Английская Википедия:Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse

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The Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse is a National Historic Site of Canada located in Ontario on Bois Blanc Island,Шаблон:Efn-ua one of the islands in the Detroit River. It consists of a lighthouse, owned by Parks Canada, and a blockhouse, which is privately owned.

Lighthouse

The lighthouse is a white stone tower, located at the south end of Bois Blanc Island near the mouth of the Detroit River where it opens into Lake Erie.Шаблон:Sfn It was built by the government of Upper Canada in 1836, in the style of an imperial tower common from the 1830s to the 1860s.Шаблон:Sfn Its purpose was to improve naval safety in Lake Erie, on which greater navigation was occurring because of the 1829 completion of the Welland Canal.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada appointed a group of commissioners, to whom a design with specifications were submitted.Шаблон:Sfn Although it is not known who designed the lighthouse, a local legend holds that it was Amherstburg engineer Andrew Kemp, a member of the civil branch of the Royal Engineers.Шаблон:Sfn The construction contract was awarded to John Cook of Detroit.Шаблон:Sfn

The limestone tower was built consistent with imperial tower designs of its era as a tapered circular tower with a rubble-stone core and rubble-stone finish.Шаблон:Sfn The diameter at its base is Шаблон:Convert, and it reaches a height of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn The cornice consists of stepped corbelling, and three windows are installed at varying heights of the building.Шаблон:Sfn The limestone used in the tower's construction may have come from Kingston aboard a ship, on which it was used as ballast.Шаблон:Sfn

Blockhouse

The blockhouse was the last of three built on the island,Шаблон:Sfn erected in 1838Шаблон:Sfn as part of a defensive system for Fort Malden.Шаблон:Sfn It is located near the lighthouse, on the south side of Bois Blanc Island.Шаблон:Sfn The original structure was built of square-cut logs from white oak, with gun slits on each wall.Шаблон:Sfn The upper floor housed the sleeping quarters, and had machicolations in the floor.Шаблон:Sfn Storage shelters were built underground, one for gun powder and the other for food.Шаблон:Sfn

In Blockhouses in Canada, 1749–1841: A Comparative Report and Catalogue, Richard J. Young states that the blockhouse and battery on Bois Blanc Island is "ridiculous in the extreme" since it would not prevent or mitigate enemy incursions.Шаблон:Sfn

On display in the building are artefacts recovered during excavations in and near the building.Шаблон:Sfn

Renovation

Файл:Bois Blanc Island Blockhouse.jpg

The blockhouse in 2010, before restoration work was started.

By 2010, the derelict building was missing the upper floor and staircase, the walls were on the verge of collapsing, and the roof was caving in.Шаблон:Sfn The private owner of the building has stated he intends to turn it over to Parks Canada once a restoration is complete.Шаблон:Sfn With his permission, several volunteers began restoring the building.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

The structure was raised about Шаблон:Convert with the construction of a concrete foundation.Шаблон:Sfn A log floor was built under the structure, and was covered with rough-cut pine floors.Шаблон:Sfn A thick door with iron fittings was installed.Шаблон:Sfn

In 2013, residents of the island raised $5,000 that, along with other private donations, paid for the cost to install a cedar shake roof.Шаблон:Sfn

Twentieth and twenty-first century

Файл:Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse by Vicki McKay - crop.jpg

Шаблон:Center

The original lantern was a catoptric device, and was upgraded a number of times until the 1950s.Шаблон:Sfn It was destroyed by fire in 1954, and the lantern room was replaced by a steel frame.Шаблон:Sfn The lighthouse was decommissioned in the late 1950s,Шаблон:Sfn and in 1961, it became property of Parks Canada, which removed the steel frame in the 1970s, and also restored the door and fan light.Шаблон:Sfn These were destroyed by vandals, so the entrance was blocked with stone rubble.Шаблон:Sfn

For almost 90 years, the head Lighthouse keeper was a member of the Hackett family: James (1836–1870), Andrew (1870–1901), Agnes (1901–1910), and Charles R. Hackett (1910–1924).Шаблон:Efn-ua In 2015, it was among 74 lighthouses to be protected under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act,Шаблон:Sfn and among 42 lighthouses owned by Parks Canada.Шаблон:Sfn

National Historic Site of Canada

In 1955, Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.Шаблон:Sfn The factors that led to its designation include its proximity to the National Historic Site of Fort Malden, for which the blockhouses formed part of its defence, and for being site of a failed attack by "Canadian rebels and their American sympathizers" in January 1838.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Although the tower is closed, the site is open.Шаблон:Sfn

See also

• Imperial Towers
• List of lighthouses in Canada

References

• Шаблон:Cite web
• Шаблон:Cite news
• Шаблон:Cite news
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite book
• Шаблон:Cite rowlett
• Шаблон:Cite web
• Шаблон:Cite web
• Шаблон:Cite web
• Шаблон:Cite web
• Шаблон:Cite web

External links

• Шаблон:Cite web
• Шаблон:Cite web
• Satellite view Google
• Aids to Navigation Canadian Coast Guard