The author and historian Peter Johnson discusses the book he co-wrote with John Walls, To the Lighthouse: An Explorer’s Guide to the Island Lighthouses of Southwestern BC (Heritage House, 2015), with Joseph Planta.

To the Lighthouse: An Explorer’s Guide to the Island Lighthouses of Southwestern BC by Peter Johnson and John Walls (Heritage House, 2015). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: To the Lighthouse

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, at TheCommentary.ca.

Peter Johnson joins me now. He and John Walls have written: To the Lighthouse: An Explorer’s Guide to the Island Lighthouses of Southwestern BC. The photography is by Richard Paddle, and it’s a gorgeous guide book to these historic lighthouses that are throughout this coast. The stories of the 25 lighthouses in this book are quite fascinating. You get a sense of course of the importance of lighthouses in our geography and identity as a coastal province, but also history and sovereignty, the elements, as well as wonderful stories of the unique people who manned these lighthouses over the last century or so. I’ll ask Mr. Johnson about the efforts to preserve these lighthouses, in light of all the destaffing that’s been happening. In fact, proceeds from the book will be donated to the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society on Vancouver Island. And I’ll get Peter to tell us about that particular lighthouse and why it’s close to the authors of this book. Peter Johnson is an award winning historian and author, who’s authored several books including Quarantined: Life and Death at William Head Station, 1872-1959, which was a finalist for the BC Historical Federation’s Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Historical Writing. He joins me from Vancouver today. The book is published by Heritage House. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Peter Johnson; Mr. Johnson, good morning.

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