Episode Details

Sheringham Point, in the community of Shirley, about 16 miles northwest from Race Rocks near the south end of Vancouver Island, was named in 1846 for the British Vice Admiral William Louis Sheringham of the Royal Navy. The wreck of the steamer Valencia nearby in 1906, with the loss of at least 126 lives, had put pressure on the Canadian government to improve navigation. To aid shipping along the Canadian side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, a light station was established at Sheringham Point in 1912. A 64-foot-tall hexagonal, reinforced concrete tower was built along with a dwelling and outbuildings.

A flashing white light shown from a third-order Fresnel lens, rotating on a bed of mercury and 72 feet above the water, was visible for 14 miles. The station began operation on September 30, 1912. The station was very isolated in its early days, and a lighthouse tender delivered supplies every few months.

The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society was founded in 2003 to preserve the remaining structures and to ensure that the site remains accessible to visitors. Much of the surrounding land is now privately owned.