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.

Warren Cove Back Range

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Built in 1907, the Department of Marine and Fisheries designed the two Warren Cove Range Lights.

The Warren Cove Back Range is a square tapered tower covered with white nailite siding. This range has a square wooden lantern, with a navigation light shining through one window on the seaward side. It is set on a wooden lantern deck surrounded by a cross braced railing. The graceful cornice has been replaced with an angled one. The ground floor windows and the door have a prominent classical pediment. Above this pediment there is a window with a shed dormer. The red daymark extends from the lantern light to the top of the door. The smaller window is a simple design.

Driving Directions:

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Red Sands Shore Drive - From Charlottetown, travel southwest on Highway 1, then take Highway 19 south passing through Meadowbank. Shortly after the bridge, follow Highway 19 east to Fort Amherst/Port La Joye National Historic Site. When you near the south east end of the peninsula, go east on Blockhouse Road from Highway 19, then make your first left to Hache Gallant Drive.

The Warren Cove Range Rear Lighthouse will be visible to your left along this road, and you can access the tower by parking at the National Historic Site Interpretive Centre.

Grounds open, tower closed.

GPS Coordinates: 46 11 56.4N 63 08 17.6 W 197 degrees 39 minutes 327.4 meters from Front Range on West side of Charlottetown Harbour

Technical Data
  • Status: Active
  • FHBRO Number: 90-117
  • LOL number: 997
  • Date Built: 1907
  • Nominal Range: 12 NAUTICAL MILES
  • Focal Height: 21.4m, 70'2"
  • Light: Fixed Yellow Light
  • Tower height: 7.7m, 25'2"
Historic Data

Both range lights were framed at the Government Wharf Warehouse in Charlottetown and built by M. Walsh. The design was typical of the Department of Marine for that era and graceful, particularly with its flared cornices. The classical appearance is strengthened by the pediments over the door and window. The towers were made of wood, shingled and painted white with red trim with a red vertical stripe on the range line.

In 2008 the towers were repaired and covered with Nailite siding. The original colours were retained.

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Lighthouse Keepers

1907-1912 - Alexander S. McNeil

1912-1921 - C. E. H. Newson

1921-19?? - J. L. Doiron

Current Owners/ Operators:

The lighthouse is owned by the Government of Canada. A group has formed to obtain ownership through the Parks Canada Heritage Lighthouse Program.