History/Info:
Congress appropriated $18,000 for the building of a lighthouse at the northern tip of Conanicut Island in 1884 to help mariners around the dangerous point. The lighthouse, a square tower attached to a six-room house, was finished in 1886.

The tower held a fifth order Fresnel lens, exhibiting a fixed white light 47 feet above sea level, changed in 1907 to a fixed red light. The station's original fog bell was replaced by a compressed-air siren in 1903.

In 1933 Conanicut Island Light was replaced by an automatic light on a steel skeleton tower. The lighthouse, with the lantern room removed, was sold at auction for $2,785. The skeleton tower was discontinued in the early 1980s. Today the Victorian house with gingerbread trim is painted red.

Source: New England Lighthouses - A Virtual Guide

Latitude/Longitude: 41°34.3'N 71°22.1'W

Directions:  click here for overview map      click here for detail map #1     click here for detail map #2

• From Interstate 95 take Route 4 south to SR 138 east.

• Just before the toll booth at the Newport bridge, take the exit for Jamestown.

• Take your first left onto Canonicus Rd, which will take you under SR 138.

• After you go under SR 138 turn left onto East Shore Rd.

• Follow East Shore Rd. for about 4.5 miles, when the road will turn sharply to the left. At this point, turn right onto N. Bay View Dr. (a dirt road).

• About 100 yards down the road you'll see the lighthouse. We went during the winter when there were no leaves on the trees. I suspect during the summer it would be difficult to see the house and tower through the foliage.