The Toronto Islands are a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  The different views of the skyline from various places are probably the most spectacular to be found anywhere.  That being said, the view isn’t the only cool thing to see when you visit.

 

About 1 km away from the dock at Centre Island, tucked away inside trees and brush, you will find the one of the oldest buildings in Toronto; the Lighthouse at Gibraltar Point.   The lighthouse is located about 100 metres inland from Gibraltar Point beach, and next to Artscape Gibraltar Point.

 

The lighthouse was built in the early 1800s, and used to be located much closer to the shoreline. The Lighthouse was in use from the time it was built until the 1950s.  During the time it was in operation, there was also a wooden cabin located next to it where the lighthouse keeper used to live.  That cabin no longer exists.

 

There were many different methods of lighting used over the years, ranging from candles and oil to coal.  In the early part of the 1900s, an electric lamp was installed and used until the lighthouse was decommissioned.   From the reading I have done, it seems that in the approximately 150 years the lighthouse was in service, there were a total of 10 different lighthouse keepers.

 

Interestingly, the lighthouse is also said to be one of the most haunted locations in Toronto.  According to local legend, the person who haunts it is the first lighthouse keeper who was murdered on the site by soldiers from Fort York.

 

Apparently, the solders had finished their supply of alcohol and went out in search of some bootleg beer.  That’s when they met up with the lighthouse keeper.  Eventually a dispute broke out and the keeper lost his life.  Legend also has it that the soldiers cut up the body and buried it in different places around the lighthouse, and now, the keeper haunts location trying to locate all the different burial plots.

 

Personally, I’ve been to the lighthouse numerous times, but have never felt the presence of the lighthouse keeper.  But…I’ve never been there at night…

 

That being said, it’s a great little spot to go and take some pictures.  Personally, I really like the red door.