Lake Memphremagog is a fifty-five-kilometre-long fresh water glacial lake that straddles the international border between Vermont and Quebec. Seventy-three percent of its surface area is in Quebec, but the majority of the lake’s watershed is in Vermont. The lake has twenty-one islands and drains into Magog River in Quebec.

Lake Memphremagog lies within the territory that was inhabited by the Abenaki tribe, and its name is derived from the Algonkian word Mamlawbagak, which means “a long and large sheet of water.”

Newport, Vermont is situated on the southern end of the lake, while Magog, Quebec is located at the northern end of the lake, where it empties into Magog River.

In 1878, the Department of Marine had five small lighthouses built to improve navigation on Lake Memphremagog. The following information on these towers is from the Annual Report of the Department of Marine for 1878:

An appropriation was made by Parliament at its last session of $1,000 for the erection of five small beacon light towers on Lake Memphremagog, and tenders were invited and the contract for the construction of these lights was awarded to Mr. Nathan A. Beach, of Georgeville, for $975. The towers have been built to the satisfaction of the Department, and the lights were shown for the first time in September last. Temporary keepers were employed to attend to them during the balance of the season, and were allowed remuneration for their services at the rate of one dollar per week during the time the lights were in operation.

Molson Island (Ile Molson) is located along the eastern shore of the lake, just north of Owl’s Head. The wooden lighthouse was placed on the southeast point of Molson Island. The tower was twenty-two feet tall and exhibited its fixed white light at a height of twenty-eight feet above the lake.

In 1914, W.H. Davis and J.D. Cowan of Mansonville received $371 to construct a fifteen-foot-tall wooden lighthouse at Lead Mines and install a fifth-order dioptric lens in its lantern room. The men also rebuilt Black Point Lighthouse, Lead Mines Lighthouse, and Wadleigh Point Lighthouse on Lake Memphremagog the same year.

Alexander Molson was responsible for Molson Island Lighthouse from 1883 until 1896. His wife then looked after the light from 1897 until 1908, and Miss E.G. Molson served as keeper from 1909 through at least 1923.

Light Lists indicate that a lighted buoy replaced the wooden lighthouse at Molson Island in 1944. There is no navigational aid near the island today.

Keepers: H. Wheeler (1881 – 1882), Alexander Molson (1883 – 1896), Mrs. Alexander Molson (1897 – 1908), Miss E.G. Molson (1909 – at least 1923).

References

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

No light is found at this location today.

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