Parrsboro Lighthouse

Parrsboro Lighthouse stands at the end of a breakwater on the west side of Parrsboro Harbour entrance in Cumberland County. The current structure, built in 1980, is a square white concrete tower rising from a one-storey building, marking the entrance to this historic Bay of Fundy port. The lighthouse displays a fixed green light (changed from white in 1992) and remains an active navigational aid, though it has been automated since 1987.

The first Parrsboro Lighthouse was an octagonal wooden tower built in 1852 at the end of a sand spit on the western side of the harbour. This original structure survived numerous storms before a hurricane in 1945 caused it to list dangerously. Keeper Russell C. Spencer famously stayed behind to extinguish the kerosene light before the tower was removed. A steel skeleton tower served temporarily until the current concrete lighthouse was constructed in 1980.

In December 2018, the lantern room was removed by the Canadian Coast Guard and replaced with a new roof. The restored lantern room was returned by Coast Guard helicopter in June 2019 as part of a major refurbishment. Today, the lighthouse is maintained by the Parrsboro Lighthouse Society, which was formed in 2014 to advocate for its preservation. The lighthouse is accessible by car with parking available; visitors can walk the breakwater for close-up views, though the tower itself is closed to the public.