Shedding Light on Rhode Island

I have been running for ST signs all summer, so I decided to shake things up a bit and hit some lighthouses in Rhode Island today for the IBA Lighthouse Tour. This tour for the minimum level qualifying award is to capture 60 lighthouses in 12 months. Not really that difficult here in New England. I mapped out 12 or so lights to go after. First stop was in Riverside RI for the the Pomham Rocks LH. This one sits in the Providence River. The forty-foot-tall Pomham Rocks Lighthouse went into operation on December 1, 1871 and was retired in 1974, replaced by a skeleton tower.





Continuing down the east side of the Providence River the next stop is a private residence at Nyatt Point. This one I had marked in the general vicinity of where it might be and traveled around the neighborhood looking for it. I almost gave up and turned down one more street and voila. It was built in 1856, replacing one that was built in 1828. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1868 and replaced by the Conimicut Point Lighthouse.




The Bristol Ferry Lighthouse, also a private residence, sits right next to and almost under the Mount Hope Bridge. The two-story square brick lighthouse was built in 1855, and was discontinued in 1927. Prior to the construction of the bridge, a ferry operated between Bristol and Aquidneck Island, and the light assisted the ferry service









Just over the Mount Hope Bridge, turning right off RI 114 one can get a view of Hog Island Shoal Light, built in 1901. Hog Island Shoal Lighthouse is listed in the National Register of Historical Places and remains an active aid to navigation.



I picked a spot on Cory's Lane to see if I could grab a shot of Prudence Island Light. Forgetting where I was looking for the light, I gave up. I might come back to this spot on the next trip. From here I headed into Newport for the Newport Harbor Light. As I have traveled down the Providence River and along Narragansett Bay I have been picking up some ST signs as well, but for the most part they are not particularly interesting or make for something to write about. I did grab the little shop called Stardust, which also shows the folks wandering around downtown Newport. It was surprisingly light in traffic for summer time.



Newport Harbor Light is also known as Goat Island Light, built in 1842. The present lighthouse replaced one in 1823. Goat Island got its name from the farmers grazing the herds of goats here. In the background you can see the Clairborne Pell Bridge also known as the Newport Bridge, connecting New Port to Jamestown.





I did travel to Fort Adams to see if I could grab a picture of the Castle Hill Light from the Castle Hill Inn. Almost made it to the parking lot, when I was informed that motorcycles where not allowed up by the inn. They also told me it was a short walk to the lighthouse and I was not in the mood for a walk since it was in the nineties. You can stay here for a bargain price of $655.00. Off season price is around $455.00


Crossed the Newport Bridge for 3 more lighthouses. The first one was a potential view of the Dutch Island Light which is also a campground. They wanted $27.00 to get in. I asked the kid when is the season over and he said September 16th and it would be free. I said I will be back then. Headed for Beavertail State Park for the Beavertail light, which is on the southern point of Conanicut Island. The original light was established in 1749, with this one built in 1856.

I then headed for the northern most point of Conanicut Island to grab the Conanicut Light. I must not have been paying attention and drove right passed the left hand turn I was suppose to make and found myself crossing over the Jamestown Bridge to the west side of Narragansett Bay and Providence River. No biggie, Crystal has not been to Beavertail so we will return and grab it then. It is a private residence and may be hard to spot from the road anyways. Before I left Jamestown I stopped at a Rhode Island iconic ice truck called Dels for a lemon ice. Very refreshing at this point in the day.


From the Del's site:

"Grandfather Franco DeLucia brought his father’s frozen lemonade recipe to America at the turn of the century. Angelo DeLucia, his son, began work on a machine to produce the frozen lemonade, and on a method of making it a consistently excellent product. In 1948, Del’s Frozen Lemonade acquired it’s name and became the sole product sold at a little stand in Cranston, Rhode Island. Soon, Angelo had designed the first mobile units in order to serve anywhere in the state."





Traveling north stopped in Wickford, RI for the Poplar Point Light, a private residence. I you squint your eyes you can see the tower between the 2 clumps of trees. This one was built in 1831 and discontinued in 1882.



Last stop of the day was for the Warwick Light, which is also a Coast Guard Station. Originally established in 1827, this one was built in 1932. During Prohibition, lighthouse keepers also had the unofficial duty of keeping an eye out for bootleggers.



Having left around 11:30 in the morning I pulled in right around 6:30pm traveling some 172 miles.