Newport Harbor Light facts for kids
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| Newport Harbor Light, on Goat Island with the Newport Bridge in the background | |
 Newport Harbor Light
Location in Rhode Island
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| Location | N. end of Goat Island, Newport Harbor, Newport, Rhode Island |
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| Coordinates | 41°29′35.92″N 71°19′37.34″W / 41.4933111°N 71.3270389°W |
| Year first constructed | 1823 |
| Year first lit | 1842 (current tower) |
| Automated | 1963 |
| Foundation | Granite breakwater |
| Construction | Granite blocks |
| Tower shape | Octagonal conical |
| Height | 35 feet (11 m) |
| Focal height | 33 feet (10 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | 9.8 inches (250 mm) |
| Range | 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fixed Green |
| Fog signal | none |
| Admiralty number | J0540 |
| ARLHS number | USA-458 |
| USCG number | 1-17850 |
The Newport Harbor Light is a cool lighthouse located on Goat Island in Newport, Rhode Island. People also call it the Goat Island Light or the Green Light because of its steady green beam. This important lighthouse helps boats safely navigate Narragansett Bay. It was built in 1842 and has been guiding ships ever since!
Contents
The Lighthouse Story
Early Beginnings
The very first lighthouse on Goat Island was built a long time ago, between 1823 and 1824. But it didn't stay there forever! In 1851, this original lighthouse was moved to Prudence Island. You can still see it there today as the Prudence Island Light.
A New Lighthouse for Safety
The lighthouse we see today was built in 1842. It was placed a little way off Goat Island. A narrow path, called a dike, connected it to the island. This new lighthouse was needed because the old one wasn't good enough at warning ships about a hidden reef (a rocky area) nearby. The light from the old lighthouse was moved into this new, stronger tower.
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ca. 1905 postcard of the Newport Harbor Light with the 1864 keeper's house still attached
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Prudence Island Light, ca. 1824, was the original Newport Harbor Lighthouse until it was transported to Prudence Island in 1851
Changes Over Time
In 1864, a house for the lighthouse keeper was built right next to the tower. A keeper was the person who lived there and made sure the light was always working.
Later, in 1921, a submarine accidentally hit the stone wall (breakwater) near the lighthouse. This damaged the keeper's house. The next year, an electric light was put into the tower. The damaged keeper's house was later taken down.
In the 1960s, a company bought Goat Island. They filled in the land between the island and the lighthouse to build a hotel. This meant the lighthouse was no longer separated by water.
On March 30, 1988, the Newport Harbor Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site. In 2000, the Coast Guard allowed the American Lighthouse Foundation to take care of the light. Now, the Friends of Newport Harbor Lighthouse help manage it.
Images for kids
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Postcard c.1905 of the Newport Harbor Light with the 1864 keeper's house still attached
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The lighthouse with the Newport Bridge in the background
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The light in 2014
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Prudence Island Light, circs 1824, was the original Newport Harbor Lighthouse until it was transported to Prudence Island in 1851.
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