During the 18th century, ships that sailed into Halifax faced a dangerous proposition. The port was often fogged in and more than 30 shoals lay in wait - with no lighthouse to show the way. In 1758, a tower was built on Sambro Island, with a fixed oil lamp burning at 35.1 m (115 ft) above sea level. Today, the tower is 25 m (82 ft) high. With it’s original granite walls still visible inside, Sambro shines as the oldest working lighthouse in North America.