Built between 1855 and 1859 under the instructions of the Board of Works, Canada West, it is one of the few lighthouses on the Great Lakes to be made primarily from stone.

The location for the Point Clark lighthouse was selected to warn sailors of the shoals (sandbars) 2 miles (3.2 km) off the Lake Huron coast.

[5] The Point Clark tower was formally registered as one of the National Historic Sites of Canada, the only lighthouse on the Great Lakes or Georgian Bay to receive this highest-level designation.

[8] Like the nearby Chantry Island Lightstation Tower this one was built at a time when commercial shipping traffic was increasing on the Great Lakes between Canada and the U.S. because of new trade agreements and the opening of the Sault Ste.

Other towers were also built on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay between 1855 and 1859 to act as navigational aids for the ships.

[8] Much of the tower, and the keeper's house, was made of Dolomite limestone, much of it from a quarry about 60 kilometers from Point Clark.

Its light characteristic is a single white flash every ten seconds, emitted at a focal plane height of 93 feet (28 m).

[15] The light keeper's house, resembling a British stone cottage, is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building, a place of historic interest.

The July 14, 1994 summary praises its symmetry, excellent build quality, pleasing appearance and practical design.

[7] The job of light keeper was an attractive one and positions were often filled on the basis of affiliation with the current political party in power.