The
Conimicut Lighthouse in Warwick, Rhode Island, is described on a narrative plaque posted at
Conimicut Point Park by Mason Martino (Boy Scouts of America Troop 4 - Gaspee) for his Eagle Scout Project. The sign is 1 km west of the lighthouse at the eastern end of parking spaces on the point and between a sidewalk and a grassy picnic area and beach. Presented in two sections, the left side of the historical marker reads:
CONIMICUT LIGHTHOUSE
Location: Conimicut Shoal, Entrance to Providence River, Narragansett Bay
41 43 01 N 71 20 42 W
Originally Established: 1868
Present Light House Established: 1882 / Automated: 1963
Construction Material: Cast Iron / Present Optic: 250 mm
In November of 1868, the nearby Barrington Nayatt Point Lighthouse was discontinued and the original granite daymark in Conimicut was converted to a lighted aid. The new Conimicut Lighthouse did not provide a housing for the keepers, so the early keepers had to make a 1 mile rowboat trip from the former Nayatt Light to the new Conimicut Lighthouse. A five-room dwelling was built for the light keeper in 1874; but by the following March the house was destroyed by drifting ice.
In 1882, the granite tower was replaced by a cast-iron lighthouse and was built upon a caisson sunken foundation that is 10 feet into the bay floor. The caisson was filled with concrete, but left space for a basement to provide storage for fuel and water. The lamp was a 10-sided lantern with a Fourth Order Fresnel Lens which was visible for 13 nautical miles. The lamp was 58 feet mean high water (highest average level water reaches on an outgoing tide). The new lighthouse also included a built-in housing unit underneath the light itself.
The right side reads:
CONIMICUT LIGHTHOUSE
In 1939, the U.S. Coast Guard assumed control of the nation's lighthouses, but it wasn't until the late 1950's that the actual operation of the lighthouse was transferred to the Coast Guard from civilian keepers. The upkeep of the lighthouse then fell under the jurisdiction of the City of Warwick.
In 1960, the light was converted from a kerosene incandescent oil vapor lamp which required hand pumping to an electric lamp powered via a cable from the shore. This renovation made Conimicut Lighthouse one of the last lighthouses in the nation to be converted to electricity. Six years later, the light was automated and the resident keepers were no longer needed.
In 2003, the light was converted to solar power. The former, but still operational, main power cable that runs under the shore line, is still in place.
In 2005, the Conimicut Lighthouse Foundation was created to oversee the preservation of the Lighthouse. Later that year, a grant of $560,000 from the Department of Transportation was given to the foundation for the restoration of the lighthouse. The grant was purposed to restore the original appearance of the lighthouse and to recreate the keepers' residence.
On September 29, 2004 a ceremony was held to announce the official
change of ownership of the Conimicut Lighthouse to the City of Warwick
under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act through the
efforts of Mayor Scott Avedisian and Councilman Joseph Solomon.
Presently, a modern 250mm optic is in place and flashes every 2.5 seconds as an aid for boater navigation. A sensor at the nearby Warwick Light Station activates the automated horn during poor visibility.
This kiosk was completed by the Eagle Project by Mason Martino with the help of the Conimicut Village Association, the City of Warwick, and the Boy Scouts of America Troop 4 Gaspee.
More about this marker: A series of four seals delineate the upper corners, two per section, they are from left to right: Conimicut Village Association, The City of Warwick, The State of Rhode Island, and The Boy Scouts of America.
Along the bottom of the left side: An interior elevation architectural drawing of the lighthouse and base fill the bottom left corner, an aerial color photo of the lighthouse is centered, and an illustration of the light is to the right with the caption: The Fourth Order Fresnel Lens. The ruby paned side faced the Conimicut Middle Ground to mark the nearby shoal to oncoming boaters.
At the lower left corner of the right side: a black and white photograph of a bell with the caption: The Gamewell bell striker had to be hand-wound for 10 minutes to supply service for 2 hours. The bell would strike every 10 seconds in the presence of fog.
Note: The coordinates for this Waymark are at the site of the sign as it stands in Conimicut Point Park, not the lighthouse.