Cape Race Lighthouse

by Zinvolle Art

Title

Cape Race Lighthouse

Artist

Zinvolle Art

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The Cape Race Lighthouse National Historic Site of Canada is situated on a remote headland on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland. The stone and reinforced concrete tower consists of a smooth, plain cylinder crowned by a circular metal lantern surrounded by a concrete walkway and railing. The lighthouse stands amongst smaller support buildings. Its strategic location makes it highly visible to maritime traffic.

Cape Race Lighthouse was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1974 because:
- it was the most important landfall light built on the dangerous and fog-bound southern shore of Newfoundland's Avalon peninsula to guide ships heading through the Cabot Strait for Canada; and,
- installation of a new lighting apparatus in 1907 meant it housed one of the most powerful lights in the world.
The heritage value of this site resides in the physical presence of the lighthouse, witness to the importance of the Cabot Strait shipping lane. It also resides in the design and stout construction of this tower, which housed a powerful light. The Cape Race Lighthouse also illustrates the improvement of aids to navigation on the east coast of Canada. Designed by Steel Concrete Co. it represents a pioneering example of maritime design and engineering in Canada. Built in 1907 by the Canadian government, this lighthouse, which marks the entrance to the nation�s busiest shipping lane, replaced an earlier light tower erected by the imperial government in 1856 on the same site.

Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, June 1974.

Uploaded

September 9th, 2013

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags