Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site

Fisgard Lighthouse
Fisgard Lighthouse
LocationEsquimalt Harbour, British Columbia, Canada
Coordinates48°25′49.4″N 123°26′51.4″W / 48.430389°N 123.447611°W / 48.430389; -123.447611
Tower
Constructed18591860
Foundationgranite
Constructionbricks
Automated1929
Height14.6 m (48 ft)
Shapetapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower, red lantern
OperatorParks Canada
Heritage
Light
First lit16 November 1860
Focal height21.6 m (71 ft)
LensFourth-order Fresnel lens
CharacteristicIso WR 4s.
Official nameFisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site
Designated3 November 1958
Reference no.98

Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site, on Fisgard Island at the mouth of Esquimalt Harbour in Colwood, British Columbia, is the site of Fisgard Lighthouse, the first lighthouse on the west coast of Canada.

The lighthouse was constructed in 1859–60 by the British colonial government of the Colony of Vancouver Island, and it shone its first light on 16 November 1860. It was employed by twelve full-time lighthouse keepers, before being automated in 1929. It has remained in continuous operation, though a fire in 1957 put it out of commission for a year.

The light shows a white isophase light of 2 second period in a sector from 322° to 195° at 21.6 metres (71 ft) above mean sea level, and in other directions it shows red shutters. The white 14.6-metre (48 ft) tower is floodlit below balcony level.

It was formally recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada on 3 November 1958. An artificial causeway connecting it to Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site was constructed in the 1950s, and the two sites are jointly administered by Parks Canada.