Rhode Island Lighthouse History

Location: North End of Goat Island
1823 - 1842Lat 41 29 30 N - Long 71 19 38 W
1842 - present Lat 41 29 36 N - Long 71 19 36 W

Established: 1823

Current Lighthouse Constructed: 1842

Automated: 1963

Original Illuminating Apparatus: Eight lamps with reflectors

Current Illuminating Apparatus: 300-mm lens

Height: 35 feet

Status: Active Aid to Navigation/Leased to the American Lighthouse Foundation

Light Characteristic: Occulting White every 20 seconds (1906)
15 seconds flash, 5 second eclipse

Fixed Green (2005)

Range: 10¾ miles (1906)
11 miles (2005)

Goat Island Light was built on the Northern tip of the island, in 1823, to marked the shoal that extended out from the island. A six-room keeper's dwelling was built near the light. Even with the light, ship rounding the northern part Goat Island at night would sometimes go aground on the shoal.

In 1837, a stone tower and granite pier was built on the northern tip of the shoal. It remained unlighted until 1842, when a breakwater connecting it to Goat Island was completed. The original light was discontinued and its lighting apparatus was moved to the new light tower. The old light was moved to Prudence Island in 1852.

With its move off of Goat Island the light was renamed the Newport Harbor Light in the 1850's. A fourth order Fresnel lens was placed in the light in 1857. A new keeper's dwelling, attached to the light, was built in 1864.

In 1921, a submarine hit the breakwater, damaging the keeper's dwelling. An electric light was placed in the tower the following year. The damaged keeper's dwelling was later torn down.

In the 1970's the land between the northern tip of Goat Island and the light was filled in to build a hotel. After a hundred and twenty years there was a light on Goat Island again.

In 2000, the Coast Guard leased the light to the American Lighthouse Foundation.