Notes:
(1) The Lighthouse was built to mark Pomham Rocks on the East side of the main shipping channel.

      A early Daymark on Pomham Rocks, named after a Narragansett Indian Sachem who travels by sea, aided sea captains of sailing vessels to set a course within the safe channel of the river.  With the increase of shipping and palatial passenger steamers navigating the Providence River since 1866, a Lighthouse was needed to mark the river shipping channel system near Pomham Rocks.

      In 1871, Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, designed by Burlington Vermont engineer Albert R. Dow*, was built as a 1-1/2 story eight-room Victorian Second Empire square Keeper’s House with a octagonal Light Tower attached to the front end of the mansard roof.  The Light was First Lit on December 1, 1871 exhibiting a Fixed Red light illuminated by a Sixth-order Fresnel lens as part of the ongoing program to improve navigation aids in the Narragansett Bay and the Providence River.


      A large cistern was used to collect rainwater.  In 1900, a Fog siren was installed with a continuous horn that was quickly changed to 3-second blast every 12-seconds after local residents complained about the nuisance.  A Fog Bell replaced the Fog siren in 1902 with a 2 strokes every 20-seconds signal.

      Pomham Rocks Light Station received telephone service in 1940 and kerosene was used for lighting, the refrigerator, and stove until the late 1950s when the power was converted to electricity.

      In 1974, the Lighthouse was decommissioned and replaced by an automatic Fixed Red Light on a square skeletal tower located near the south western corner of the deactivated Lighthouse (see picture below).  Mobil Oil Company, purchased the property for $40,100 in 1980 to “preserve the continuity of the waterfront area” due to the proximity of the Lighthouse to ExxonMobil’s East Providence terminal.

      In early January 2005, ExxonMobil leased the historic Lighthouse at no cost to a new chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, who will restore and reactive the Pomham Rocks Light to its original splendor.

      ExxonMobil formed the partnership with the American Lighthouse Foundation because they “were impressed with ALF’s ability to innovatively and successfully handle preservation projects” according to Greg DeMarco, superintendent of ExxonMobil’s East Providence terminal, who presented a $25,000 gift to the American Lighthouse Foundation toward the restoration of the lighthouse.

      Anyone interested in helping or joining the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse can contact Laura McNamara at the East Providence Chamber of Commerce at 401-438-1212 or Don Doucette at 508-226-1185.


*Similar designs of Albert R. Dow’s 1869 plans for Colchester Reef Lighthouse were used for Rhode Island’s Lighthouses at Pomham Rocks, Sabin Point and Rose Island.

(2) 1939 Optic: Fourth-order Fresnel lens, Fixed Red, 870 cp. Incandescent oil vapor.
     The Lens was removed in 1974 and placed on display at the Custom House Maritime Museum, Newburyport, Massachusetts.

(3) The Lighthouse was replaced by skeleton tower:

 

(4) Pomham Rocks Light is best viewed by boat and can also be seen along the East Bay Bicycle Path for walkers and bikers.

Directions from Providence:
      Take I 195 East to Exit 4 (Riverside) and Merge onto the Veteran’s Memorial Parkway (RI 103) for about five miles to the Bullocks Point Avenue parking area for the 14.2 bike path.  The Lighthouse can be seen after a short walk to the north on the path.