Courtesy of Coast Guard Historisn's Office

Location: On Old Gay Rock at entrance to Wickford Harbor
1882 - presentLat 41 34 24 N - Long 71 26 12 W

Established: 1882

Lighthouse Constructed: 1882

Removed: 1930

Original Illuminating Apparatus: Fifth-Order Fresnel Lens

Current Illuminating Apparatus: 250-mm lens

Height: Lighthouse: Light 42 feet from ground (1906)
Skeleton Tower: Light 50 feet above the water (1940)
25 feet (2005)

Status: Active Aid to Navigation/ Skeleton Tower

Light Characteristic: Lighthouse: Fixed White (1906)
Skeleton tower: Flashing Green every 3 seconds (1940)
Flashing Green every 6 seconds (2005)

Range: Lighthouse: 12½ miles (1906)
Skeleton Tower: 3 miles (1940)
6 miles (2005)

The Lighthouse Board built the Wickford Harbor Lighthouse in 1882 to replace the aging Poplar Point Lighthouse. The new light, a square wooden tower with an attached keeper's dwelling, was built on an iron pier at the entrance to Wickford Harbor.

In 1930 the lighthouse was discontinued and was replaced with a skeleton tower. Today Wickford Harbor Light 1 stands on what's left of the iron pier.

In 1972 Anita W, Hinckley, a Wickford resident, wrote the book Wickford Memories. It was filled with stories about Wickford. One story, The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter, took place at the light. It's a sad little love story.