Images of Point Judith Lighthouse (Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island)

The Point Judith Light is located at the north side of the eastern entrance to Block Island Sound and on the west side of the entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The confluence of two waterways make this area busy with water traffic and the waters around Point Judith are very cold and dangerous. Historically, even with active lighthouses, there have been many shipwrecks off these coasts.

From the U.S. Coast Guard website:                                                                             Point Judith property was purchased on 25 May, 1809 from Hazard Knowles for the sum of $300.00. Point Judith has often been referred to as the “Cape Hatteras of New England”.

The treacherous waters and rocky shoreline was the scene of many shipwrecks in the 19th century. In an effort to protect mariners, William Ellery, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, established Point Judith Light in 1810. The Lighthouse was built of rough stone and was 35 feet high. The original lighthouse was destroyed in the hurricane of September 1815 and was rebuilt in 1816. To further protect shipping, a life saving station was established in July of 1875. Point Judith Station is the oldest station, on a continuous location, in the Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England area of operation. It was one of the five original life saving stations that protected shipping on the southern shores surrounding Rhode Island. The station was manned by regularly employed Surfmen and was equipped with lifeboat and breeches buoy apparatus. So successful was this, that a new and larger station was built in 1882 to accommodate newer equipment and a larger crew. In September of 1933, the station was gutted by fire and then replaced with the present building in 1937. The destructive hurricane of 1938 destroyed the boathouse near Breakwater Village. A new boathouse was constructed in 1940 at Galilee. The present light was built in 1857. The tower is octagonal with the upper half painted brown and the lower half painted white. It’s 51 feet above ground and 65 feet above sea level and has a visibility of 16 NM on a clear day. Point Judith was very active during World War II and just two days prior to the end of the war (in Europe) assisted in the rescue of the steam collier “Black Point” which was torpedo four miles off the point.

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

Built in 1857, of granite and in octagonal conical shape, with a brown upper and white lower half as distinctive daymark, Point Judith Light marking the west entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. http://www.karatzas.com

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