4/5 GordonsMusic 4 years ago on Google
5
a.m.
on
Aug.
12,
1898,
the
lighthouse
was
struck
by
lightning,
caught
fire
and
burned
to
the
ground.
The
lightning
struck
the
centre
of
the
tower,
smashing
the
large
revolving
lamp,
igniting
the
oil
and
saturating
the
wooden
structure.
Capt.
David
Hunter,
the
lighthouse
keeper,
had
just
gone
home
for
breakfast
and
escaped
injury.
When
the
fire
was
burning
fiercely,
the
steamer
Lakeside
passed
out
of
the
harbour
and
paused
for
a
moment
to
try
and
quench
the
flames.
However,
Capt.
Wigle
thought
of
the
immense
quantity
of
oil
stored
in
the
structure
and
considered
it
advisable,
for
the
safety
of
his
passengers,
to
continue
on
his
course.
Several
tugs
in
the
harbour
also
allowed
the
fire
to
proceed,
fearing
an
explosion
of
the
oil
tank.
Fortunately,
there
was
no
explosion,
since
the
tank
was
split
open
by
the
lightning,
and
so
the
oil
burned
until
it
was
consumed.
The
Department
of
Marine
and
Fisheries
began
construction
of
the
present
lighthouse
in
October
1898.
The
lighthouse
was
automated
in
1968
and
in
1988
it
was
decommissioned
by
Transport
Canada
at
the
close
of
the
boating
season.
Ownership
of
the
lighthouse
was
transferred
to
the
City
of
St.
Catharines
in
1997
and
the
lighthouse
was
designated
a
historical
building
under
the
Ontario
Heritage
Act.
The
Friends
of
the
Port
Dalhousie
Lighthouse
restored
the
structure
in
2000-2002.
