List of lighthouses in Rhode Island

Last updated

This is a list of all lighthouses in the U.S. state of Rhode Island as identified by the United States Coast Guard. There are fifteen active lights in the state as well as two skeleton towers erected to replace earlier staffed lighthouses.

The first lighthouse in the state was erected in 1749 [1] and the last in 1962 (ignoring automated towers erected later); the oldest surviving structure is the much-modified Poplar Point Light, although the tower now standing at Prudence Island Light was first erected at Goat Island in 1824. The tallest extant tower is that at Beavertail Light, though the focal plane of the Block Island Southeast Light is much higher on account of the bluffs upon which it sits.

If not otherwise noted, focal height and coordinates are taken from the United States Coast Guard Light List , [2] while location and dates of activation, automation, and deactivation are taken from the United States Coast Guard historical information site for lighthouses. [3] Locations of demolished lights have been estimated using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) navigational charts.

NameImageLocationCoordinatesYear first litAutomatedYear deactivatedCurrent LensFocal Height
Beavertail Lighthouse Beavertail Light from the water 2007.jpg Jamestown
(Conanicut Island)
41°26′57″N71°23′57″W / 41.4493°N 71.3993°W / 41.4493; -71.3993 (Beavertail Lighthouse) 1749 (Former)
1856 (Current)
1989Active VRB-25 68 ft (21 m)
Block Island North Light Block Island North Light - right rear.png New Shoreham
(Block Island)
41°13′39″N71°34′34″W / 41.2275°N 71.5761°W / 41.2275; -71.5761 (Block Island North Light) 1829 (Former)
1867 (Current)
1955Active
(Inactive: 1973–1989,
2008–2010)
Fourth-order Fresnel61 ft (19 m)
Block Island Southeast Light Block Island Southeast Light, May, 2015.jpg New Shoreham
(Block Island)
41°09′35″N71°32′50″W / 41.1597°N 71.5472°W / 41.1597; -71.5472 (Block Island Southeast Light) 18751990Active
(Inactive: 1990–1994)
First-order Fresnel258 ft (79 m)
Brenton Reef Light Narragansett 41°25′35″N71°23′22″W / 41.4264°N 71.3894°W / 41.4264; -71.3894 (Brenton Reef Light) [4] 196219621989
(Now a lighted buoy)
None87 ft (27 m) [4]
Bristol Ferry Light Bristol Ferry Light.jpg Bristol 41°38′35″N71°15′37″W / 41.6431°N 71.2603°W / 41.6431; -71.2603 (Bristol Ferry Light) [5] 1855Never1927
(Now a private house)
None35 ft (11 m) [5]
Bullock's Point Light Bullock Point Lighthouse Undamaged.jpg Providence River 41°44′16″N71°21′51″W / 41.7377°N 71.3642°W / 41.7377; -71.3642 (Bullock's Point Light) 1876
(Former)
1939
(Current)
1939
(skeleton tower)
Active
(Original tower
destroyed)
250mm50 ft (15 m)
Castle Hill Light Young couple getting engaged by Castle Hill Light. Seen from sailboat Madeliene (8982154536).jpg Newport 41°27′43″N71°21′48″W / 41.4619°N 71.3633°W / 41.4619; -71.3633 (Castle Hill Light) 18901957Active300mm40 ft (12 m)
Conanicut Island Light Conanicut Point Light in 2007.jpg Jamestown
(Conanicut Island)
41°34′24″N71°22′21″W / 41.5733°N 71.3725°W / 41.5733; -71.3725 (Conanicut Island Light) 1886Never1933None47 ft (14 m) [6]
Conimicut Shoal Light Conimicut Lighthouse 2007.jpg Warwick 41°43′01″N71°20′45″W / 41.7169°N 71.3458°W / 41.7169; -71.3458 (Conimicut Shoal Light) 1868 (Former)
1883 (Current)
1966ActiveUnknown29 ft (8.8 m)
Dutch Island Light Dutch Island Lighthouse.jpg Jamestown 41°29′44″N71°24′16″W / 41.4956°N 71.4044°W / 41.4956; -71.4044 (Dutch Island Light) 1826 (Former)
1857 (Current)
1947Active
(Inactive: 1979-2007)
250mm56 ft (17 m) [7]
Fuller Rock Light Fuller Rock Light postcard.jpg Providence River 41°47′23″N71°22′47″W / 41.7898°N 71.3796°W / 41.7898; -71.3796 (Fuller Rock Light) 1872 [8] 1918 [8] 1923 [8]
(Destroyed)


