- Address
- Blackhead Road, Highway 11
- Type
- Navigational Aid or Lighthouse
- Designated
- 2009
Cape Spear Lighttower
Blackhead Road, Highway 11, St. John's
About Cape Spear Lighttower
The federal government recognizes Cape Spear Lighttower for its heritage, one of 2 such buildings in St. John's. By its record, Cape Spear Lighttower was built in 1953–1955.
The Cape Spear Lighttower consists of a tapered, concrete octagonal lighttower topped by an octagonal, aluminum lantern. The gently tapered walls of the tower rise to a flared cornice, above which is a railed observation platform around the lantern. A vertical row of three windows with simple, concrete lintels runs up one side of the lighttower. The lighttower is located on a rugged coastal landscape just east of the city of St. John’s on Newfoundland’s eastern shore and forms part of the Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site. It sits on the edge of a cliff, a short distance from the 1834 lighthouse that is the focus of the site. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Cape Spear Lighttower · Open Government Licence – Canada · the register’s own words, unchanged
Recognized federal heritage buildings are owned by the Government of Canada and reviewed for their heritage value.
Questions about Cape Spear Lighttower
When was Cape Spear Lighttower built?
The register dates the construction of Cape Spear Lighttower to 1953–1955.
Can you visit Cape Spear Lighttower?
It can be seen from the street; whether you can go inside depends on its owner.
What is Cape Spear Lighttower?
Cape Spear Lighttower has been a Recognized Federal Heritage Building since 2009.
Is Cape Spear Lighttower protected?
While the federal government owns it, changes go through its heritage review.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada (Parks Canada).
Sources: Parks Canada, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations · Canadian Register of Historic Places (federal extract).
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).