Wood Islands, once known as Port Woods, was so named by the settlers because there was nothing but woods in the area when they arrived. The site of the Wood Islands Lighthouse was called Young’s Island. It was accessible by boat, which the keeper had to supply, or a long route through fields and beach. The present road was built with material dredged from the harbour between 1937-1940 in preparation for the Wood Islands Ferries.

The lighthouse was built on a site 60.9 m by 66.4 m (200 feet by 218 feet) purchased from Thomas McMahon and his wife on June 1, 1875. The lighthouse was established to aid marine traffic and fishing boats in the Northumberland Strait between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

In the early years of settlement a fortnightly mail run between Wood Islands and Pictou, Nova Scotia, had been the Island’s only winter link with the mainland. In 1775, Governor Walter Patterson initiated the iceboat service across the 22.5 km (14 miles) to Caribou, Nova Scotia. Later the service moved to the 14.4 km (9 mile) crossing between Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick, and Cape Travers, Prince Edward Island.

During the Parliamentary Session of 1874, the sum of $6,000 was allotted for a lighthouse at Indian Rocks, Wood Islands. It was built at a location east of Indian Rocks.

In 1875, Archibald MacKay of Moncton, New Brunswick, signed a contract to build the lighthouse for $3000, but made little progress, and eventually abandoned the work. Donald MacMillan, a blacksmith and master carpenter, was hired to complete the project. He was the first person to own a kerosene lamp in Wood Islands, and he was known to always keep it burning in an upstairs window to aid those who travelled the Northumberland Strait.

Wood Islands was the second lighthouse built after the Island joined Confederation. A storage shed and an oil shed were built about the same time. The original building plans, dated 1875 and initialled “W.P.A.” (possibly William P. Anderson, Chief Engineer of Marine and Fisheries), were found in the attic of the dwelling when it was leased by the present operators. It shows the main level had an entry, a kitchen, sitting room with closet, and two bedrooms as well as a 5.1 m by 3.6 m (17 foot by 12 foot) wood shed. The second floor had four bedrooms. The third floor was a single room with stairs extending to the lantern room.

The tower is 15.2 m (50 feet) high from base to vane, with an overall height of 16.4 (54 feet). The base is 6.3 m (20 feet 9 inches) square. It is a wooden structure clad in shingles. Inside is a straight flight of stairs with two landings. Both floors of the dwelling are 8 m (26 feet 6 inches) by 4.8 m (16 feet). The height of the dwelling is 7.6 m (25 feet). Some hand-hewn lumber was used. An interesting feature of the lantern is the fact that the metal base is square, while the glass part of the lantern is octagonal. The light shows a full 360 degrees. The vent on the top of the lantern is a round ball rather than the usual funnel shape.

The dwelling has been retained because of strong community opposition to its removal, whereas the dwellings were removed from most of the square towers when they were electrified and de-staffed in the 1960’s. The lighthouse has pediment windows that enhance the tower, along with a flared cornice and wooden lantern railing. The attached dwelling is very simple and has seen a few changes over the years.

In 1950, the dwelling attached to the tower was completely renovated with a new kitchen built to accommodate the lightkeeper, George Stewart, and his family. In 1958, the dwelling and lighthouse were wired for electricity. The light then operated on a 1000 watt airway beacon lamp and changed from a fixed light to a revolving flashing light, which is still in use. In 1979 the fog alarm became automated.

The Wood Islands Lighthouse was the last one on Prince Edward Island where the keeper and his family lived in the lighthouse. However, the condition of the dwelling deteriorated over the years so, in 1981, keeper Leon Patton moved into a bungalow that had been moved adjacent to the lighthouse. It was removed after Mr. Patton retired in 1990.

After the keeper moved out, the lighthouse was considered an industrial site. Renovations were undertaken in 1984 with the installation of a generator and fog alarm equipment. A balcony, which was installed then for the fog alarm equipment, was removed in 2001, along with the generator and fog alarm, which had been discontinued in 1999.

In addition to operating the light, the keepers had to manually operate the fog horn supplied to assist the car ferries in 1941. Other duties included repairs, maintenance, and painting. Water had to be carried to the site for many years.

In the early days supply ships would come with food, spare parts, paint for the interior and exterior, kerosene, and items for the household. The supplies would be loaded into smaller boats and rowed ashore. The supplies would then be taken by wagon to the lighthouse. The lightkeeper had to check all items delivered. Any items not being used at the lighthouse were to be returned.

There were nine keepers and several interim keepers at the Wood Islands Lighthouse. Most of them lived year round at the lighthouse, although at least two lived there only during the ice-free months. At times the keepers had an assistant, but typically it was one individual who attended to all the duties.

The Wood Islands Front Range Light was constructed in 1902 and is modelled after the Bras d’Or, Nova Scotia, and Stribling, Ontario, lights. It is a square, wooden, tapered light with metal siding, standing 4.5 m (18.4 feet) in height from base to vane. It was designed by the Department of Marine and built by M. Walsh. At one time the range light was not much more than an enclosed frame, surmounted by a square lantern. It later acquired a slope-walled attached shed and a gable roof over its door. It is believed that the range light was moved in 1940 with the beginning of the ferry terminal construction.

The Wood Islands Back Range Light, built in 1902 by the same builder and designer, has remained a very simple design with its most outstanding feature being the lantern deck’s wooden railing and supporting wooden brackets. Both range lights are on the east breakwater of the harbour entrance.

In 1998 the lighthouse was taken over by a dedicated committee known as the “Keepers of the Light.” The lighthouse now features eleven themed rooms. The first floor begins with the entrance to the gift shop showcasing Island artisans, a late 1950's period kitchen, the Rum Running Room, the Northumberland Ferries Room, and the PEI Lighthouse Interpretive Room. The second floor features a lightkeeper’s bedroom, circa 1940’s, the Fisheries Room depicting the area fishing industry, and the Burning Ship Room. On the third floor you will see the light room housing the air and kerosene tanks used to light the lamp. Stairs from the fourth floor lead to the lantern room.

The Wood Islands Lighthouse thrives today as a popular tourist attraction. Moonlight tours and ceilidhs held throughout the summer appeal to both locals and visitors.