We stopped off at the Anne of Green Gables Museum for a restroom break, and just after we turned off the car, a carload of Japanese tourists asked us if we knew where the New London Lighthouse was located - the lighthouse that is seen in the Anne of Green Gables movies. I mentioned that we were headed there next, so after a quick trip to the restroom and a brief stop in the gift shop where Marilyn picked up two Anne of Green Gables dolls, (it was the 100th anniversary of the publication of the book so she just had to get them!), we escorted our new friends to the lighthouse. See our List of Lighthouses in Prince Edward Island Canada |
