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List of lighthouses in Rhode Island

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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.


Name Image Location Coordinates Year first lit Automated Year deactivated Current Lens Focal Height
Beavertail Lighthouse Jamestown
(Conanicut Island) 		41°26′57″N 71°23′57″W / 41.4493°N 71.3993°W / 41.4493; -71.3993 (Beavertail Lighthouse) 1749 (Former)
1856 (Current) 		1989 Active VRB-25 068 68 ft (21 m)
Block Island North Light New Shoreham
(Block Island) 		41°13′39″N 71°34′34″W / 41.2275°N 71.5761°W / 41.2275; -71.5761 (Block Island North Light) 1829 (Former)
1867 (Current) 		1955 Active
(Inactive: 1973–1989,
2008–2010) 		Fourth-order Fresnel 061 61 ft (19 m)
Block Island Southeast Light New Shoreham
(Block Island) 		41°09′35″N 71°32′50″W / 41.1597°N 71.5472°W / 41.1597; -71.5472 (Block Island Southeast Light) 1875 1990 Active
(Inactive: 1990–1994) 		First-order Fresnel 258 258 ft (79 m)
Brenton Reef Light Narragansett 41°25′35″N 71°23′22″W / 41.4264°N 71.3894°W / 41.4264; -71.3894 (Brenton Reef Light)[4] 1962 1962 1989
(Now a lighted buoy) 		None 087 87 ft (27 m)[4]
Bristol Ferry Light Bristol 41°38′35″N 71°15′37″W / 41.6431°N 71.2603°W / 41.6431; -71.2603 (Bristol Ferry Light)[5] 1855 Never 1927
(Now a private house) 		None 035 35 ft (11 m)[5]
Bullock's Point Light Providence River 41°44′16″N 71°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) 		250mm 050 50 ft (15 m)
Castle Hill Light Newport 41°27′43″N 71°21′48″W / 41.4619°N 71.3633°W / 41.4619; -71.3633 (Castle Hill Light) 1890 1957 Active 300mm 040 40 ft (12 m)
Conanicut Island Light Jamestown
(Conanicut Island) 		41°34′24″N 71°22′21″W / 41.5733°N 71.3725°W / 41.5733; -71.3725 (Conanicut Island Light) 1886 Never 1933 None 047 47 ft (14 m)[6]
Conimicut Shoal Light Warwick 41°43′01″N 71°20′45″W / 41.7169°N 71.3458°W / 41.7169; -71.3458 (Conimicut Shoal Light) 1868 (Former)
1883 (Current) 		1966 Active Unknown 029 29 ft (8.8 m)
Dutch Island Light Jamestown 41°29′44″N 71°24′16″W / 41.4956°N 71.4044°W / 41.4956; -71.4044 (Dutch Island Light) 1826 (Former)
1857 (Current) 		1947 Active
(Inactive: 1979-2007) 		250mm 056 56 ft (17 m)[7]
Fuller Rock Light Providence River 41°47′23″N 71°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)

250mm 028 28 ft (8.5 m)[8]
Gould Island Light Jamestown
(Gould Island)[9] 		41°32′02″N 71°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] None 052 52 ft (16 m)[9]
Gull Rocks Light Newport 41°30′09″N 71°19′59″W / 41.5024°N 71.3331°W / 41.5024; -71.3331 (Gull Rocks Light) 1887 (Former)
1928 (Current) 		1960 1969
(Demolished) 		None 033 33 ft (10 m)
Hog Island Shoal Light Portsmouth
(Hog Island 		41°37′56″N 71°16′25″W / 41.6322°N 71.2736°W / 41.6322; -71.2736 (Hog Island Shoal Light) 1901 1964 Active VLB-44[10] 054 54 ft (16 m)
Ida Lewis Rock Light Newport
(Lime Rock) 		41°28′40″N 71°19′35″W / 41.4778°N 71.3264°W / 41.4778; -71.3264 (Ida Lewis Light) 1854 1927 1963 None Unknown
Musselbed Shoals Light Narragansett Bay
(Open water) 		41°38′11″N 71°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) 		035 35 ft (11 m)[11]
Nayatt Point Light Barrington 41°43′30″N 71°20′23″W / 41.7250°N 71.3397°W / 41.7250; -71.3397 (Nayatt Point Light) 1828 (Former)
1856 (Current) 		Unknown 1868 None Unknown
Newport Harbor Light
(Goat Island Light) 		Newport
(Goat Island) 		41°29′36″N 71°19′37″W / 41.4933°N 71.3270°W / 41.4933; -71.3270 (Newport Harbor Light) 1823 (Former)
1865 (Current) 		1923 Active 250mm 033 33 ft (10 m)
Plum Beach Light North Kingstown 41°31′48″N 71°24′20″W / 41.5300°N 71.4056°W / 41.5300; -71.4056 (Plum Beach Light) 1897 2003
(Relit) 		Active
(Inactive: 1941–2003) 		Unknown Unknown
Point Judith Light Narragansett 41°21′39″N 71°28′55″W / 41.3608°N 71.4819°W / 41.3608; -71.4819 (Point Judith Light) 1810 (Former)
1857 (Current) 		1954 Active Fourth-order Fresnel 051 51 ft (16 m)
Pomham Rocks Light East Providence 41°46′39″N 71°22′11″W / 41.7775°N 71.3696°W / 41.7775; -71.3696 (Pomham Rocks Light) 1871 2006
(Relit) 		Active
(on skeleton tower 1974–2006) 		Marine LED Beacon

