(1) Peggy’s Cove with a classic Canadian red-and-white Lighthouse on a rocky point is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nova Scotia.  The renown icon of Nova Scotia is best known as “Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse” yet is officially named as Peggy’s Point Lighthouse to identify the rocky Peggy’s Point.

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse, the quintessential landmark of Nova Scotia’s Seacoast, is one of the most photographed and predominant Lighthouses in Canada, if not in the world.  The Lighthouse Tower is closed to the public yet, the grounds are open providing scenic vistas of the Lighthouse on the granite point.  Since 1972, the lower level of the Lighthouse is the Village Post Office during the summer months.  Letters and postcards sent by visitors are stamped with a Lighthouse Cancellation Postmark.

In 1868, a white square wooden Tower atop a Keeper’s house was built to mark the eastern entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay.  The 26-feet high Lighthouse was First Lit using a catoptric* reflector to exhibit a Fixed Red Light illuminated by a kerosene oil lamp 65-feet above sea level with a luminous reach of 10 miles.

In 1914, a 50-feet high White Octagonal reinforced concrete Tower with a White Lantern was built 50-feet west of the old wooden Lighthouse and First Lit in 1915 using a dioptric lens to exhibit a Fixed White Light 67-feet above sea level with a luminous reach of 13 miles.

During World War II, the Royal Canadian Navy used Peggy’s Point Lighthouse as a Radio Station.  On September 11, 1954, Hurricane Edna destroyed the original wooden Lighthouse as well as causing great damage to buildings, waterfronts and shipping.

In 1958, the Lighthouse was automated and destaffed.  In 1969, the iron Lantern Room was changed from white to red and the Light characteristic was changed to Fixed Green in 1979.

Other points of interest:
From Halifax, Peggy’s Point Lighthouse is one of 46 Lighthouses that can be viewed and/or visited along the Halifax Lighthouse Route, a drive along the scenic shoreline from Halifax to Yarmouth.

Memorial Provincial Park
A 100-feet long granite face Rock Mural is a monument to Nova Scotian fishermen illustrating 32 fishermen, their wives, and children enveloped by the wings of a guardian angel that was sculpted by William E. deGarthe.

The Whalesback Memorial commemorates the Swissair Flight 111 air disaster of September 2, 1998.  The plane crashed into the ocean five nautical miles off Peggy’s Cove and all 229 people on board perished.

*A catoptric lens system operated on the principle of reflection.  A highly shiny metal surface was placed behind a light source to direct the light.  The reflector was a round silver plated copper mirror that was cleaned and polished every day.

(2) Directions from Halifax to Peggy’s Cove and the Lighthouse, Take Highway 333 (Prospect Road) or Highway 103 to Exit 5 onto Highway 333.
Peggy’s Point Lighthouse is located on the granite headland at the end of Prospect Road in Peggy’s Cove.

(3) Peggy’s Point Lighthouse was featured in the 2007 CBS TV Movie, ‘Jesse Stone: Sea Change’ a Murder Mystery in Paradise, Massachusetts, a fictional Town (supposedly a satire of Marblehead, Massachusetts), that was ironically filmed somewhere in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse was also featured in the 1999 TV Horror Miniseries, ‘Storm of the Century’ written by Stephen King and the 2005 CBS TV Movie, ‘Jesse Stone: Stone Cold.’

Photo Links

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse by Shaun Lowe

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse Print, $30 Crescent Moon Light by Shaun Lowe

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse Light of Venus by Shaun Lowe

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse Print, $45  Reflecting Light by Shaun Lowe

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse Print, $30 Reflecting Water by Shaun Lowe

Note: These Links are provided for your convenience and unfortunately, external Photo links frequently change or become dead links.  If this happens before the next review than please try another link or use a search engine.