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Swallowtail Lighthouse (Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick)
Canada
The wreck of the merchant ship Lord Ashburton in 1857 on the northern tip of Grand Manan, with the loss of 21 lives, led the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly to call for "a Light House to be erected on the Northern Head of Grand Manan".[4] The site chosen was a headland called the "Swallow's Tail" near the entrance to the harbour at North Head. The lighthouse tower and keeper's dwelling were built in 1859 at a cost of £495 and the lantern was first lit on 7 July 1860.[5]: 17 It was the first lighthouse to be built on the island of Grand Manan.[6]
The light was originally provided by nine lamps and reflectors, which were later increased to ten. In 1887 a lens replaced the lamps and reflectors. In 1907 a fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed, providing 360° coverage.[4]
A wooden tower was built in 1914 to house a fog bell. The fog bell tower was moved in 1920 to a position closer to the lighthouse. In 1958 a new keeper's house was built, replacing the original dwelling. In the 1960s the lighthouse keeper had a boathouse moved from another lighthouse to the Swallowtail light station. In 1980 the fog bell was removed and put on display at the Grand Manan Museum. The lighthouse was automated and de-staffed in 1986.[5]: 18
| Manufacture Date | 1886 |
|---|---|
| Lighthouse Construction | 1859 |
| Country | Canada |
| Lens Order | 4th order |
| Lens Type | Fixed |
| Status | publish |
| Light Character | white light, 4 s on, 2 s off. |
| Lighthouse Markings | white tower, red lantern. 16 m (53 ft) octagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. Fog horn (2 s blast every 20 s). The keeper's house, restored by a movie production company in 1996, operated for several years as a bed and breakfast inn, but it is no longer in use. |
| Management Body Ports Authority | Village of Grand Manan (Swallowtail Lighthouse) |
| Preserver | Village of Grand Manan (Swallowtail Lighthouse) |
| Coastal Erosion Vulnerability | |
| Condition Observations | good condition |
| Open Status (Site) | Open |
| Open Status (Tower) | Open |
| Coordinates | 44.7642100535,-66.7326211049 |
| Other | ARLHS CAN-491; CCG A-033; Admiralty H4168; NGA 11364. This historic light, fifth oldest in New Brunswick, has been in need of restoration. In fall 2004 the lighthouse was painted by the Grand Manan Rotary Club and other volunteers. The building looked fine in a photo taken after the painting https://www.flickr.com/photos/radstu/137832570/ , but a 2006 photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/radstu/135194075/ shows how quickly the paint weathers. The building was painted again in summer 2006. In March 2008 the village of Grand Manan briefly put the keeper's house up for sale, but after public outcry the sale was cancelled and the Swallowtail Keepers Society was organized to work for preservation and operation of the lighthouse. Ownership of the lighthouse was transferred to the Village of Grand Manan in 2012. In 2013 grants from the provincial government helped fund site improvements, including a new boardwalk. Following additional restoration the tower was opened in 2015. The lantern of the former Great Duck Island lighthouse (next entry) was placed on display. In 2022 the Society launched a campaign to raise $300,000 to restore the exterior of the lighthouse. The name "Swallowtail" comes from the lighthouse's location on the more northern of two sharp points. The ferry from Blacks Harbour passes the lighthouse on arriving. Located off Old Airport Road at the end of a rocky peninsula north of North Head; accessible by a short hike that includes a steep stairway and a bridge over a deep gorge. Parking provided. Site open year round, gift shop and tower open daily during the summer season. |