The wooden Lighthouse has a very distinctive shape. It is distinctive in its totally octagonal form including a keeper's dwelling at the base and tower and lantern above, which rises from the center of the dwelling's roof. The Lighthouse is 12.2 m in height from base to vane and the tower is 9.29 m in height. The focal height above high water is 14.6 m. Each side of the 40 foot high octagonal tower is five feet wide with an inside diameter of 10 feet. The dwelling below the tower has 12 foot sides and an inside diameter of 26.5 feet. There is also a wooden railing at both the gallery and upper foundation level. The railing is designed with basic upright posts with cross members in between. The railings at the dwelling and light room levels helped the keepers in their task of polishing and cleaning away of the ice and frost that decreases the light's visibility. This now unusual structure was at one time not so unusual. In the late 19th and early 20r century, this type of lighthouse was popular at locations where there was little room to build a separate lightkeeper's dwelling, such as on rocks.

The design of the Indian Head Lighthouse related to its need for strength in the face of harsh environmental forces. Situated at the end of a long breakwater, the Lighthouse is exposed to strong wave action and ice break-up. Since at least 1892, the breakwater has been in place to protect the Lighthouse, particularly the foundation which is mostly submerged at high water. The foundation was originally constructed of iron caisson but was rebuilt of poured concrete in 1907. Due to the Lighthouse's location, both the breakwater and the foundation have required periodic repairs over the years.

Due to the continued upkeep of the lower section of the Lighthouse, the tower and dwelling have only needed minimal repairs over the years. In 1939, the railing around the lower deck was replaced as a storm had carried it away. Two sets of ladders that were used to get from the dock to the first level were also lost and had to be replaced. The interior beaded tongue-and-groove wallboarding was removed so the monitoring and control of roof leaks would be possible.

According to a brief entry in the Department of Marine's Annual Report for 1881, the site originally consisted only of a "circular pier." The exact date in which the breakwater was constructed is unknown but the Department of Marine's Annual Report for 1893 states that the "north end breakwater was close piled and lumber put in" and that "iron clamps were put on the corners to bind it securely." Brush and stone were brought in to fill the space between the iron caisson and the breakwater.

The designer of the Lighthouse is unknown but it is believed that the design was probably produced by the Department of Marine. Thomas Beattie was the superintendent of construction on the Indian Head Lighthouse. Beattie was born hi 1829 and learned the carpentry trade from Robert Bovyer in Bunbury, PEL He then spent three years in Boston and New York learning the carpentry trade at the advanced builder and joiner level. Upon returning to Prince Edward Island, he became superintendent of construction for many local government buildings and the Prince County Courthouse. He also worked on many of the earlier grand houses of Summerside, including William Henry Pope's elegant Victorian house of Pope Road that was later moved and operated as the "Fernewood Hotel" on Summer Street.

Within living memory and perhaps as long as the Lighthouse has been in operation, no light keeper has lived at the Indian Head Lighthouse foil tune. The light keeper instead rowed out to the lighthouse hi the evening, stayed throughout the night and returned to land in the morning. Since no light keeper lived there foil time, the Indian Head Lighthouse never had a folly developed residence. Partitions instead created three rooms: a small kitchen, a living area, and a small storage space. A fourth room, a possible bedroom, was in the tower. The partitions were removed when the Lighthouse became automated. Captain Charles Peters was the first lighthouse keeper at Indian Head Lighthouse. Peters came to Summerside in 1855 and was a sea captain who sailed on many of J.C. Pope's ships. His lighthouse keeper days were short however as he died within a year of the building of the lighthouse.

The Indian Head Lighthouse has a flashing light that beams to the count of eight and disappears for the count of eight. Early lighthouse keepers would measure when to light the light when the sun was four fingers from setting on the horizon.

The Indian Head Lighthouse is well known to both residents and visitors to the area. Although the Lighthouse is not within the town, it is clearly visible from it. In the summer, people drive out to Indian Point for picnics and swimming. Others have cottages in the area. For the boating community, the Indian Head Lighthouse is particularly well known, both in the past and the present. The 1941 Department of Marine's Annual Report states that "this light is used by a large number of freight and passenger steamers, schooners and fishing boats making Summerside Harbour."

The Indian Head Lighthouse is located at the end of a long rock pile breakwater at the entrance to Summerside Harbour. Its closest vantage point is MacCallum's Point, where the breakwater starts. Follow Route 112 through Bedeque, Lower Bedeque and out the unpaved dead-end road to the point. Don't attempt to walk out along the breakwater. It is best to do your viewing from shore. If you want to eliminate the drive out to the point, the Lighthouse is quite visible from most places along the Summerside waterfront.