Digest>Archives> Sep/Oct 2016

Digby Pier Light Is Officially Home

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Announcing the “This Lighthouse Matters” 2015 ...

After a long 46-year absence, the 1887 Digby Pier Lighthouse, also known as the Digby Wharf Lighthouse, has been returned to the community of Digby, Nova Scotia.

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New siding being installed.

In 1970 the Canadian Coast Guard removed the no longer used lighthouse from Digby, Nova Scotia and shipped it to Saint John Coast Guard Base in New Brunswick for display at the Coast Guard Base. However, in 1973 it was given to Saint John for display at Loyalist Plaza for the opening of the new City Hall.

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The Digby Lighthouse awaiting restoration.

Then, in 2012, the Town of Digby formally requested the return of the lighthouse. Their request was honored and the lighthouse was returned, but only after Digby volunteers paid and delivered a ransom of 230 pounds of scallops to Saint John.

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The lantern being restored.

However the old wooden lighthouse needed lots of repairs, and with no money for the restoration, the lighthouse laid on its side in storage for a number of years. Then, last year, the lighthouse was awarded $15,000 in the online funding contest “This Light Matters,” and before long the restoration was underway.

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Removal of the old rotten shingles.

Finally this past June, the lighthouse was mostly restored, and then past July, it was moved to its new home on Admiral Walk in Digby where restoration was completed. It was dedicated on July 23, 2016. (Photographs courtesy of Saskia Geerts of the Digby Area Tourism Association.)

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Preparing to move the Digby Lighthouse.


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The start of the move to its new home.


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Moving the Digby Lighthouse through town.


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The Digby Light arrives at its new home.


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Installing the light on its new foundation.


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The Digby lantern on its way to its new location.


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The Digby Light is now in place at its new home.


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The restored lantern being hoisted atop the Digby ...


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This 1906 photo shows the Digby Pier Lighthouse, ...


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The new shingles are being installed on the Digby ...

This story appeared in the Sep/Oct 2016 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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