Sorel, the fourth-oldest city in the province of Quebec, was founded in 1642 on the east side of Richelieu River. Tracy was founded in 1954 on the west side of the river, and in 2001, the two cities were amalgamated to form Sorel-Tracy.

In 1865, Montreal Trinity House placed two lights on the wharf at Sorel to guide mariners to the wharf at the mouth of Richelieu River. Richelieu Company was formed in 1845 to run a passenger and freight boat between Montreal and Chambly. The company had its headquarters at Sorel, and it was upon its wharf that the range lights were built. The company would later expand its fleet to run between Montreal and Quebec City.

The government paid Richelieu Company an annual allowance of eighty-five dollars to maintain the two red range lights on the company’s wharf. The front tower consisted of wooden framework that supported a small lantern. The rear tower had a “diagonal frame” to support its lantern.

In 1880, tenders were invited for the construction of two new towers at Sorel so they would be ready for the opening of navigation in 1881 to replace the original towers that were worn out. J. Sheridan of Montreal completed the new range towers at a contract price of $980.

In 1897, the range towers had to be moved eight feet shoreward due to the poor condition of the wharf so that they would bear on more secure portions of the foundation.

In 1906, steel, skeletal towers, square in plan and with sloping sides, replaced the wooden range towers on the wharf at Sorel. The front tower stood thirty-five feet high while the back tower, located on the southwest corner of Richelieu Company’s wharf, was fifty feet tall. The government shipyards at Sorel supplied the two steel towers at a cost of sixty dollars each.

In 1875, Richelieu Company amalgamated with a company operating boats between Montreal and Toronto and Hamilton, and the new company was named Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Company. The company continued to operate the range lights, and in 1914, it was still receiving the annual allotment of eighty-five dollars to do so.

Sorel Range Lights appeared on the annual Light List through 1938. There are no range lights at this location today.

References

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

No range lights exist at this location today.

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