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Come Celebrate with us!

The original lighthouse was built in 1873 and demolished 87 years later. ©Mckay Photo

CHARTER SOLD OUT Celebrating 150 years since the first lighthouse appeared at Point Porphyry Island. The lighthouse was situated at this location to help increased the safety of steamship traffic in 1873 on Lake Superior. Join us on July 1st., 2023. The event will feature an unveiling of the original lighthouse model constructed by the Hammarskjold High School woodworking class. The celebration will feature new information signs illustrating the past, the keeper’s stories and their stories of survival. Read the sign below that give you some background of when the light was dismantled.

The celebration will include a tour of the island and visitors will experience the unveiling of the lighthouse model, presentation by dignitaries and some birthday cake celebration of 150th years of safe shipping that helped build Canada! Only one ship wrecked on Pt. Porphyry, find out more by attending.

Event Itinerary

  • 1200 Noon gather on the point
  • Welcome
  • Acknowledgments
  • Unveiling of the Model Porphyry Lighthouse built by Hammerskjold HS Students
  • 12:45 Picnic Lunch, with celebratory cake and refreshments
  • 1:30 Historic Tour at Lighthouse Point
  • 1:30 Paint Superior – Parks Canada
  • 1:30 Watch “Heartland” – Porphyry CBC 1980
  • Between 2:00 – 4pm return to Silver Islet via the charter.

The sold out charter boat will leave from Silver Islet between 9am and 11am and after a short orientation tour upon arrival visitors will go to the point. At 12noon dignitaries, guests, members and friends will be welcomed and an acknowledge our First Nations and the role that the lighthouse played in the Lakehead’s transportation history. This will be followed by a picnic lunch, light refreshments and cake! Visitors can then take a historical tour, watch a film on being a light keeper at Porphyry in 1980, join Parks Canada’s Paint Superior activity, or just explore the island. The charter boat will return visitors mid to late afternoon.