Dutch Island Light

Situated at the southern tip of Dutch Island—originally called Quetenis by the Narragansett and later acquired by the Dutch West India Company around 1636—the lighthouse marks the West Passage of Narragansett Bay near the town of Jamestown in Rhode Island. Its coordinates are 41°29′48.27″ N, 71°24′15.35″ W.

The present tower is a square brick structure painted white with a black lantern. The light sits 56 ft above the water. The original stone tower, built in 1826, rose 30 ft; it was replaced in 1857 by a 42‑ft brick tower. A fog bell was installed in 1878, although the station now has no fog signal. The beacon originally used a 4th‑order Fresnel lens and now employs a 250 mm optic, flashing red every six seconds.

Federal authorities acquired six acres on Dutch Island in 1825 and established the first light in 1826. The stone tower served until 1857, when the current brick tower and its lens were installed. An automated system was fitted in 1947. The station was taken out of operation from 1979 until 2007, after which it resumed service.

Today the light remains an active aid to navigation, continuing its role in guiding vessels through the bay. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and the tower remains standing and visible from the surrounding waters.

Light and tower

It was first lit in 1826. It was automated in 1947.