Pigeon Island Statistics

The Pigeon Island lighthouse was established in May 1870. According to the Nov 23, 1870 edition of the British Whig:

“New lighthouses have been erected as follows by the Canadian Department of Marine: One on Pigeon Island, about four miles from Wolfe Island on Lake Ontario, furnished with a powerful revolving light, which shows at intervals of one minute and ten seconds. It will be visible for fifteen miles in clear weather…These lighthouses have been constructed since the end of May last, and will no doubt do much to improve navigation in Canadian waters.”

Pigeon Island is located about 4 miles WSW of Wolfe Island’s Bear Point. The island is extremely small. It is only about 5 hectares (ha) in size or about 500 acres. Shoals—or sandbars in a body of water surround the island. The island is situated about 15 km or 9.3 miles from Kingston. It got the name Pigeon Island because at one time it was inhabited by passenger pigeons.

The first lighthouse established was a white, square wooden tower rising from the roof of a dwelling where the keeper lived. This building was probably 50’ high. I cannot find photos of this first building. I believe that this first building may have eventually burned down. In September 6, 1871, the British Whig quoted the first keeper—James Eccles in its story:

“Mr. James Eccles, lighthouse-keeper of Pigeon Island, states that the lamps had never worked properly, and last night the reflectors were destroyed, but the light was kept burning and was visible at a long distance. The land was plainly to be seen from the Spartan’s decks, and it is difficult to account for the captain steering directly towards it (the island). It is usual to give the island a wide berth. The Spartan is badly damaged, and will be got off with difficulty.” Over the years a boathouse and a wharf were added to the structures on the island.

Mr. ECCLES’ family lived on Wolfe Island. ECCLES died in 1873 while rowing back to Wolfe Island from Pigeon Island.

By 1909 the present tower was erected. It is 65 feet in height. It is a steel skeleton tower. It has a circular metal lantern. A steel base encloses the staircase and extends from the base of the tower to the keeper’s watch room at the top. The keeper’s watch room at the top of the structure is painted red.

Early keepers lived in a 1-½ story wooden dwelling with four rooms and there was a small boathouse for the boat that in the 1800s provided the only means of travel to and from the island. Most of the keepers had families who resided on Wolfe Island.

Because the lighthouse was so remote, keepers there were paid well in comparison to the keepers on Wolfe Island, for instance. In May 16, 1896, JH DAVIS was appointed the light keeper and records show he had a salary of $420 per year. By comparison, Patrick McAVOY, who was a keeper at Knapp’s Point, Wolfe Island, which was close to the local conveniences of Marysville, was paid $190 per year for the same type of chores.

The Pigeon Island lighthouse saw active duty until 1957, when the last keeper left. In 1963, the house and the boathouse were declared surplus. Nelson EVES (of Wolfe Island) bought the keeper’s house and boathouse and dismantled them. The foundations of those structures remain on the island today.

The lighthouse is operational and is still used as an aid to navigation. Today, Pigeon Island is accessible only by helicopter on the regular maintenance runs from the Prescott Canadian Coast Guard base.

The Islands: Lighthouses: Pigeon Island: Statistics