1923
(Replaced with a skeleton tower

renamed Channel Light 42)

250mm28 ft (8.5 m) [8]
Gould Island Light Jamestown
(Gould Island) [9]
41°32′02″N71°20′35″W / 41.534°N 71.343°W / 41.534; -71.343 (Gould Island Light) [9] 1889 [9] 1947

(on skeleton tower

1947–1968)

1947 [9] None52 ft (16 m) [9]
Gull Rocks Light Newport 41°30′09″N71°19′59″W / 41.5024°N 71.3331°W / 41.5024; -71.3331 (Gull Rocks Light) 1887 (Former)
1928 (Current)
19601969
(Demolished)
None33 ft (10 m)
Hog Island Shoal Light Hog Island Shoal Light from boat 2007.jpg Portsmouth
(Hog Island
41°37′56″N71°16′25″W / 41.6322°N 71.2736°W / 41.6322; -71.2736 (Hog Island Shoal Light) 19011964ActiveVLB-44 [10] 54 ft (16 m)
Ida Lewis Rock Light Ida Lewis Rock Light.jpg Newport
(Lime Rock)
41°28′40″N71°19′35″W / 41.4778°N 71.3264°W / 41.4778; -71.3264 (Ida Lewis Light) 185419271963NoneUnknown
Musselbed Shoals Light Musselbed shoal old light.PNG Narragansett Bay
(Open water)
41°38′11″N71°15′36″W / 41.6363°N 71.2599°W / 41.6363; -71.2599 (Musselbed Shoals Light) 1873 [11] 1939
(skeleton tower)
Active
(Original tower
destroyed)
35 ft (11 m) [11]
Nayatt Point Light Nyatt Point Light.jpg Barrington 41°43′30″N71°20′23″W / 41.7250°N 71.3397°W / 41.7250; -71.3397 (Nayatt Point Light) 1828 (Former)
1856 (Current)
Unknown1868NoneUnknown
Newport Harbor Light
(Goat Island Light)
Newport Harbor Lighthouse, aka Goat Island Light.jpg Newport
(Goat Island)
41°29′36″N71°19′37″W / 41.4933°N 71.3270°W / 41.4933; -71.3270 (Newport Harbor Light) 1823 (Former)
1865 (Current)
1923Active250mm33 ft (10 m)
Plum Beach Light Plum Beach Lighthouse 2007.jpg North Kingstown 41°31′48″N71°24′20″W / 41.5300°N 71.4056°W / 41.5300; -71.4056 (Plum Beach Light) 18972003
(Relit)
Active
(Inactive: 1941–2003)
UnknownUnknown
Point Judith Light Point Judith Lighthouse 2.JPG Narragansett 41°21′39″N71°28′55″W / 41.3608°N 71.4819°W / 41.3608; -71.4819 (Point Judith Light) 1810 (Former)
1857 (Current)
1954ActiveFourth-order Fresnel51 ft (16 m)
Pomham Rocks Light Pomham Rocks Lighthouse.jpg East Providence 41°46′39″N71°22′11″W / 41.7775°N 71.3696°W / 41.7775; -71.3696 (Pomham Rocks Light) 18712006
(Relit)
Active
(on skeleton tower 1974–2006)
Marine LED Beacon

