The Government of Canada today announced the designation of Windmill Point lighthouse as a heritage lighthouse under Canada’s Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. Located in Prescott, Ontario, this lighthouse – originally built as a stone windmill – is indelibly linked to the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837-1838 and is part of the Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site of Canada.
Windmill Point heritage lighthouse is an 18.9 metres (62 feet) round, tapered, stone tower crowned with a cast iron lantern. It is an early and excellent example of the adaptive re-use of a building. Initially built as a windmill in 1832, it was converted to a lighthouse and became operational by 1874, remaining in service for over a century. The lighthouse is associated with the system of navigation aids along the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes and was particularly valuable as a support to the transshipment of goods at the Port of Prescott.
As a result of its excellent design and craftsmanship, the Windmill Point Lighthouse has served successfully both as a grist-mill and as a lighthouse for more than 180 years, and exhibits features of both. Good craftsmanship is evidenced in the locally quarried limestone laid in irregular fashion.
The lighthouse is the centerpiece of the Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site of Canada, which commemorates a notable struggle during the Rebellion of 1837-1838. The site is administered by Parks Canada, which, for the 175th anniversary of the Battle of the Windmill, in 2013, has invested $164,000 in the lighthouse to ensure its conservation for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.
The WindmiIl Point heritage lighthouse is located on a height of land near the town of Prescott, where it overlooks the old King’s Highway and the St. Lawrence River.
Adopted in 2008, the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act allows for the identification and protection of federally-owned lighthouses with heritage value. It is the most significant piece of federal legislation to protect historic places of the last decade. It will help to ensure that important heritage lighthouses on Canada’s coastal and inland waters remain protected for future generations.
The Government of Canada has taken action to protect heritage lighthouses by providing the public with the opportunity to nominate lighthouses for heritage designation; between 2010 and 2012, 348 were nominated. Designated lighthouses are well-protected as their owners are required to care for them in accordance with recognized standards for heritage conservation.
The Windmill Point Heritage Lighthouse was designated on the recommendation of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
News Release associated with this Backgrounder.
Lighthouse at Heart of a Bloody Battle Protected
