Dutch
Island Light
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Courtesy of
Coast Guard Historian's Office
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Location: Southern tip
of Dutch Island
 1826 - present Lat 41
29 48 N - Long 71 24 17 W
Established: 1826
Original Lighthouse
Constructed: 1826
Current Lighthouse
Constructed: 1857
Deactivated: 1979
Original Illuminating
Apparatus: Eight lamps and reflectors
Current Illuminating
Apparatus: Solar Powered Beacon
Height: 42 feet
Status: Restored/Private Aid To Navigation
Light Characteristic:
Fixed White (1906)
 Occulting Red every 10 second (1940)
Flashing Red every 10 second (1950)
Flashing Red every 6
second (1979)
None (2005)
Flashing Red every 6
second (2007)
Range: 12¾ miles (1906)
 13 miles (1940)
12 miles (1950)
6 miles (1979)
None (2005)
3 miles (2007)
Dutch Island Lighthouse was built on the southern end of the
island in 1826. The light tower and its attached keeper's dwelling
were built of slate and other stones found on the island. Early
records are vague on the number of lamps first installed in
the light. An 1838 report stated that it was equipped with eight
lamps and reflectors.
After thirty years in service the light needed major repairs.
In the Lighthouse Board's 1855 annual report, the condition of
the lantern and tower were described as "extremely bad."
The report recommended that "the lantern, illuminating apparatus,
and stairs of the tower, if not the tower itself should be rebuilt."
A new tower was built in 1857. It was attached to the keeper's
dwelling. A fourth order Fresnel lens was installed in the new tower.
Dutch Island lighthouse was automated in 1947 and the fourth
order Fresnel lens was replaced with a 375mm lens. The keeper's
dwelling was torn down sometime in the early 1960s. The area
around the light was later turned over to the state of Rhode
Island.
In 1972 the Coast Guard wanted
to close the light. Captain B.E. Thompson said, "the light
appears to have outlived its usefulness because it was out for
a week last month and several days last fall before someone
reported it." After local residents and boaters protested
the closing, the Coast Guard decided not to close it. The light
remained in service until 1979, when vandals damaged it. The
Coast Guard didn't repair it.
In April 2000 the Coast Guard leased the light to the American Lighthouse Foundation. A local chapter
of ALF, the Dutch Island Lighthouse Society, was founded to
preserve and restore the lighthouse.
In 2007 after years of fundraising
by Dutch Island Lighthouse Society and a $120,000 grant from
the Rhode Island Department of Transportion, restoration started
on the lighthouse. The work was done by Abcore Restoration of
Narragansett, Rhode Island.
A solar pwered beacon was installed in the restored Dutch
Island Lighthouse. It was paid for an anonymous donation. On
November 17, 2007, just after 7:00 PM the lighthouse was relighthed
For information
on the Dutch Island Lighthouse Society, contact:
Dutch Island Lighthouse Society
P.O. Box 435
Saunderstown, RI 02874
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