Nine Mile Point Lighthouse

Home/
Lake Ontario/
1000 Islands/
Nine Mile Point

Home
Regions
Site Index
Links
About The Site

Nine Mile Point sketch

Nine Mile Point marks the Western tip of Simcoe Island - an important marker for shipping between the St. Lawrence River and the rest of the Great Lakes. The lighthouse at Nine Mile Point was the first in a series of lighthouses built from here to the western end of Lake Superior.

The 45-foot lighthouse was built in 1833, with a design identical to that at Pt. Petre, but shorter by 17 feet. The station was built on land donated by a patriotic landowner, on the condition that the government "put up a good fence." (Roberts, Jones, p. 65)

The station was originally lit with three rotating reflectors. The clockwork mechanism for the reflectors needed to be hand-cranked every three hours, much to the chagrin of the keepers. A fog bell was added in 1874. A horn eventually replaced the bell. The fog signal was discontinued altogether in 1991.

References (see links)

Eastern Great Lakes Lighthouses - Ontario, Erie, and Huron, Roberts, Jones, p. 65

Select an image to enlarge

A Rainy Day at Nine Mile Point

Directions: In Kingston Ontario, follow Highway 2 (Princess St.) to the end (Ontario St.). Turn left and then right at the Wolfe Island Ferry. The car ferry is free. Take the ferry to Wolfe Island. Exit the ferry in Marysville onto Highway 95 and make an immediate right onto Highway 96. Drive 3.5 miles and turn right onto a gravel road at the cable ferry dock to Simcoe Island. Take the 2-3 car cable ferry to Simcoe Island. (There is a small fee for the cable ferry.) From there, follow Simcoe Island's only main road to the lighthouse. (There are a few side roads, but it is fairly clear at the intersections which road is the main road. Besides, the island is quite small - so it would be difficult to get too lost!) Drive slowly on Simcoe Island, as all roads are narrow and gravel. The trip is worth the effort. The lighthouse is still active.

The grounds are on private property. Polite visitors are allowed to stop and take photos if the gate is unlocked. The owners have requested that visitors do not treat the area as a public beach or park, however. If the gate is locked, please respect their privacy. The light is still clearly visible from the gate.

Also in Kingston (south of the ferry terminal on Ontario Street) is the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, which includes the icebreaker Alexander Henry. The Alexander Henry serves as both a floating museum and a bed and breakfast. The museum is open November-April weekdays 10AM-4PM, and May-October daily 10AM-5PM. (Phone - (613) 542-2261)

Wolfe Island Car Ferry: (613) 548-7227

Simcoe Island Car Ferry: (613) 385-2997

(September 2006)