12
MacDonald Family
1910
West Point, Prince Edward Island
13
Organ home again.
1996
West Point, Prince Edward Island
14
Family and friends would gather around the 1876 organ each evening while Mariah or one of her daughters played "Let the Lower Lights be Burning", in memory of lives lost at sea because of a negligent Keeper.
The Lighthouse was never a lonely place to be. Along with William's large family, many friends and neighbours visited frequently.
The Lighthouse was a family home full of hospitality, music and food. A favourite occupation was storytelling such exciting tales as the Phantom Ship and the Sea Serpent. Many of these stories are still told today in the Lighthouse parlour.
Treasure-seekers would stay at the Lighthouse until it got dark; then the boys, Stan and/or Jack, would take them to the money pit. (Rumour has it that a Pirate's Treasure is indeed buried in West Point.)
The boys would dig all night and mother would give them a fine big breakfast in the morning.
15
William MacDonald and neighbours.
1900
West Point, Prince Edward Island
16
Supply Ship.
1950
West Point, Prince Edward Island
17
William Anderson MacDonald (1846 to 1934).
1925
West Point, Prince Edward Island
18
Advertisement for West Point Lightkeeper.
1925
West Point, Prince Edward Island
19
The Lightkeeper and his Light. (Bennie MacIsaac).
1950
West Point, Prince Edward Island
20
Bennie Mac Isaac, second and last Keeper of the West Point Light
21
Heading for the Light.
1961
West Point, Prince Edward Island
22
Pearl and Bennie Mac Isaac
1950
West Point, Prince Edward Island
23
The Bennie Mac Isaac Family.
1960
West Point, Prince Edward Island
24
Ekectricity came to rural P.E.I. in the late 1950s, early 1960s. It changed the way of life possibly more than any other single event in the history of the Island.
Of course it had been in the city and towns for a long time, and its arrival in the rural areas served in many ways to catch them up to the rest of the county.
But...with progress comes sacrifice, and West Point Lighthouse was not unaffected.
25
West Point Lighthouse, early 1960's.
1960
West Point, Prince Edward Island