Grande-Rivière rises from the plateaux region of the Gaspé Peninsula and flows for sixty kilometers through a series of mountains and into the Baie des Chaleurs, at the town of Grande-Rivière.

In 1883, tenders were invited for the construction of a lighthouse at the mouth of Grande-Rivière, and a contract for $950 was awarded to J.O. Boucher. Work on the lighthouse began in 1884 and was placed in operation in September 1885. The following Notice to Mariners advertised the establishment of the light:

Notice is hereby given that a lighthouse, erected by the Government of Canada at Grand River, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, at the entrance to the Bad des Chaleurs, in the County of Gaspé and Province of Quebec, was put in operation on the 15th September last.

The light is fixed red, elevated 52 feet above high water mark, and should be visible 8 miles from all points of approach seaward and up the river. The illuminating apparatus is dioptric of small size.

The tower is a hexagonal wooden building painted white, surmounted by an iron lantern, painted red. Its height form ground to vane is 43 feet.

The tower stands close to the east side of the mouth of the river, and the light is intended to guide into the harbor as well as for a coast light.

Thomas H. Beaudin was appointed keeper in 1885 and served until 1896. William Bisson then took over as keeper and served until at least 1923.

Light Lists indicate that the hexagonal, wooden tower remained standing through at least 1953, but a 1955 edition shows that an aluminum-colored, square, skeletal tower with a red lantern had replaced the historic tower. The new light had a focal plane of fifty-three feet.

Keepers: Thomas H. Beaudin (1885 – 1896), William Bisson (1896 – at least 1923).

References

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

Modern lights mark the breakwaters at Grande-Rivière today.

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