Dutch
Island Light
 |
Courtesy
of Coast Guard Historian's Office |
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 |