Range Lights

There are 40 (20 pairs) of range lights in the PEI lighthouse family.  Each pair of range lights includes a front range and a rear range and mark the entrance to a harbour.  Range lights were used by boat captains to pilot their craft safely into harbour by visually lining up the front and rear range lights to get their heading.  For this reason, the front range is typically shorter and the rear range is taller. Range lights often have a vertical red stripe on them as day marks to help the pilot visually line up the pair of lights to find their heading.

One range light – Leard’s Front Range in Victoria-by-the-Sea has been converted to the Victoria Seaport Museum.

Murray Harbour Back Range

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Murray Harbour Back Range Light / Beach Point Back Range Light - It is 13.6m (44.6 feet) high with a very broad base, and steep sloped sides.This range light was built in the typical utilitarian style tower. It is very well proportioned square tapered tower.

There is a simple lantern deck surmounted on the tower. Red iron metal railings surround the gallery which is supported by metal brackets. There are three vertially banked windows on the south side of the tower. A painted grey shed style dormer extends over the top of each of the windows. There is a pediment over the metal door which opens to the west. Along with the red lantern, there is red trim on the windows, and door.

Driving Directions:

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Points East Coastal Drive - From Highway 4 near Murray River, go east on Highway 18 (Cape Bear Road) to Murray Harbour, and then continue east on Cape Bear Road for 2.6 km (1.6 miles).

For decent views of the lighthouse, continue east to the next street, Wharf Lane.

GPS Coordinates: 46 01 17.5 N, 62 28 41.7 W

Technical Data
  • Status: Active
  • FHBRO Number: 90-114
  • LOL number: 965
  • Date Built: 1878
  • Electrification and De-staffing Dates: Electrified-1966
  • Nominal Range: 10 NAUTICAL MILES
  • Focal Height: 17.8m, 58'3"
  • Light: Red light. Visible in line of range. Seasonal.
  • Tower height: 13.6m, 44'6"
Historic Data

The Murray Harbour Range Lights were two of the eight lighthouses that pre-dated Prince Edward Island joining Confederation in 1873. It was designed by the Department of Marine and built by Joseph Egan.

Built in 1878 on the site established in 1869, this tower is similar in proportion to Haszard’s and Leard’s Back Range Lights.

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Lighthouse Keepers

The Penny Family were keepers of the Murray Harbour Back Range from 1868-1966, with the exception of three years.

1868-1874 - James Penny

1875-1878 - Malcom McFadyen

1878-1897 - James Penny

1897-1944 - Robert Penny, Sr.

1944-1966 - Robert Penny, Jr.

Current Owners/ Operators:

Government of Canada. A local group has petitioned for ownership of the lighthouse under The Parks Canada Heritage Lighthouse Program.