Description of Historic Place

The Big Shippegan Shore Light at the entrance to Shippegan Gully is a medium-height, tapered octagonal tower built to a standard design. Its simple form, constructed with wood, is distinguished by its prominent cove-profile cornice and classically inspired details. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The lighttower is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Architectural Value
The lighttower is a good example of a wooden lighttower, built to a standard design, used by the Department of Marine and Fisheries during the early years of the 20th century. Its simple form displays some classically inspired details such as the projecting pedimented window and door hoods, the lantern platform and the flared cove.

Environmental Value
The lighttower reinforces the simple character of its undeveloped coastal setting. It is an obvious landmark to mariners using the harbour, and highly visible to tourists visiting the adjacent sand dunes.

Sources: Gordon Fulton, Lighttower, Big Shippegan, New Brunswick, Federal Heritage Building Review Office Building Report 90-099.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of the lighttower should be respected:

Its standard design, with classically inspired details, for example:

-The simple symmetrical massing and profile of the tapered, medium-height octagonal
structure.
-The horizontal wood shingles without corner boards, and the fine-scale boarding of the
flared cove below the cornice.
-The projecting pedimented window and door hoods.
-The three line iron pipe railing projecting from the gallery lantern with distinctive
articulated joints and ball knobs.
-The octagonal cast-iron lantern with a cone-topped ventilator.
-The paint scheme consisting of a white tower with red accents.

The manner in which the building reinforces the simple, natural character of the setting, and is a prominent landmark for mariners and tourists, as evidenced by:

-The simple form and appearance of the lighttower that is in keeping with the simple
undeveloped coastal setting.
-The high visibility of the lighttower from the harbour and from the adjacent sand dunes
which makes it a familiar in the area.