Murray Harbour ~
Cape Bear Lighthouse

The Titanic...The first Canadian land station to hear the SOS of the Titanic as she sank in 1912 was the Marconi station at Cape Bear.

The Marconi station at Cape Bear was the first Canadian land station to receive the distress call of the Titanic in 1912. During World War II the lighthouse was used for spotting German U-boats. In 1963 the keeper's house was moved a quarter mile from the lighthouse.

Tower Height: 40
Height of Focal Plane: 74
Characteristic and Range: Flashing yellow every six seconds.
Description of Tower: White, square pyramidal wooden tower with red lantern.
This light is operational
Date Established: 1881
Date Present Tower Built: 1881
Current Use: Active aid to navigation, museum.
Open To Public: Museum only.
The Cape Bear Lighthouse Museum includes artifacts and an audio-visual display. It is open daily from June to September.
Directions: Follow Route 18, the King's Byway, to Cape Bear and the museum. To reach the lighthouse: at a sharp bend in the paved road, turn off onto a dirt road, then go down the second lane on the right. You'll find the lighthouse in the woods.

Cape Bear...

Cape Bear is located on the southeastern tip of Prince Edward Island off rte. 18., 20 minutes from Wood Islands. The coast consists of generally rugged red sandstone cliffs and small secluded beaches. It has magnificent view of Northumberland Strait and its high banks offer a good location for viewing seals. The first Canadian land station to hear the SOS of the Titanic as she sank in 1912 was the Marconi station at Cape Bear. The station is no longer there, but the Cape Bear Lighthouse is still there and has been in existance since 1881. The lighthouse is a square three story tower with a warning beacon on top. It has gabled windows at each level, on three sides of the structure. The light is 23 metres above the water, while the tower itself stands at 12 metres. Since 1881, this square, three story structure has guided vessels travelling the Strait. Today, while the Lighthouse is still operational, it also houses stories and artifacts of days gone by.

During the Second World War, the lighthouse proved useful for spotting German U-boats that neared the coast. Several were seen along the shore, but disappeared while being tracked. They probably vanished into the deep trench which runs between the Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Island.

In addition to preserving local community history, the Museum features a reconstruction of the Marconi Station that was located on the site from 1905 to 1922. In 1922 the Cape Bear station ceased operations. At that time, this new wireless technology allowed the Station's operators to keep in constant communication with vessels as they made their way to various coastal ports along PEI and Nova Scotia. Local lore says that in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, operator Thomas Barlett received the S.O.S. distress call from the Titanic as she sank 153 km south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Visit the Museum to hear Bartlett's recollections of that fateful morning call.

In 1998 the Northumberland Community Development Corporation began to develop and renovate the lighthouse as a tourist attraction and opened it's doors in the spring of 1999. Later that year, an annex was added to house a replica of the Marconi Station that stood beside the lighthouse from 1905 until 1924.In the spring of 2000, an observation deck was contructed and the lighthouse generator room was converted into a craft shop featuring the handicrafts of the local community. It was opened to the public on Jun 12, 2000. The replica simulates the original station with equipment, period furniture, maps, charts, pictures and a model of the operator with an audio of how a message from the Titanic was received.

The Lighthouse Museum is managed by a volunteer committee of the Northumberland Community Development Corporation and its evolution has been assisted by grants from the Millennium Bureau of Canada, the PEI Cultural Development Program and other provincial programs.

The Lighthouse is open to visitors mid-June thru mid-September - 10 am to 6 pm daily.
Admission Fees 2004:
Adults $2.75
Children 6-15 yrs $1.50
Seniors $2.50
Group and Family rates available
Parking and a picnic area are available.

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