Neuville is a village on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, just west of Quebec City. The village, which was founded in 1684, was also known as Pointe-aux-Trembles (or Pointe-au-Tremble), in reference to the point on which a church was built, which once was covered with aspen and birch.

In 1913, a light was established on the wharf at Pointe-aux-Trembles. The following Notice to Mariners published that year described the new light:

River St. Lawrence Above Quebec – Pointe aux Trembles-en-bas – Light established on wharf.

Date of establishment – 1st July, 1913, without further notice.

Position – On outer end of Pointe aux Tremble wharf.

Character – Fixed white light.

Elevation – 34 feet.

Visibility – 10 miles. The reflector is arranged to point down stream directly towards St. Augustin bar gas buoy No. 15Q, to aid in guiding vessels from the gas buoy, across St. Augustin bar, up to the alignment of St. Antoine traverse range light.

Order – Catoptric.

Structure – Square lantern on top of freight-shed.

Material – Wood.

Colour – Freight-shed drab, with roof red; lantern white, with roof red.

Remarks – At low tide vessels drawing 8 feet can go to the wharf.

F. Parent installed the long-focus reflector atop the freight-shed while P. Gagnon lined the lantern with tin. The total for this work was $87.23. B. Bachette built a stairway to access the light and a partition for $555.73.

L. Gauvin was the first keeper of the light and looked after it through at least 1923. Ferdinand Turgeon served as keeper from 1936 to 1965.

Around 1941, the characteristic of the light was changed from fixed white to fixed green. After a minor fire in 1956, the light was transferred to a nearby pole. In 2021, a skeletal tower was displaying a flashing white light on the breakwater of Pointe aux Trembles at Neuville.

Keepers: L. Gauvin (1913 – at least 1923), Ferdinand Turgeon (1936 – 1965).

References

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

A modern light marks the breakwater today.

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