The Greek Revival white square tower with red accents is attached to the fog alarm building, and a lighthouse keeper's residence is located on the shore to the north.

[A] Four years later the Canadian government commissioned the construction of the tower citing increased traffic at the eastern end of Lake Erie.

[B] Approaches and visits are severely restricted, as the site is landlocked — i.e., intervening land for access is private property.

In a letter dated 29 September 1855, United States lighthouse inspector engineer J.C. Woodruff stated that a lighthouse at Point Abino equipped with a foghorn would have great utility, and would "save annually many lives and a large amount of property", particularly because most commercial shipping in Lake Erie was along the northern shore in Canada.

[4] In fact, this location was particularly important to shipping that was bound to or coming from the port of Buffalo, New York, which was a tricky piece of navigation frequently hampered by adverse waves, wind, fog and weather.

The article quoted a captain's public address, who said there was a critical need, atop his wish list that: ... it's a lighthouse and fog horn on Point Abino.

With the present lights and signals, few masters would care to attempt to run into Buffalo on a bad night, especially if there was a heavy fog or a driving snow storm.

[6] In its early history, the peninsula had been inhabited by Claude Aveneau, a Jesuit missionary who built a log cabin atop one of the dunes.

[10] In the 15 September 1917 edition of the Canada Gazette, a notice was included that the lighthouse was under construction and would open when completed in early October.

[11] The wealthy summer house owners had formed the Point Abino Association, which negotiated with the Department of Marine and Fisheries to sign an agreement restricting access to the lighthouse from the water.

[17] The fog alarm was a diaphone which horn was mounted on the south side of the lighthouse building, 33 feet (10 m) above water level, and pointed 165°30' (a bearing of S 8° E).

[5] The elaborate styling was chosen to complement the summer houses that had been built on the peninsula,[9] and was unique among Ontario lighthouses.

The $1.4 million cost was funded by various sources, including the federal National Historic Sites Cost-Sharing program ($425,000) and the sale of the lighthouse keeper's residence, with the remainder provided by the town of Fort Erie.