VLB-44

67 ft (20 m)
Poplar Point Light Old Poplar Point Lighthouse, Wickford, R.I,.jpg North Kingstown 41°34′15″N71°26′23″W / 41.5708°N 71.4397°W / 41.5708; -71.4397 (Poplar Point Light) 1831Never1882
(Now a private house)
NoneUnknown
Prudence Island Light Prudence Island Light 2007.jpg Portsmouth
(Prudence Island)
41°36′20″N71°18′11″W / 41.6056°N 71.3031°W / 41.6056; -71.3031 (Prudence Island Light) 18521961Active250mm28 ft (8.5 m)
Rose Island Light Rose Island Lighthouse viewed from Rose Island 2006.jpg Newport
(Rose island
41°29′44″N71°20′35″W / 41.4956°N 71.3431°W / 41.4956; -71.3431 (Rose Island Light) 18701992
(Relit)
Active
(Inactive: 1971–1992)
Sixth-order Fresnel [12] 48 ft (15 m)
Sabin Point Light Sabin Point Lighthouse.jpg Providence River 41°45′43″N71°22′27″W / 41.7619°N 71.3742°W / 41.7619; -71.3742 (Sabin Point Light) 187219561968
(Razed)
None36 ft (11 m)
Sakonnet Light Boat passing Sakonnet Point Light (8707746873) (cropped).jpg Little Compton
(Sakonnet River)
41°27′11″N71°12′11″W / 41.4531°N 71.2031°W / 41.4531; -71.2031 (Sakonnet Light) 1884 [13] 1997
(Relit)
Active
(Inactive: 1955–1997)
Unknown58 ft (18 m)
Sassafras Point Light Sassafas Point Light Postcard.jpg Providence River 41°48′00″N71°23′31″W / 41.800°N 71.392°W / 41.800; -71.392 (Sassafras Point Light) [14] 1872 [15] Never1912 [15]
(Demolished)
None25 ft (7.6 m) [15]
Warwick Light Warwick Neck Lighthouse 2007.jpg Warwick 41°40′01″N71°22′43″W / 41.6669°N 71.3786°W / 41.6669; -71.3786 (Warwick Light) 1827 (Former)
1932 (Current)
1985Active250mm66 ft (20 m)
Watch Hill Light Watch Hill LIghthouse, Westerly, RI (9170799784).jpg Westerly
(Watch Hill)
41°18′14″N71°51′30″W / 41.3039°N 71.8584°W / 41.3039; -71.8584 (Watch Hill Light) 1808 (Former)
1857 (Current)
1986Active VRB-25 61 ft (19 m)
Whale Rock Light Whale rock light.PNG Narragansett
(Whale Rock)
41°26′37″N71°25′25″W / 41.4436°N 71.4236°W / 41.4436; -71.4236 (Whale Rock Light) 188219391938
(Destroyed)


1939 [16]

(Replaced with skeleton tower)

None73 ft (22 m) [17]
Wickford Harbor Light Wickford Harbor Light RI.JPG North Kingstown
Wickford
41°34′24″N71°26′10″W / 41.5734°N 71.4362°W / 41.5734; -71.4362 (Wickford Harbor Light) 1882 (Former)
1930 (Current)
1930
(skeleton tower)
Active
(skeleton tower)
250mm42 ft (13 m)

See also

References

  1. R. Holmes. "Beavertail Light". Rhode Island Lighthouse History.
  2. Light List, Volume I, Atlantic Coast, St. Croix River, Maine to Shrewsbury River, New Jersey (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2010.
  3. "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Rhode Island". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Brenton Reef Offshore Light station". R. Holmes.
  5. 1 2 "Bristol Ferry Light". Jeremy D'Entremont. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
  6. D'Entremont, Jeremy. "Conanicut Lighthouse". New England Lighthouses. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  7. D'Entremont, Jeremy. "Dutch Island Lighthouse". New England Lighthouses. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Fuller Rock Lighthouse History". New England Lighthouses. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gould Island Light". Jeremy D'Entremont. Archived from the original on October 5, 1999.
  10. "Hog Island Shoal Lighthouse - Rhode Island". rhodeislandlighthousehistory.info. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  11. 1 2 "Musselbed Shoals Lighthouse: History". Jeremy D'Entremont. Archived from the original on January 21, 2000. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  12. R. Holmes. "Rose Island Lighthouse". rhodeislandlighthousehistory.info. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  13. "Sakonnet, RI". LighthouseFriends.
  14. Church, Earl (1920). Triangulation in Rhode Island. Government Printing Office. p. 40. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 Jeremy D'Entremont. "Sassafras Point Lighthouse". New England Lighthouses. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  16. R., Holmes. "Whale Rock Lighthouse". Rhode Island Lighthouse History Retrieved 9/30/2019.
  17. D'Entremont, Jeremy. "Whale Rock Lighthouse". New England Lighthouses. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.