Chute à Blondeau, Blondeau Falls, were located on the Ottawa River between Cushing and Greece’s Point. Construction of Chute-à Blondeau Canal along the north shore of the river to bypass the roughly one-metre drop of the falls began in 1829 and was completed in 1834. In 1857, a rock-filled, timber dam was built downstream from the falls at Carillon, backflooding the rapids at Chute-à Blondeau and allowing downstream to bypass the lock in the canal. A taller dam was built at Carillon in 1881, further flooding the rapids and eliminating the need for Chute-à Blondeau Canal.

In 1912, the Department of Marine constructed a set of range lights to guide vessels between Cushing and Greece’s Point. The following Notice to Mariners described the new Chute à Blondeau Range:

Front Range Light.
Position – On west extremity of island at Chute-à Blondeau.
Character – Fixed white light.
Elevation – 23 feet.
Visibility – 1 mile.
Order – Seventh dioptric.
Structure – Tower, square in plan, with sloping sides.
Material – Wood.
Colour – White, with a red roof.
Height – 18 feet, from its base to the top of the ventilator on the lantern.

Back Range Light.
Position – On the north shore of the river, 1214 feet from the front light.
Character – Fixed white light.
Elevation – 43 feet.
Visibility – 3 miles in the line of range and down stream.
Order – Fourth dioptric.
Structure – Skeleton tower, square in plan, with sloping sides, surmounted by watchroom and square lantern.
Material – Skeleton frame, steel; watchroom and lantern, wood.
Colour – Skeleton frame, red; watchroom, white; lantern, white with a red roof.
Height – 46 feet, from its base to the top of the ventilator on the lantern.

Goold, Shapley, & Muir of Brantford, Ontario supplied the steel tower for the rear light at a cost of $377.85, and T. Weir supervised the day labour that erected the two towers at a cost of $2,101.07.

L. Kerr served as keeper of the range lights from 1912 until 1922, and the C.F. Watson was placed in charge of the lights.

In 1962, with the completion of the Carillon power dam, the area at Chute-à Blondeau was further flooded, and the need for the range lights to avoid shoals in the area was eliminated.

Keepers: L. Kerr (1912 – 1922), C.F. Watson (1922 – at least 1923).

References

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

No lights exist at this location today.

Find the closest hotels to Chute à Blondeau Lighthouse