Richelieu River, 124 kilometres in length, links the northern end of Lake Champlain to St. Lawrence River and was an important water route for cross-border trade between Canada and the United States until the advent of railways. To make navigating Richelieu River possible, the nineteen-kilometre-long Chambly Canal was built between Chambly and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to bypass a set of rapids. The canal’s nine locks opened in 1843 and are now part of the Lakes to Locks Passage, which connects the St. Lawrence River to the Hudson River. In 1900, 2,841 vessels passed through the canal.

In 1871, the Department of Marine received a memorial from the Board of Trade of Saint-Jean requesting that several lights and buoys be established along the Richelieu River “for the purpose of aiding and assisting the great, inland traffic” that was carried along that waterway. Most of this traffic was lumber from Ottawa. After consulting with Trinity House of Montreal, Peter Mitchell, the Minister of Marine and Fisheries requested $5,000 from Parliament for the construction of eight lights to replace temporary lights that had been maintained on the river at the expense of private individuals.

During the spring of 1873, James Sheridan erected the following lighthouses on the Richelieu River for a contract price of $3,785: two at Half-way Point, two at St. Valentine, and two at Lacolle. In addition to these six lighthouses, temporary lights were maintained at Bloody Island and Ash Island during the 1873 season. The temporary lights at Ash Island and Bloody Island consisted of lanterns set atop a tripod and were kept by Ira Hammond at the rate of $20 per month until permanent structures were built in 1875.

Paul Martin was appointed keeper of St. Valentin Range Lights in 1873 at a salary of $10 per month. He placed the range lights in operation on April 28, 1873. The lights of St. Valentin Range were situated eleven-and-a-half miles upstream from Saint-Jean and six-and-a-half miles upstream from the range at North of Halfway Point (Pointe à la Meule). St. Valentin Range served to guide mariners across the river at the foot of Isle aux Noix.

A single lamp set in a sixteen-inch reflector was originally used in the front and rear range towers. In 1874, a second lamp and reflector were added to the front tower as its light needed to be seen in two directions that were at right angles to each other.

In the spring of 1888, ice moved the front tower, which was on a pier, out of position so that it no longer marked the range line. To correct this problem, the front light was moved two feet three inches to the south. The Annual Report of the Department of Marine for 1889 noted the relocation of the light and provided the following description of St. Valentin Range:

This building consists of an octagonal wooden lantern, painted white, standing on a small cribwork pier 125 feet outside the shore line on the west side of the river, about half a mile below Isle aux Noix. The lantern is 12 feet in height from the pier to the vane on its top. The light is fixed white, elevated 8 feet above the ordinary level of the river, and is visible in the line of range and for two miles down the river. The illuminating apparatus is catoptric.

The back range light tower, is a square wooden building, standing on the shore 345 feet from the front light. It is painted white, and is 24 feet high from the ground to the vane on the lantern. The fixed white catoptric light is elevated 23 feet above the ordinary level of the water and shows in the line of range across the river.

Paul Martin cared for the range lights from 1873 until 1909, and then Alfred Martin served as their keeper from 1909 until at least 1923. In 1927, the pier for the front light was rebuilt.

There is no longer an active set of range lights at this location.

Keepers: Paul Martin (1873 – 1909), Alfred Martin (1909 – at least 1923).

References

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

No range lights exist at this location today.

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