Although it is less than a kilometre long and 300 metres at its widest, Grindstone Island was an important landmark for the waterway navigation, fisheries, and commerce of the Fundy region for almost 300 years. This is of course due to its abundance of sandstone, perfect for making Grindstone wheels. The Grindstone Island lighthouse became a prominent feature of the island when it was built in 1859. The light was eventually discontinued in 1984, but over those 125 years, there lived 8 lighthouse keepers who tended to the lighthouse and lived on the island.

The journals seen here are from the eighth and final lighthouse keeper, Wilbur Wainwright ‘Pappy’ Weston. Pappy Weston assumed responsibility for the Grindstone light on November 1, 1950, and along with his family, made a name for himself in the area. The Weston family were well-loved musical entertainers, performing under the stage name “Fundy Trailers”. Being a lighthouse keeper, however, was lonely work. The seventh keeper’s final entry in the log book on November 1, 1950 read: “I am now packed up and ready to go after thirteen and a half years here as keeper, and I am not sorry to be leaving.” Understandably so, when the light was automated in 1970, Pappy and his family left the island. The lighthouse was later decommissioned in 1984, with the housing removed and installed on a faux lighthouse in Saint John.