Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse, Lighthouse and military blockhouse in Amherstburg, Canada.

The Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse stand at the south end of Bois Blanc Island, near the mouth of the Detroit River. The lighthouse is a white limestone tower 40 feet (12 m) high with an 18-foot (5.5 m) base diameter, a rubble-stone core and stepped corbelling. The blockhouse, built of square-cut white oak logs, has gun slits on each wall and a concrete foundation added during restoration.

The lighthouse was built in 1836 to guide ships through the Detroit River and keep sailors safe. The blockhouse came three years later and served to protect the nearby Fort Malden during a time of regional tensions.

The structures show how early Canadians organized defense and river traffic in the 1800s. From the Amherstburg waterfront, you can see these two buildings and grasp how the region was monitored and protected at that time.

The lighthouse stands at the south end of Bois Blanc Island, near the Detroit River's mouth; the blockhouse is nearby. The tower is closed, but the site is open. The island has no road connection, so the structures are seen from the Amherstburg waterfront or from boats on the river.

The blockhouse walls were built from wood rather than stone, unlike many military structures of that era. This material was readily available in the region and allowed for faster construction during times of conflict.