The First of the Lighthouses
The first of three lighthouses at Burntcoat Head was built in 1858 and lit in 1859. It was a square wooden tower, 50 feet high attached to the end of the light keeper's wooden dwelling. Flat wick-type kerosene lamps showed a white, fixed light 75 feet above high water, visible for 13 miles. The five oil lamps, with reflectors, had to be cleaned daily.
A narrow neck of land connected Burntcoat Head to the mainland. Over time, the tides of Fundy eroded this connection until the lighthouse could only be reached by climbing up the bank by ladder. Consequently, in 1913, the first lighthouse was torn down and some of the timbers used in the construction of a new lighthouse on the mainland.
Keepers of the First Lighthouse
1859 - 1873 Nathan Smith
1874 - 1883 William Faulkner
1884 (2 mo) Fred H. Faulkner
1884 - 1898 John Prescott Mosher
1898 - 1913 William Y. Failkner
Lighthouse became separated from mainland.
Keepers of the Second Lighthouse
1913 - 1916 William Y. Faulkner
1916 (2 mo) William Burton Faulkner
1917 - 1918 David Webber
1919 (2 mo) W.H. Faulkner
1919 - 1949 William Burton Faulkner
1949 - 1960 Erwin Faulkner
The Second Lighthouse
The second lighthouse was a square, white wooden dwelling, with an octagonal, iron lantern rising from the roof. The lighthouse was 39 feet high from the base to the vane and the white fixed light was visible from all points of approach for 14 miles. The light was a 4th order lens; that is 250 mm in focal length. The lighting was a catoptric system, meaning the lamp was backed by a parabolic deflector. The light source was a petroleum vapour Argand burner, The oil was vaporized at 37 pounds pressure and burned under an incandescent silk mantle. In 1950, the light was wired for electricity.
This second lighthouse was burned down by the Department of Transport in 1972 and replaced by a 22 foot skeleton mast. Later, the skeleton mast light was discontinued and there was no navigation marker on the Head.
Alice Eddy was born in the lighthouse in 1939. She remembers seeing a ghost one night as she and her sister Lenora slept together. Her bedroom door, which was usually closed, was open. She awakened with a start and sat up in bed. As she did she saw the form of a middle-aged woman standing in the doorway. She was dressed totally in white, with a long coat, and a fleece cap. Alice was startled but not frightened and crawled down under the blankets to snuggle in beside her sister. When she looked up again, the woman was gone. An excerpt from Hattie Dyck's book, Memories from Nova Scotia.
The Third Lighthouse
Many citizens of Burntcoat Head wished to see the lighthouse standing once more. In 1992, East Hants Tourism Association submitted a proposal to develop the Fundy Shore to the Central Nova Tourism Association. In 1993 the ownership of the property was turned over from the Queen to the Municipality of East Hants and a grant of $37,000 was received from the Cooperation Agreement for Tourism Development. The community raised another $5,000.
In July 1994, plans for the original second lighthouse were obtained from the Coast Guard, and by November the replica for the second lighthouse was almost complete. The Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps built footbridges and developed nature trails. Trees were planted, picnic tables purchased and some beautiful gardens were created. The grand opening took place on Canada Day, 1995.
Over the years the Municipality of East Hants and the seasonal staff who work in the Park have made further improvements. Most recently pine boards were installed on the floor and ceiling which gives the interior a beautiful, warm atmosphere. Additional furnishings have made displaying locally-made crafts and other products more attractive and easier to access. It is a work in progress!
