The president of the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society says the heritage designation for a lighthouse in Guysborough Co. is an important step toward keeping the structure intact.
The Isaac’s Harbour Lighthouse received heritage designation from officials with the federal government in early June.
Joe Flemming says there are nearly 100 lighthouses across the country that have received the designation, a significant number since there are only roughly 150 standing in our province.
He says he believes the lighthouse was built in 1874, but burned down in 1928 or 1929, then was rebuilt.
Flemming tells The Hawk the establishment has played an important role through the years.
“The history of that area is really gold mining,” he says. “You go back in time a certain number of years, there became a need to have a lighthouse there at the harbour, because the main method of transportation at that time was by feet.”
Flemming says there was no longer a light keeper at Isaac’s Harbour when it became automated in 1966.
He says the designation also means an easier ownership transition.
“It makes it easier to facilitate the transfer of that lighthouse to either a community group or Parks Canada, if they should take it on as well.”
Flemming says the Heritage Lighthouse Act was established in 2008.
He says society members want to re-establish a relationship with their counterparts with community groups who are considering looking after their lighthouse.
Photo credit: Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society (www..nslps.com)