West Ironbound Island
Ironbound Island, or West Ironbound Island as it is known to distinguish it from East Ironbound Island located near Chester, Nova Scotia, is about five miles from Fort Point.
The Island is home to a lighthouse, built in 1855 whose keeper for three generations was the Wolfe family. In 1879, the light-keeper was Enos Wolfe, and his family took care of the light until his grandson Fred Wolfe moved away on November 23, 1931. The lighthouse used by the Wolfe family was torn down in 1936 and a newer light was built. Today it is an automatic light that requires no keeper. Because of this, no one lives permanently on Ironbound Island at this time.
In the 1850’s before the lighthouse was built, the Schooner Jack Hilton from Liverpool was shipwrecked on the west side of Ironbound Island.
The lighthouse on Ironbound Island was not always enough to prevent a ship from wrecking or running aground in the area. On April 18, 1893, a heavy gale claimed three ships in the area. See the Shipwrecks page for more information about these events.
During the time of Enos Wolfe, there was a potato farm on the island operated by the family. Since then the island was used for a sheep farm as well.
Information on this page compiled from History of the County of Lunenburg Third Edition written by M.B. DesBrisay as well a talk given by Louise M. (Kaulbach) Hunter to the Lunenburg County Historical Society in March, 1971.