Pointe au Baril Lighthouse

The Archipelago leases the Pointe au Baril Lighthouse from the federal government.  The site has a panoramic view of the channel and is accessible by boat only.  It is a popular stop for residents and visitors who come to view its history, importance to the region and its beauty. The Pointe au Baril Lighthouse is located at 1734 Georgian Bay Water.  

History

The site of the Pointe au Baril Lighthouse is rich in history, dating back to the fur traders of the late 19th century who left behind an empty whiskey barrel that later came to be used as a marker by fishermen to guide them safely into harbour.  In 1889, the government replaced the historic lantern-topped barrel with the present-day Pointe Au Baril Lighthouse.  The tradition of the barrel continues however, with one being located a short distance from the lighthouse.  

Emmaline Madigan

Emmaline was 17 when she started her life at the Pointe au Baril Lighthouse. She married the lighthouse keeper and raised six kids there. After her husband’s death in 1977, she took over his duties and became the new lighthouse keeper.  After living at the lighthouse for 29 years, she was forced to leave her post in the fall of 1983 when the Canadian Coast Guard automated the light and boarded up the house.

In 2000, the Pointe au Baril Islanders Association and the Township of The Archipelago asked Emmaline and her partner, Bill Pugsley, to return to the lighthouse, to live and work during the summer months as local historians and museum curator.  Emmaline was thrilled to accept, saying that she never thought she’d ever be given the opportunity to be "home again”.  Emmaline retired from lighthouse duties in 2024. 

Emmaline’s history has been documented by the Ojibway Historical Preservation Society