Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site Jul. 4, 2024

Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site

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
Jul 4, 2026Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar. 31, 2026Paradise Cave, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
Commemorating Indigenous Peoples
Jan. 30, 2024Aýna, Albacete, Spain
Feb. 26, 2025Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland
Sep. 9, 2025A female Eurasian red squirrel, Switzerland
Jul. 24, 2025Happy Cousins Day!
Jun 19, 2026La Rocchetta Lighthouse, Piombino, Italy
Nov. 15, 2025Irohazaka Road in autumn, Nikko, Tochigi, Japan
Bridging the gap two ways
Aug. 10, 2024Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA
Apr. 14, 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
Stop and smell the Sakura
Dec. 6, 2024Finnish Independence Day
Mar. 4, 2025Happy Fat Tuesday!
Mesmerising glass pyramids
Let there be lights!
Feb. 25, 2024Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island
Aug. 17, 2025International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
Jun. 7, 2025International Trails Day
Jun 28, 2026Saguaro cacti, Windgate Pass, McDowell Range, Arizona, USA
Sep. 5, 2025Pacific Park, Santa Monica State Beach, California, United States
Jul. 31, 2025Kalalau Beach on the Nā Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii, United States
A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Mar. 10, 2026Bláhver, Hveravellir, Iceland
Dec. 5, 2025Maya site of Copán
Eyes on the skies
Feb. 16, 2024Great Backyard Bird Count
Jan. 23, 2026Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival
Dec. 7, 2025A pine forest in Alsace, France
Nov. 22, 2023Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming