Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site Jul. 4, 2024

Perched on the rugged coastline of Esquimalt Harbour, the Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site is a specimen of maritime history. Built on Fisgard Island in 1860, it was the first lighthouse on the west coast of Canada. The 15-metre bricked tower guided mariners through the treacherous Strait of Juan de Fuca. Operated by generations of dedicated keepers, it became automated in 1929 after which its light beamed in a "one second on/one second off" pattern also known as isophase light. Visitors today can explore the keeper"s house-turned-museum to uncover tales of shipwrecks and the intrepid lightkeepers who kept the flame alight, ensuring the safe passage of seafarers. The Fisgard Lighthouse continues to illuminate the past, captivating those who come to uncover its storied legacy.

© davemantel/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

The grass looks greener on this side
An engineering marvel
Jul. 4, 2025Skipper butterfly on an Echinacea flower

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Out of this world
Oct. 2, 2025Oxbow Bend on the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States
Nov. 28, 2023Giving Tuesday
Sep. 6, 2023Rethymno, Crete, Greece
Jun. 21, 2024National Indigenous Peoples Day
Oct. 28, 2024Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia
Pretty in pink
Mar. 4, 2024Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Red rock country
Go fly a kite!
Aug. 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea
Jul. 20, 2024International Moon Day
Sep. 6, 2025Rufous hummingbird
On the open ocean road
Jan. 2, 2024Prayer flags in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan
Bridging past and present
Babbling on and on
Aug. 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California
Mar. 23, 2024World Meteorological Day
Surrounded by a sea of sand
Nov. 27, 2024Tombeau du Géant in Bouillon, Belgium
Aug. 16, 2024Canadian National Exhibition 2024
Jan. 1, 2024Happy New Year!
A shiver of sharks on the hunt
What are these predators doing?
Nov. 17, 2023Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin
This lesson is going swimmingly
Feb. 20, 2024Kinder Scout, Peak District National Park, UK
Nov. 28, 2024Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia
Jan. 3, 2024J.R.R. Tolkien Day