View source for Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Expand French|Phare de Pointe-au-Père|date=January 2012|topic=struct}}
{{Infobox lighthouse
| name            = Pointe-au-Père
| image           = Pointe-au-Père_Lighthouse_in_2007.jpg
| caption         = Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse
| location        = [[Rimouski, Quebec|Rimouski]]<br />[[Quebec]]<br />[[Canada]]
| coordinates     = {{coord|48|31|03|N|68|28|07|W|dim:20_scale:200_region:CA-QC_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}
| yearbuilt       = 1859  (first)
| yearlit         = 1909 (current)
| automated       =
| yeardeactivated = 1975
| foundation      = 
| construction    = concrete tower
| shape           = sixteen-sided cylinder with eight buttresses tower
| marking         = white tower, red lantern and balcony
| height          = {{convert|108|ft|m}}
| elevation       = 
| lens            = [[Fresnel lens|Third order Fresnel]]
| currentlens     = 
| intensity       = 
| range           = 
| characteristic  = 
| fogsignal       = 
| module          = {{designation list|embed=yes|designation1=Canada|designation1_offname=Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1974}} 
}}

The 3rd '''Pointe-Au-Père Lighthouse''' was built in 1909 in the city of [[Pointe-au-Père, Quebec|Pointe-au-Père]], near [[Rimouski]], [[Quebec]], Canada. This city was well known in [[navy|naval]] circles as the location of the [[pilot station]] for the Bas-Saint-Laurent (lower St. Lawrence) zone. Pointe-au-Père has since been amalgamated into the larger city of Rimouski (2002).

The first lighthouse on the site, a wooden octagonal tower, was built in 1859 to guide boats through the difficult [[St. Lawrence River]] at a cost of $1,453.61. The Government of Canada purchased the lighthouse in 1861. The first lighthouse burnt down in a fire 13 April, 1867, and was replaced by a newer lighthouse the same year.<ref name="Pointe-au-Père lighthouses...">{{Cite web |last=Parks Canada Agency |first=Government of Canada |date=2025-05-05 |title=Pointe-au-Père lighthouses |url=https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/pointeaupere/culture/histoire-history/phare-lighthouse |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=parks.canada.ca}}</ref> The second lighthouse would remain as a residence and office on the site until being demolished in 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pointe-au-Père (Father Point) Lighthouse |url=https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=1141 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=LighthouseFriends |language=en-us}}</ref>

The third [[lighthouse]] is {{convert|108|ft|m}} tall, which makes it the second tallest in [[Canada]].<ref name="Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse Nati...">{{Cite web |title=Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse National Historic Site : activities |url=http://www.quebecmaritime.ca/en/company/pointe-au-pere-lighthouse-national-historic-site/activities |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Québec maritime |language=en}}</ref> It is built in a characteristic shape, employing eight concrete [[buttress]]es to support a slender central cylinder. Ownership of the lighthouse was transferred to [[Parks Canada]] in 1977. Improvements for the sake of conservation were made in 1979.<ref name="Pointe-au-Père lighthouses..." />

An automated skeleton tower was constructed nearby in 1975 and remained in operation until the station was closed in 1997.<ref name="Pointe-au-Père lighthouses..." /> The site is now open for visitors as part of the ''[[Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père]]''. The [[RMS Empress of Ireland|RMS ''Empress of Ireland'']] shipwrecking, which sunk off the coast of Pointe-au-Père in 1914, is documented in the adjacent Empress of Ireland museum. Visitors can also see the first submarine open to the public in Canada, {{HMCS|Onondaga|S73}} at the same location.<ref name="Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse Nati..." />

The site was designated a [[National Historic Sites of Canada|National Historic Site]] in 1974,<ref>{{CRHP|9912|Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse|8 April 2012}}</ref> and is considered a unit of the national park system. However, visitor services are provided by the non-profit [[Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père|Point-au-Père Maritime Historic Site]].

==Keepers==
* David Lawson 1859-1876
* John McWilliams 1876-1893
* John McWilliams 1893-1911
* John Cahill 1912-1920
* Thomas Matthew Wyatt 1920-1936
* Charles Augustus Lavoie 1936-1964
* Roger St. Pierre Lavoie 1964-1972
* Armand Lafrance 1972-?

==See also==
*[[List of lighthouses in Canada]]
*[[Henri de Miffonis]]

==References==
*{{cite rowlett|qce|access-date=8 September 2008}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/aids/home Aids to Navigation] ''Canadian Coast Guard''
* [http://www.shmp.qc.ca/ Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père]

{{Commons category|position=left|Pointe-au-Père Light}}

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{{Lighthouses of Canada}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pointe-Au-Pere Light}}
[[Category:Lighthouses completed in 1909]]
[[Category:Lighthouses in Quebec]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Rimouski]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites in Quebec]]
[[Category:Lighthouse museums in Canada]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Bas-Saint-Laurent]]
[[Category:Lighthouses on the National Historic Sites of Canada register]]
[[Category:Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père]]
[[Category:1909 establishments in Quebec]]