Pigeon Island (Lake Ontario)

Pigeon Island is a small island, in Lake Ontario, near Kingston Ontario.[1] The island had been a navigational hazard since the founding of Kingston, Ontario.[2] A lighthouse was first built on Pigeon Island in 1870.

The Pigeon Island lighthouse, in 1907, illustrating the 'schoolhouse style' lighthouse.
Map drawn in 1870 showing the location of the Pigeon Island lighthouse

Vessels wrecked on or near the island, prior to the construction of the lighthouse, include: the General Brock wrecked in 1846; the Royal Susan, in 1853; the Governor in 1862; the Young America in 1863; and the Annexation in 1866.[2]

The island covers about 5 hectares (12 acres).[3] Shallow soil and bird guano cover a limestone base.

The island supports a large population of birds.[3]

The original lighthouse was the first built in what came to be known as the "schoolhouse style", where the lighthouse tower was integrated into the lightkeeper's cottage.[2] The current lighthouse is a steel frame.[4]

References
  1. "Duck Islands Claim Three More Lives". Syracuse Herald. Kingston, Ontario. 1931-01-18. Retrieved 2017-06-21. The Main Duck group rank first in tragedy, another group called the False Ducks and northeast of these islands, lonesome and buffeted by wind and wave is Pigeon Island, lying in wait for the unwary mariner.
  2. Marc Seguin (2015). "For Want of a Lighthouse: Building the Lighthouses of Eastern Lake Ontario 1828–1914". Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781490756714. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  3. "Pigeon Island (ON041)". Retrieved 2017-06-22. Pigeon Island supports a mixed-species colony of about 6,200 pairs of five species.
  4. Daniel E. Dempster, Todd R. Berger (2002). Lighthouses of the Great Lakes. p. 152. ISBN 9781610604376. Retrieved 2017-06-22. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

44°03′59″N 76°32′59″W

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