Lighthouse and Dwelling

The Lighthouse and Dwelling are located on the small Gereaux Island near Byng inlet on the northeastern shore of Georgian Bay. An octagonal lantern surmounts the small, square, tapered tower, and a gable-roofed dwelling is attached to one side. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

The Lighthouse and Dwelling is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value

The Lighthouse and Dwelling is associated with the provision of navigational aids on inland waters during the post-Confederation era. It was intended to meet the needs of regional commercial shipping.

Architectural Value

The Lighthouse and Dwelling is one of a small number of square-tapered wooden towers with attached residences surviving from the 19th century. It was designed for remote locations and was intended to house the keeper and his family. The sturdy design uses a classical form with heavy timber and braced wood frame construction. The lighttower exhibits good materials and craftsmanship.

Environmental Value

The Lighthouse and Dwelling reinforces the character of the picturesque maritime setting on Gereaux Island. The structure is familiar to the shipping community.

Sources: Martha Phemister and Gordon Fulton, Informal Building Reports, Square Tapered Wooden Lighttowers, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Report 90-190; Gereaux Island Lighttower and Dwelling, Gereaux Island, Lake Huron, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement 90-190.

The character-defining elements of the Lighthouse and Dwelling should be respected.

Its functional design with classical influences, high quality materials and construction, for example:

- the three-storey, square, tapered form of the tower with its classical tripartite division into base, tapered tower and capital, surmounted by an octagonal lantern;

- the attached gable-roofed dwelling that is well integrated with the tower;

- the regular spacing and vertical alignment of the tower’s window openings and the door pediment;

- the heavy timber and braced wood construction.

The manner in which the Lighthouse and Dwelling is compatible with the character of the present picturesque, maritime setting of Gereaux Island and is a local landmark, as evidenced by:

- the picturesque qualities of its design and form that complement the natural environment;

- its visual familiarity, given its dramatic position, as a landmark to mariners on the north eastern shore of Georgian Bay.