Carol Walberg says it’s now or never to save a piece of Lake Huron’s maritime history. “The options are fix it or let it fall down, because it’s really in bad repair,” said the Saugeen Shores homeowner. Walberg is leading the charge to restore the McNab Point Lighthouse to its original form. Build in 1877, the lighthouse helped boaters navigate the Lake Huron shoreline and Southampton River up until the mid-1990s when it was decommissioned. Following a 2006 exterior restoration, it’s sat undisturbed since, slowly deteriorating. “They took the cedar siding off of it. That was the Coast Guard, and they covered it with aluminum. It looked pretty, but it rotted from the inside out, and now the back corner is really disintegrating. It’s caving in up at the top, and it just really needs to be restored before it’s too late,” said Walberg. The local Marine Heritage Society says an engineering report from 2024 said the lighthouse was unsafe to enter, and recommended demolition. The town, who owns the lighthouse and the land it sits on, says they hope to have a plan for the lighthouse by the end of the year. Securing permanent access to the site is key, they say, as the lighthouse isn’t accessible without crossing private property, but those homeowners want to see the lighthouse restored as much as Walberg does. “We bought this property largely because we really liked the lighthouse. It is important. For anybody who respects history and the town’s background, this is a big part of it,” said Ian Wheatley, who owns the private property leading to the McNab Point Lighthouse. Walberg says estimates to restore the lighthouse have ranged from $60,000 to $150,000 over the years. She says a decision needs to be made because time is ticking on the 149-year-old structure that once guided boats to shore between Port Elgin and Southampton. “I just think it’s part of our history and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good,” she said.
