In 1874, the Department of Marine had a lighthouse built on the northwest tip of Crichton Island to help guide mariners into the harbour at West Arichat. Three decades later, a pair of range lights was placed at West Arichat so mariners could more easily remain on the proper alignment for entering the harbour:

- Inclosed range light towers were erected at West Arichat, and the lights put in operation on the 1st September, 1904.

Both towers are wooden buildings, square in plan, with sloping sides, surmounted by square, wooden lanterns, the whole painted white.

The lights shown are fixed red lights, which should be visible 7 miles in the line of range. The illuminating apparatus is catoptric.

The front tower stands on land 3 feet above high-water mark, on the inner end of the beach on the northern side of the harbour. The tower is 27 feet high from its base to the ventilator on the lantern. The light is elevated 29 feet above high-water mark.

The back tower stands on the mainland, on ground 10 feet above high-water mark, and 40 feet back from the water’s edge, 1,800 feet N. 86° E. from the front tower. It is 33 feet high from its base to the ventilator on the lantern. The light is elevated 37 feet above high-water mark.

The buildings were erected under contract by Mr. Edward Doyle, of Poulamon, N. S. His contract price was $825.

Separate keepers were hired for the keepers of the range lights, likely because they were separated by water. Edward Delory was appointed the first keeper of the rear or back light at an annual salary of $100, while Michael Gerrion received the same amount for tending the front light.

The West Arichat range lights remained active in their wooden towers through at least the 1950s, but today there are no range lights at West Arichat. In 2020, a light was exhibited from the wharf at West Arichat.

Keepers:

• Front: Michael Gerrion (1904 – 1916), Abram Terrio (1917 – 1920), Mrs. B. Terrio (1920 – at least 1923).
• Back: Edward Delory (1904 – 1922), A. Miller (1922 – at least 1923).

References

1. Annual Report of the Department of Marine, various years.

No lights exist today where the ranges lights stood.

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