Description of Historic Place

The Lighthouse at Queensport is a square, two-storey residential building clad in white shingles, surmounted by a short light tower with a red, iron cupola, which extends from the apex of the hipped roof. The building also features a modestly scaled front verandah and entry on the north-facing elevation, and a one-storey shed on the south-facing elevation. The Queensport Lighthouse is the sole structural element on a small island guarding the entrance to the Queensport harbour. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Lighthouse has been designated Recognized because of its historical associations, architectural qualities, and environmental significance.

Historical value:
Built in 1936 to replace an earlier lighthouse in the same location, the lighthouse illustrates the important national historical theme of the federal provision of aids to coastal navigation. In particular, it reflects the continued economic importance of the Atlantic fishery to small communities such as Queensport, whose harbour this lighthouse protected. The building is also directly associated with its resident lightkeepers, who were prominent members of the local community, most notably Lavinia Munro.

Architectural value:
The Lighthouse is a very good example of a mature phase in the evolution of the design of this type of lighthouse, where the exterior composition and interior functional design successfully combines residential activities and lighthouse functions.

Environmental value:
As the only remaining building on Rook Island, the lighthouse is highly visible from the mainland and all points in the harbour, making it a strong reinforcing element of the Chedebucto Bay’s maritime character. The distinctive profile of the building on the island is used locally as a symbol of the Queensport community.

Sources:
Dana Johnson, Lighthouse, Rook Island, Queensport, Nova Scotia. Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Building Report 01-084; Queensport Lighthouse, Rook Island, Queensport, Nova Scotia, Heritage Character Statement 01-084.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Lighthouse should be respected.

As an illustration of the mature phase in the evolution of the lighthouse building type, it dual functional role is expressed by:
-the simple cubic mass of the building, crowned by the iron lantern;
-the vernacular treatment of the building’s residential base, including the size and design of the verandah and small entry on the front of the building, the use of wood shingle siding, as well as the irregular placement of window openings with their modest classical detailing;
-the scale, material, and detailing of the pre-fabricated iron lantern which clearly affirms the building’s function as a coastal light; and,
-the interior layout efficiently which separates the residential and lighthouse functions and circulation patterns.

The building’s distinctive, isolated silhouette, which is visible from the mainland and all points in the harbour, reinforces the lighthouse's landmark and symbolic value to the Queensport community.