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.

W.H. Vanvelet was appointed keeper of Lacolle 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 Lacolle Range were situated seventeen-and-a-half miles upstream from Saint-Jean and six miles upstream from St. Valentin Range. Lacolle Range served to guide mariners between Lacolle and St. Valentin Range.

A single lamp set in a fifteen-inch reflector was originally used in the rear range tower. Two lights, each consisting of a lamp set in a fifteen-inch reflector, were used in the front range tower, with the side light indicating the point to passing vessels before they came in range. The front range tower was located at water’s edge on the west side of Richelieu River, below Hospital Island and 450 feet below the wharf. The rear tower was situated 450 feet from the front tower along a bearing of 229°.

W. H. Van Vliet cared for the range lights until his passing 1881. Joseph Rheaume was appointed keeper in his place, but he died two years later. Robert H. Whitman was responsible for Lacolle Range Lights from 1883 to 1903. William Gunn Whitman was appointed keeper in 1904 and served until at least 1923.

Lacolle Range Lighthouses were rebuilt in 1916. The new front tower was a wooden, octagonal tower that stood on a square pier with battered sides situated at the edge of the river. The tower stood twelve feet tall and displayed a fixed white light at a height of thirteen feet above the summer level of the river. The new rear tower was a skeletal tower, square in plan, with sloping sides, surmounted by an enclosed, wooden watchroom and square lantern. The rear tower stood forty-five feet tall and exhibitd a fixed white light at a height of forty-two feet above the water. The new towers were erected on the sites of the former towers, which were both wooden, octagonal towers.

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

Keepers: W.H. Van Vliet (1873 – 1881), Joseph Rheaume (1881 – 1883), Robert H. Whitman (1883 – 1903), William Gunn Whitman (1904 – 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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