VLB-44

067 67 ft (20 m)
Poplar Point Light North Kingstown 41°34′15″N 71°26′23″W / 41.5708°N 71.4397°W / 41.5708; -71.4397 (Poplar Point Light) 1831 Never 1882
(Now a private house) 		None Unknown
Prudence Island Light Portsmouth
(Prudence Island) 		41°36′20″N 71°18′11″W / 41.6056°N 71.3031°W / 41.6056; -71.3031 (Prudence Island Light) 1852 1961 Active 250mm 028 28 ft (8.5 m)
Rose Island Light Newport
(Rose island 		41°29′44″N 71°20′35″W / 41.4956°N 71.3431°W / 41.4956; -71.3431 (Rose Island Light) 1870 1992
(Relit) 		Active
(Inactive: 1971–1992) 		Sixth-order Fresnel[12] 048 48 ft (15 m)
Sabin Point Light Providence River 41°45′43″N 71°22′27″W / 41.7619°N 71.3742°W / 41.7619; -71.3742 (Sabin Point Light) 1872 1956 1968
(Razed) 		None 036 36 ft (11 m)
Sakonnet Light Little Compton
(Sakonnet River) 		41°27′11″N 71°12′11″W / 41.4531°N 71.2031°W / 41.4531; -71.2031 (Sakonnet Light) 1884[13] 1997
(Relit) 		Active
(Inactive: 1955–1997) 		Unknown 058 58 ft (18 m)
Sassafras Point Light Providence River 41°48′00″N 71°23′31″W / 41.800°N 71.392°W / 41.800; -71.392 (Sassafras Point Light)[14] 1872[15] Never 1912[15]
(Demolished) 		None 025 25 ft (7.6 m)[15]
Warwick Light Warwick 41°40′01″N 71°22′43″W / 41.6669°N 71.3786°W / 41.6669; -71.3786 (Warwick Light) 1827 (Former)
1932 (Current) 		1985 Active 250mm 066 66 ft (20 m)
Watch Hill Light Westerly
(Watch Hill) 		41°18′14″N 71°51′30″W / 41.3039°N 71.8584°W / 41.3039; -71.8584 (Watch Hill Light) 1808 (Former)
1857 (Current) 		1986 Active VRB-25 061 61 ft (19 m)
Whale Rock Light Narragansett
(Whale Rock) 		41°26′37″N 71°25′25″W / 41.4436°N 71.4236°W / 41.4436; -71.4236 (Whale Rock Light) 1882 1939 1938
(Destroyed)


1939[16]

(Replaced with skeleton tower)

None 073 73 ft (22 m)[17]
Wickford Harbor Light North Kingstown
Wickford 		41°34′24″N 71°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) 		250mm 042 42 ft (13 m)


See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  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 2017-05-01.
  4. ^ a b "Brenton Reef Offshore Light station". R. Holmes.
  5. ^ a b "Bristol Ferry Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  6. ^ D'Entremont, Jeremy. "Conanicut Lighthouse". New England Lighthouses. Archived from the original on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
  7. ^ D'Entremont, Jeremy. "Dutch Island Lighthouse". New England Lighthouses. Archived from the original on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
  8. ^ a b c d "Fuller Rock Lighthouse History". New England Lighthouses. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Gould Island Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  10. ^ "Hog Island Shoal Lighthouse - Rhode Island". rhodeislandlighthousehistory.info. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  11. ^ a b "Musselbed Shoals Lighthouse: History". Jeremy D'Entremont. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
  12. ^ R. Holmes. "Rose Island Lighthouse". rhodeislandlighthousehistory.info. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  13. ^ "Sakonnet, RI". LighthouseFriends.
  14. ^ Church, Earl (1920). Triangulation in Rhode Island. Government Printing Office. p. 40. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  15. ^ a b c Jeremy D'Entremont. "Sassafras Point Lighthouse". New England Lighthouses. Archived from the original on 2014-01-01. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
  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 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2014-08-26.
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