Familiar Territory!

by Bobby
(Chateauguay, QC, Canada)

It was so great to read about your trip to Money Point. This place holds a place in my heart because I spent many an hour there as a kid.

The head light keeper was my uncle - William T. Burton. Back in the day there were three light keepers in total. Each man would do an eight hour shift, day and night.

There was plenty of work to be done in the daytime. The lighthouse was painted on a yearly basis. Also, if a heavy fog rolled in the fog alarm was turned on. There were huge generators that had to be kept running at all times, and they had to be refueled. And many other chores that needed to be done.

When I first started going there the light keeper on duty had to make his way to the top of the light every four hours to crank it to keep the light turning.

The house foundation that is still there was my uncle's house back then.

I have spent many a summer with my grandmother (my uncle's mom) in Bay St. Lawrence. My uncle's primary house was there as well. Whenever he would come to the Bay from Money Point he would always take me back with him for a few days. I have spent many hours sitting at the top of that light looking out at the ocean and St. Paul's Island. As you said, it was a magical place.

I live in Montreal and at least twice a year I make the trip to Ottawa's Museum of Science and Technology to see the light. Oh but the memories!