Castle Hill Lighthouse

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Castle Hill Light

(Newport, Rhode Island)

The lighthouse at Castle Hill is a 34-foot high granite lighthouse that was completed in 1890. The lighthouse stands among the steep and rocky slopes of Castle Hill over looking the east passage into Narragansett Bay.

Just before the money was allocated by Congress in 1875 for the construction of a fog signal at Castle Hill, a Harvard professor named Alexander Aggasiz built a summer cottage at Castle Hill. Not wanting to listen to a fog signal, he refused to sell any of his property to the government. Finally, in 1887 he was persuaded and sold some of his land so a lighthouse and fog signal could be built. Construction began in 1888 and was first lit on May 1, 1890. A six-room keeper’s house was also built at that time. The keeper's house was later destroyed in 1938.

Initially the lighthouse was fitted with a fifth-order Fresnel lens. The red light flashed every 10 seconds and could be seen at approximately 10 miles. The flashing rate was changed in 1907 to once every 30 seconds and in 1939 the characteristic of the light was modified again - with a 30 second cycle, it would flash red for 9 seconds and eclipse for 21 seconds. The light was automated in 1957 and the Fresnel lens removed. The tower now contains a 300 mm modern lens.

Directions: The light can be reached by a short walk through the woods from the rear of the Castle Hill Inn parking lot. To get to the Inn at Castle Hill follow Thames Street south from the center of Newport. Turn right onto Wellington Ave. Follow to the end (stop sign) and turn right. Go past Fort Adams and turn right onto Ridge road. At the end of Ridge road turn right onto Castle Hill Road. After a bend to the left look for Ocean Ave on the right and signs for Castle Hill Inn.

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