Page 7 - Sooke Elementary School - Division 2
P. 7

Exploring the Lighthouse




               A Brief History of the Lighthouse...





               Sheringham Point Lighthouse was built in 1912, and illuminated for the   Creation of the Light-
               first time on September 30 of that year.                            house began in 1911,      Under construction - 1912
                                                                                   with the purchase of 4
               The Lighthouse was built in response to the tragic wreck of the steamship   acres of land from Shir-
               SS Valencia, on January 22, 1906.  En route from San Francisco to Victoria   ley resident Edwin Clark.
               and Seattle, late at night and in rough weather, the Valencia missed the   The following year, the
               turn into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and steamed directly on to the rocks   lighthouse tower was
               near Pachena Point.  Of the 182 people aboard, 136 were lost.       built, along with a small
                                                                                   boathouse and a house
                                                                                   for the lighkeeper and
               Newly completed - ca 1912                                           his family.  The first
                                                                                   lightkeeper, Eustace Ar-
                                                                                   den, arrived in Septem-
                                                                                   ber, and continued at the
                                                                                   site until 1946.
                                                                                   The light itself was
                                                                                   a 3rd Order Fresnel
                                                                                   Lens.  Originally lit by
                                                                                   oil lamps (and later by
                                                                                   electric lamps), it was
                                                                                   made up of many prisms
                                                                                   which focused the light
                                                                                   into a powerful beam
                                                                                   that could be seen up to






                      Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society                                                                           Page 7
   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12