Head Harbour Lightstation

Wilsons Beach, New Brunswick

Type: Lighthouse
Address: 210 Lighthouse Road, Wilsons Beach, NB, Canada
Get directions
Hours: Only accessible at low tide

Braiden Gallagher

Located on an islet off the northeastern tip of beautiful Campobello Island, the Head Harbour Lightstation is the oldest surviving wooden lighthouse in New Brunswick. It was built in 1829 making it one of the oldest in Canada. An inspiration to photographers and enjoyed year after year by travelers and locals alike, it is only accessible on foot during low tide. It is a cherished historical site of maritime Canada, immortalized in the writings of Mary Snell, who grew up in its living quarters during the late 19th century. The Head Harbour Lightstation was officially designated a Classified Heritage Site in 1988, and in 2000, came into the care of a non-profit organization run by volunteers dedicated to its preservation: the Friends of The Head Harbour Lightstation.

Amenities

Educational Institution
Family-Friendly
Guided Tour
Parking
UNESCO World Heritage Site

Fun Facts

The Lightstation is only accessible by foot for a about 4 hours during low tide (two hours before and two hours after lowest point of tide.

It is a light station not a lighthouse because it has five buildings, the light tower, keeper’s house, boat house, tool shed and fog horn building.

It is the oldest wooden light station in New Brunswick, built in 1829.

The keeper’s house was added in 1840 because while the keeper was living in the tower, there was the fear that fire could burn it down.

The foghorn building and storage buildings were added between 1914-1915 and the boar house ca. 1947.

The light and foghorn are active and automatic, maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard who have a helipad next to the tower.

At times there were two lighthouse keepers. The head keeper had a house on the headland, while the assistant keeper had to live in the keeper’s cottage next to the tower.

Mary Snell, the daughter of an early keeper, lost her eyesight at the age of 7 and later wrote a book about her experiences growing up blind at the lightstation.