Canada's Ports,
Lighthouses & Great Lakes
Independent coverage of Canadian maritime history, Great Lakes shipping routes, lighthouse preservation efforts, and the communities that grew along the water's edge.
Recent Articles
From the Archives
Three documented accounts of Canadian maritime heritage — from operating lighthouses to cargo vessels that defined trade on the Great Lakes.
Lighthouses
The Lighthouses of Lake Ontario
From Gibraltar Point on the Toronto Islands to the stone tower at Nine Mile Point, Lake Ontario's lighthouse network has guided commercial and passenger vessels for over two centuries.
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Shipping
Great Lakes Shipping History
Bulk carriers, package freighters, and passenger steamers shaped Canada's inland economy for more than a century. An account of the vessels, ports, and canal infrastructure that made it possible.
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Coastal Heritage
Coastal Communities of Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay's eastern shore towns developed around fishing, timber, and ferry routes. Many retain the dock infrastructure and heritage buildings that reflect their working-harbour origins.
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Historical Record
Mapping the Shore: Lake Ontario Ports in the 19th Century
Edward Mulberry Hodder's 1857 survey documented every operational harbour along Lake Ontario's Canadian shore. The ports he described — from Kingston to Hamilton — formed the backbone of Upper Canada's commercial network. Many of those same waterfronts are now subjects of preservation discussions as industrial infrastructure gives way to other uses.
The original volume is held at Queen's University Library and digitised through the Internet Archive. It remains one of the most detailed primary sources for early Canadian port geography.
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