Pointe à Basile is located on the southern shore of St. Lawrence River, about four kilometres west of Pierre-Laporte Bridge. Day labour under the charge of E. Roy, foreman carpenter of the Quebec Agency of the Department of Marine, began work on range lights at Pointe à Basile in 1900. As the lighthouses could not be finished that year, temporary lights were placed in operation on October 31, 1900. The light from an anchor lens lantern was displayed from the framework of the front range light tower, and the light from a reflector lantern was displayed from the framework of the back range light building.

Modern tower at Pointe à Basile Front Range Photograph courtesy JACLAY

A Notice to Mariners was published on October 31, 1900 to advertise the establishment of the temporary range lights that indicated the best channel from Pointe Aubin to Confederation Point and gave a good lead over St. Augustin Shoal. The following Notice to Mariners provided a few months later described the completed range lights:

The two range light buildings at Pointe à Basile on the south shore of the River St. Lawrence above Quebec, referred to in notice to mariners No. 85 of 1900, have been completed, and the lights put in operation.

The front range tower, standing on the high ground of Pointe à Basile, 260 feet east from the extremity of the point, is a square wooden building with sloping sides, painted white, and surmounted by an octagonal iron lantern, painted red. The tower is 49 feet high from its base to the top of the ventilators on the lantern.

The light is a fixed white light, elevated 92 feet above high water mark, and should be visible 15 miles from all points of approach by water. The illuminating apparatus is catoptric.

The back range building is a square wooden shed, painted white, erected under a slatted, white, day beacon, and stands on a high hill 4,100 feet E. ½ S. from the front range tower. The building is 11 feet high.

The light, shown from a window in the face of the building, is a fixed white light, elevated at an estimated height of 200 feet above high water mark, and should be visible 20 miles in the line of range. The illuminating apparatus is catoptric.

The above-mentioned back range day beacons is rectangular, slatted, 14 feet wide by 18 feet high, supported on two posts standing 30 feet above the ground. It is painted white.

On the opening of navigation in 1904, the rear light was exhibited from an enclosed tower erected in place of the wooden shed and day beacon. E. Roy and workmen from the agency workshops in Quebec erected the new back tower at a cost of $562.22. On November 1, 1904, fire of incendiary origin destroyed the new enclosed tower. A temporary pole light was used until a square, open, steel, framework tower with sloping sides and surmounted by a square iron lantern room could be erected the following year. This tower stood thirty-two feet tall and was painted white with the lantern room red. Wooden slats on the side of the tower facing the range alignment made the tower more conspicuous during the day. The cost of this tower was $756.35.

In 1906, extensive repairs were made to the road at the range lights. As the area was extremely rough, the work was difficult and cost $1,445. In 1914, the range lights were Improved through the installation of long focus reflectors.

Elzear Douville served as keeper of the front range light for many years while Antoine Demers was responsible for the back light.

In 1976, square, skeletal towers replaced the 1900 wooden front tower and the 1905 skeletal rear tower. In 2021, trapezoidal, skeletal towers with black vertical stripes were being used to display the lights of Pointe à Basile Range.

Keepers:

• Front: Elzear Douville (1901 – at least 1923).
• Back: Alphonse Demers (1901 – 1903), Antoine Demers (1904 – at least 1923).

References

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

Modern lights mark the range today.

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