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.

Wright's Front Range Light

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The Wright's Front Range light is the simplest and least expensive enclosed lighthouse on Prince Edward Island. The tower is 'only' 3.7m(21feet) high. It has no lantern or gallery. The light is shown from a window facing seaward. There are no other windows in this lighthouse. The interior is unfinished.

Driving Directions:

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Red Sands Shore Drive - From Highway 1, roughly 19 km (12 miles) east of Confederation Bridge, exit south towards Victoria, following Nelson Street. The Wrights Front Range Light can be seen distantly from the waterfront in Victoria.

GPS Coordinates: 46 12 16 N, 63 29 48.3 W

Technical Data
  • Status: Decommissioned
  • FHBRO Number: 90-119
  • LOL number: 1010
  • Date Built: 1903
  • Electrification and De-staffing Dates: Decommissioned in August 2011.
  • Focal Height: 7.2m, 23'6"
  • Light: was a red Quick Flash
  • Flash Pattern: was flash 4 seconds eclipse 4 seconds was visible at line of range
  • Tower height: 3.7m, 12'
Historic Data

The Wright's Front Range Light, constructed in 1903, is located in Victoria, PEI overlooking the Northumberland Strait and Victoria Harbour on the south shore.

The first range light at this location, “a box shed about 6 feet high with a short mast about 10 feet in total height,” was replaced in 1903 with the current range light.

This range light was moved in 1986 due to shoreline erosion, and is located on private property.

A solar panel supplied electricity to the range light prior to it being decomissioned in August 2011.

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Lighthouse Keepers

1894-1935 - Charles L. Wright - He received an Imperial Long Service Medal for his many years of faithful lightkeeping. He was followed by his son.

1935-1959 - Charles Evan Wright - He retired when electricity was installed in the lights.

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Current Owners/ Operators:

The Victoria Seaport Museum Inc. has submitted a petition of ownership under the Parks Canada Heritage Lighthouse Program.