The History of Seal Island Lighthouse
Seal Island and the other smaller islands near by are surrounded by very dangerous "tricky" waters which have caused many ships to be wrecked and lives lost over the years. In the early 1800's local men of Barrington and Yarmouth would go to Seal Island each Spring to bury the shipwrecked dead. Mary (Crowell) Hichens from Barrington knew that many of the shipwrecked sailors could be saved if there was someone there to care for them; so she urged her husband Richard to go to live on the island and they would help rescue the shipwrecked sailors.
So in the summer of 1823, the families of Richard Hichens and Edmund Crowell moved from Barrington to Seal Island where they very successfully established the first lifesaving station in Canada. When they first moved there they built houses and kept a candle in the window for shipwrecked sailors.
In 1827, construction of the lighthouse began and was first lighted on November 28, 1831. It was through the urgings and efforts of Mary Crowell Hichens that this lighthouse was acquired.
The Light was "fixed" for 76 years but in 1907 a revolving mechanism was installed, giving three flashes. The seal oil lamp had been exchanged for a French five-wick kerosene model in 1892 and in 1907 was replaced by a kerosene vapour light. In 1959, a diesel generator-powered electric light was installed, and in May 1979 the automatic light took over for the old light and the lightkeeper.
From the Cape Sable Historical Society
Take a
Virtual Tour of the Seal Island Light Museum (Select "Seal Island Lighthouse" in the drop down menu).
Seal Island Light Museum
A unique experience awaits visitors to the scenic community of Barrington on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, where the Seal Island Lighthouse Museum had stood sentinel by the headwaters of the Barrington River for 30 years. Operated by the Cape Sable Historical Society, visitors can tour the five story, 35 foot tall replica of the original 60 foot lighthouse whose beacon still guides mariners from Seal Island, which is located approximately 18 miles offshore.
Inside the museum are numerous artifacts from the local area chronicling the lives of local lighthouse keepers and the area’s rich seafaring history. The museum houses the second order Fresnel lens, which was in use from 1902 to 1978 in the Seal Island Lighthouse. A panoramic view of Barrington Bay is visible from the top of the lighthouse museum.
The Cape Sable Historical Society is also custodian to the Western Counties Military Museum, the Barrington Woolen Mill, and the Old Meeting House – all within a short walking distance.
From Nova Scotia Attractions
History of the Seal Island Light Museum
In 1977, citizens of southwest Nova Scotia learned that a modern beacon was to replace the Seal Island Lighthouse and that the National Museum of Canada was to have the old lantern. Many thought that this historical off shore light should remain in the province. Petitions were made to the Minister of Transport and as a result, in February 1979, the lantern was donated to the Municipality of Barrington. The complicated operating mechanism and the lantern were dismantled and transported by helicopter to Cape Sable Island where they were turned over to the municipal authorities. The Cape Sable Historical Society then worked to raise the needed funds to construct a model lighthouse. Through community donations and Government grants, the lighthouse was completed in 1981. On July 1, 1985, the Seal Island Light Museum was opened to the public and since then has attracted many tourists.
From the Cape Sable Historical Society