ICONIC 1840 LIGHTHOUSE OFFICIALLY TRANSFERRED

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The Port Burwell Historical Society started on May 15, 1995 as a small group of friends, working hand in hand with the Town of Port Burwell, to preserve the history of Port Burwell and our connection to Lake Erie and the Great Lakes. 

Our goal was to raise funds, through various volunteer activities, for the operation and maintenance of The Port Burwell Marine Museum and The Historic 1840 Lighthouse.

After the amalgamation of the Town of Port Burwell into the Municipality of Bayham on January 1st, 1998, our focus shifted to the acquisition of artifacts for the Museum. 

As of Friday, July 31, 2026 the Port Burwell Historical Society is the official custodians and stewards of one of the oldest wooden lighthouses in Canada.

The Port Burwell Historical Society meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month from September through to June in Port Burwell, ON. If you are interested to attend a meeting, please contact us so we can forward the Agenda to you.

The Port Burwell Historical Society is a federally incorporated, non-profit Registered Charity with the Charities Directorate of the Government of Canada

1. To promote and foster community interest in heritage and historical preservation in and around the Port Burwell area.

2. To develop programs to support heritage preservation for the benefit of the residents of the Port Burwell area, tourists and citizens of Ontario.

3. To develop heritage education programs for the benefit of the Port Burwell area community.

4. To support the operation and maintenance of the Port Burwell Marine Museum, the Historic 1840 Lighthouse, stewardship of significant marine heritage artifacts and support of other historical issues within the Port Burwell area.

5. To initiate and cultivate economic development programs that will build and strengthen the area's tourism sector focusing on the heritage and history of the Port Burwell community.

The work of our Port Burwell Historical Society is guided by a set of core values, including integrity, respect and collaboration. We believe that by upholding and applying the principles of conservation, preservation and restoration, we can provide meaningful and sustainable value within our community.

  Today, thanks to our volunteers’ efforts, the Port Burwell Marine Museum has one of the largest collections of Lighthouse Lenses in Canada, as well as numerous other lighthouse and nautical artifacts.

Going forward, we are engaged in the preservation of the historic Port Burwell Lighthouse, the restoration of the wheelhouse from the SS Fernglen, a Great Lakes Freighter, the conservation of the lifeboat artifact from the SS Henry Steinbrenner and refurbishment of The Mariner statue.

Roy Sullivan, one of our Directors, is a member of the Municipality's Museum Advisory Committee, making recommendations to Council in regards to the operation of the Marine Museum and the Lighthouse.

In addition, we are proud organizers and presenters of our Town's Canada Day Festivities and the annual Kayak Fun Run.

Port Burwell Historical Society 

Executives

President – Ken Kokko

Vice President - Jim Tone

Secretary - Laurie Tone

Treasurer – Rosemary White

Directors

Bill Ball

Tracy Farmer

John Regan

Margaret Rushton

Roy Sullivan

Albert White