Lighthouse on Ferryland Head - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador
N 47° 01.014 W 052° 51.466
22T E 358808 N 5208716
Since 1870 the Lighthouse at Ferryland Head has stood as a beacon to passing ships.
Waymark Code: WMJV63
Location: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Date Posted: 01/01/2014
Views: 10
Since 1870 the Lighthouse at Ferryland Head has stood as a beacon to passing ships. The lighthouse is still operational; however it has been automated since 1970. For the 100 years previous, the lighthouse was staffed by families who lived in the two-family dwelling.
The first lightkeeper was the famous Newfoundland ship builder Michael Kearney and the first assistant keeper was William Costello. Over the next 100 years the Costello family would be the primary keepers of the light at Ferryland Head right up until 1970, when Billy and Kathleen Costello were the last family of lighthouse keepers. Newfoundland’s renowned artist Gerald Squires and his family lived in the lighthouse dwelling during the 1970s and it is here that Gerald completed some of his finest work including ‘The Ferryland Downs’ series. Once Gerald and his family moved, the lighthouse dwelling was abandoned for over 20 years and fell into major disrepair.
It is now owned by the Town and occupied by Lighthouse Picnics a unique and award winning food service which allows visitor the joy of having a fully catered picnic on the grounds of the lighthouse while looking at the crashing waters of the Atlantic. In Lighthouse Picnics' second year of operation they started the restoration of the building. It was reopened in June 2004.
The building is registered as a Municipal Heritage Site and more information can be found at Canada's Historic Places website (http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=5534).
Coastal Lighthouse: Lighthouse
Range Lights: Not listed
LIGHTHOUSE CHALLENGE VISIT: Not listed
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