Huron-Perth Boomers Summer 2024

More documents

Recommendations

Info

HISTORY Photos courtesy of Wellington Drone, @explore.ontario, Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre & the Township of <strong>Huron</strong>-Kinloss
Construction of the Point Clark Lighthouse commenced in 1856, with its inaugural lighting on April 1, 1859. Crafted from limestone quarried in Inverhuron to the north, the tower features inner and outer walls filled with rubble. The top section consists of a single granite wall designed to support the weight of the ironworks, including a distinctive red cast-iron polygonal lantern room crafted by skilled artisans from France. Its completion in 1859 marked a significant milestone, with its light visible up to 15 miles away. The original structure rested on a foundation of sturdy timber concealed beneath the sand. As lighthouse construction commenced at Pine Point, a small community emerged around it, complete with many shops and a hotel. There were high hopes that the Point Clark community would be a bustling and thriving town. However, Point Clark was still remote and hard to get to, dashing the hopes of the vision of a port town. The absence of a proper harbour and the construction of a more convenient trade route (along today’s Hwy. 21) between Kincardine and Goderich, led to disillusionment, prompting numerous families to relocate to more promising locales. Combined with a devastating flood in 1868, the settlement plunged into hardship, and even Captain Gamble, one of the original settlers, returned to his homeland in Ireland. Despite the hard times, lighthouse construction continued. The keeper’s residence was finalized in 1857, and consisted of a kitchen, parlour and bedroom, with a loft with two small rooms up a set of steep stairs. A separate structure housed the lighthouse’s oil supply, still detectable by its distinct oily scent today. Although a barn once housed animals on the property, it has since been relocated nearby and transformed into a cottage. To keep the light running, warning mariners of the shallow shoal, lightkeepers were employed by the federal government. Married men were preferred SUMMER <strong>2024</strong> • 17
Page 1 and 2: A FREE magazine for adults 50+ SUMM
Page 3 and 4: FROM THE PUBLISHER Sweet, sweet sum
Page 5 and 6: y Colleen Maguire HISTORY “B oy w
Page 7 and 8: y Colleen Maguire HISTORY “The ab
Page 9 and 10: y Colleen Maguire HISTORY the brass
Page 11 and 12: y Elizabeth Bundy-Cooper SPOTLIGHT
Page 13 and 14: HISTORY Point Clark’s Lighthouse
Page 15: Great Lake region (University of Mi
Page 19 and 20: y Amy Irwin paid tours to the top a
Page 21 and 22: y Brandon Wittig and Cai Wilson Acc
Page 23 and 24: y Brandon Wittig and Cai Wilson HEA
Page 25 and 26: y Mandy Sinclair It had been more t
Page 27 and 28: y Mandy Sinclair TRAVEL Broadway on
Page 29 and 30: y Mandy Sinclair Love your ears cro
Page 31 and 32: Call today and ask about our afford

Huron-Perth Boomers Summer 2024

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?