Description of Historic Place

The Hampton Lighthouse is a small wooden structure, located on Hampton Wharf Road on a hill overlooking the fishing harbour of Chute Cove, Nova Scotia. Both the lighthouse and the surrounding property are included in its provincial heritage designation.

Heritage Value

The Hampton Lighthouse is valued for its age, construction, as an example of technological changes in the industry, and for its association with the community of Hampton.

The Hampton Lighthouse was built in 1911 by Joseph Marshall. It has a square floor plan, a square tapered tower, hipped roof and a centrally mounted lantern. The lantern was initially a kerosene lamp that had to be lit each night at sunset and extinguished at daybreak. The original 6th order dioptric lens remains in place. The lightkeeper lived in the village.

During the 1940’s electricity was added to the lighthouse, which soon ended the need for a full time lightkeeper. By 1960’s operation of the lighthouse was mostly automated and employees of the Department of Transportation made monthly maintenance visits to the lighthouse. In 1973 it was fully automated.

The Hampton Lighthouse is also valued as a local landmark, primarily for its service as the lighthouse. In 2001 ownership of the lighthouse passed from the Federal Government to the Hampton Lighthouse and Historical Society. It was the second lighthouse in Canada to be transfered from the Government of Canada for $1.00 under the 96-1 Directive and the first to be passed over to a non-profit community association.

Source: Provincial Heritage Property Program, file no. 267

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements of the Hampton Lighthouse relate to its original function as a navigation aid and include:

- location on Chute Bay;
- original form and massing;
- square floor plan;
- original centrally mounted lantern;
- wood shingle siding painted white with red trim;
- open balcony to service light standard;
- hip roof.