Allumette Island, located just offshore from Pembroke, Ontario, is the largest island in Ottawa River. The narrow Culbute Channel passes along the northern shore of the island, while along the southern shore of the island the river widens to form Upper Allumette Lake and Lower Allumette Lake. These two “lakes” are divided by Cotnam Island, Beckett Island, and Île Morrison, and the Allumette Rapids that run between these islands.

In 1613, Samuel de Champlain, the Father of New France, travelled up Ottawa River in search of the northern sea (Hudson Bay). On Île Morrison, Champlain met with the Algonquin elder Tessouat, who convinced the explorer to give up his quest and return to Quebec.

In 1883, the Department of Marine constructed a minor light on Morrison’s Island (also known as Hawley’s Island) just below Pembroke along with five other locations along the upper portion of Ottawa River. These lights consisted of a small dioptric lantern that was hoisted to the top of a mast with a shed at its base. John Tario was appointed the first keeper of Morrison’s Island Light at an annual salary of $100. John Tario kept the light for four years and then John Cox took over as keeper.

In 1907, the Department of Marine built a new lighthouse to replace Morrison’s Island Light as described in its annual report for that year:

A lighthouse was erected and put in operation at the lower end of Upper Allumette lake.

The light is fixed white dioptric of the sixth order, elevated 29 feet above the summer level of the lake, and visible from all points of approach by water. The tower is an inclosed square wooden building, with sloping sides, surmounted by a square wooden lantern, the whole painted white. Its height from the pier to the ventilator on the lantern is 27 feet, and stands on the uppermost boom pier of the Upper Ottawa Improvement Company, about 200 feet from the Allumette island shore. The pier is a square cribwork pier standing about 8 feet above the water. The work was performed by day’s labour under the foremanship of Mr. E. Corriveau, and cost $852.76.

When Allumette island lighthouse was established, the light heretofore shown from Morrison or Hawley island, to show the old entrance to the Allumette rapids boom, became useless, and it has been discontinued.

In 1916, ice carried away Allumette Island Lighthouse and the pier on which it stood. The light was discontinued rather than replaced, and the light keeping career of John Cox came to an end after nearly thirty years.

Keepers: John Tario (1883 – 1887), John Cox (1887 – 1916).

References

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

No light exists at this location today.

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