Description of Historic Place

The Janet Head Light Tower consists of a wooden two-storey light tower with an attached one-and-a-half-storey gable-roofed dwelling. The square tapered tower is topped by a straight cornice supporting a decorative wooden railing and iron octagonal lantern. The tower features regularly disposed windows with surrounds projecting from the tapered walls. The light tower is prominently located on a large piece of land at the mouth of Gore Bay. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Janet Head Light Tower is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical value
The Janet Head Light Tower is a good illustration of the theme of navigational aid in Canadian inland waters at a time of rapid economic development in the Great Lakes area. The lighthouse serves both as a channel light and harbour light to maritime traffic coming in and out of Gore Bay. The light tower is associated with five dedicated keepers, the first one being Robert Boyter. It was built in 1879, only a few years after Gore Bay’s first settlers had arrived and the town was plotted. The lighthouse is strongly linked to the founding of the town and the rapid growth and economic development of the community, which relied on trade and navigation of the North Channel. The lighthouse still functions as a channel light and as private residence.

Architectural value
The Janet Head Light Tower is a good example of a combined dwelling and light tower in a single compact building, a type used most frequently in minor coast lights in remote locations. It is notable for its controlled massing, its domestic scale, its simple details and its use of red and white colours. Built according to plans prepared by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, it is a simple and elegant response to the combined functional requirements of dwelling and light. The lighthouse was well built, using durable materials and good quality craftsmanship that reflect the standards of the time. The lighthouse has been well maintained over time.

Environmental value
Standing near the water against a forest backdrop, the Janet Head Light Tower retains the character of a mixed maritime environment consisting of mature trees and cultivated shore. The site on which the tower stands has been manicured and a gravel road, picnic area and parking area have been added. The relationship between the light tower and its isolated shoreline has nonetheless been maintained. The light tower is a well-known landmark to the boaters who navigate the waters of Gore Bay and eastern North Channel. It is also recognized in the region as an important heritage asset, generating interest from both local residents and visitors.

Sources: Robert J. Burns, Brebeuf Island Front Range Lighthouse, Brebeuf Island, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Research Report, 06-073.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Janet Head Light Tower should be respected.

The features that illustrate the theme of navigational aid in Canadian inland waters during the economic development of the Great Lakes, notably:
- its design and materials typical of the combined square, tapered light tower and dwelling;
- its strategic location as a navigational aid at the entrance to Gore Bay.

Its good aesthetic and functional design, and its good quality craftsmanship and materials, as manifested in:
- its balanced proportions and picturesque qualities, characterized by its domestic scale, controlled massing, tapered walls, straight cornice, decorative wooden railing and iron octagonal lantern;
- its distinctive profile, consisting of a square tapered two-storey tower attached at the corner of a one-and-a-half-storey gable-roofed dwelling;
- the simple details of the tower’s windows;
- the distinct expression of the tower adjoining the dwelling with a slight offset in plan;
- the integration of the dwelling and light-keeping spaces, which could be accessed independently of weather conditions;
- the use of the white colour for the walls and contrasting red colour for the window surrounds, lantern and roof of the dwelling, which increase the structure’s daytime visibility;
- the use of basic and durable materials such as a rubble stone foundation, wood framing, and painted shingle cladding on the exterior, all of which have endured well.

The building’s compatibility with the maritime character of the area and role as landmark for the region, as evidenced in:
- its prominent position on a gentle shoreline;
- its recognizable form and colours.