For centuries, the seas of Atlantic Canada have been home to many sailors partaking in voyages that promised to bring fishing hauls and the exportation of goods. Many of these sailors relied on the bright beacon of hope that are lighthouses to bring them back to shore safely, hence ships and lighthouses have become a staple of maritime heritage. But how can someone explain the strange phenomena that take place in the lighthouses where old keepers used to make their rounds, isolated from the rest of the world? Could it be true that these historic monuments are haunted? Lighthouses have been around since the early 1700s, with the first one in Canada being built in 1734, in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. Therefore it is no wonder that over the last few centuries, more and more stories have come out about the ghosts that haunt our shores and keep the lights burning atop these ancient towers of mystery.
The first famous haunted lighthouse readers may be curious about, is Peggy’s Cove which stands on the edge of the South Shore of our very own Nova Scotia. The lighthouse was built in 1868, making it a generous 155 years old (just 6 years younger than Canada itself). The site may be beautiful, but the tall rocks and harsh waves can make the location dangerous. Perhaps this is part of why there is a story that claims a woman in a blue dress named Margaret haunts the lighthouse. It is said that after losing both her children to a shipwreck and her husband who slipped on the rocks surrounding the lighthouse, she killed herself by jumping into the sea, as the grief was too much to bear. Today, visitors report seeing the woman in blue, in the same position she was in before she died. Other than just seeing Margaret, there are not any other reports of her meddling with guests of the location.
A more hands-on ghost is the one that occupies the lighthouse in West Point PEI. First built in 1875, this lighthouse is painted with a unique black and white striping. The colouring is not the only unique feature of course, as a specter named old Willie is a permanent resident in the building. He is known to flick lights on and off throughout the site and takes loud steps that echo the stairwell. The current owner, Carol Livingstone, has also noted seeing the bearded man and believes he is her great-grandfather and former lighthouse keeper, William Anderson MacDonald. Despite the familiarity, Livingstone still finds the encounters quite chilling.
Our Northumberland Fisheries Museum has a replica of a lighthouse from 1905, which contains the many detailed records of Rip Irwin. Rip made it his life adventure to explore the lighthouses of Canada, recording all their grand features, which can now be read on our site. Interestingly, Rip was interviewed about his work, where he was asked if any of the lighthouses he visited were haunted. Rip then chuckled, and claimed that they all were. Of course, some readers may be skeptical about the validity of this statement. Still, one should keep in mind that whether ghosts are real or not, these haunting tales have cemented themselves as part of our oral tradition, and reminds people about the long history our provinces have had with these bright beacons of hope.
But why do so many people, including our lighthouse expert Rip Irwin, believe they are haunted? There are many different perspectives, but most mention how “spooky” lighthouse conditions were for those responsible for their upkeep. Lighthouse keepers were isolated, and left in dangerous conditions for weeks at a time, hence, it is no wonder that people conjure up equally scary tales about these monuments after their keepers have passed. Presently, there are 51 out of the 750 lighthouses in Canada that are still staff-operated, and thankfully, conditions for these workers have greatly improved. However, it could also be true that the current keepers of the light are never actually alone.