The Imperial Towers of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay

Americans share a common maritime heritage with our Canadian neighbors, especially along the Great Lakes. Similar to the development of American lighthouses along the shores of the Lakes, the Canadians followed a similar trend of settlement from Lake Ontario over the Niagara escarpment to the shallow reaches of Lake Erie, through Lake St. Clair and then along the shores of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. In the early days, local commissions governed the establishment and operation of Canadian light stations. The Canadian system was modeled on that of England. In Canada, England's Trinity House had offices at Quebec and Montreal. They imposed a tariff on the vessels which plied the waters past certain lights, collecting dues when the ships reached port.