Notes:
(1) Watch Hill Light was built to mark the hazardous Watch Hill reef 3,200-feet offshore and the eastern entrance to Fishers Island Sound.  The Watch Hill Light Station has guided coastal navigation between New England ports and New York ensuring the safety of commerce and passengers.

      During the King George’s War (1744-48), a watch tower and some form of a beacon was erected by the colony of Rhode Island.  The strategic tower and beacon were used primarily to send warnings of naval attack.  In 1781, a gale destroyed the beacon.

      From 1794 to 1806, the location for a new Lighthouse was disputed by ship captains.  Fifty-four ship owners and captains petitioned the government to build a beacon at Little Gull Island whereas others claimed Watch Hill Point to be the best location.

      The Senate ordered a investigation to determine the need for a Watch Hill Light. The findings were a small Light would aid coastal navigation since there would be no transatlantic ships arriving which require a First-class seacoast Light.  In addition, Congress settled the dispute by passing “An Act to provide for light-houses in Long Island Sound.”  The Act approved two lighthouses, located at Watch Hill Point, Westerly, Rhode Island and Sand’s (or Watch) Point, North Hempsted, Long Island.  On Jan 22, 1806, President Thomas Jefferson approved this Act of Congress.

      A 35-feet high round shingled wood frame Tower was built by Elisha Woodward on a high bluff overlooking Block Island Sound and the eastern entrance to Fisher’s Island Sound and Long Island Sound.  The Lighthouse was immediately lighted upon completion in mid-February of 1808 and exhibited a Fixed light, illuminated by 10 whale oil lamps, 73 feet above sea level.  A separate 5-room Keeper’s house was also built.

      In 1838, the Lighthouse was refitted with revolving illuminating apparatus exhibiting a Revolving White Light Characteristic to distinguish Watch Hill from the Lighthouse located in Stonington, Connecticut.

      By 1855, tidal wave erosion had gradually eroded the point and threatened to destroy the Lighthouse.  In 1856, A new 45-feet square Tower was erected with exterior granite walls and interior white cylindrical brick walls attached to a 2-story brick Keeper’s House.  The Lighthouse was fitted with a Fourth-order Fresnel lens exhibiting a Fixed White light, First Lit Feb 1, 1857.  Large granite blocks were positioned around the Lighthouse forming a sea wall to obstruct the forces of the waves.  The Watch Hill Tower is identical in architectural form to the Beavertail Lighthouse which also was rebuilt during 1856 using rock-faced granite ashler from Westerly quarries.


      In 1924, the Light Characteristic was changed to Fixed White alternating with a group of 2 Red Flashes every 15 seconds in order to distinguish the Lighthouse from the bright street lights.  During the same year, a Fog signal was added to the Light Station.

      During the Hurricane of 1938, the Lighthouse was severly damaged.  The storm surge destroyed the lantern glass, damaged the lamp, and drenched the interior of the Tower.  After a few weeks of repair, Watch Hill Light resumed service.

      On August 31, 1986, Watch Hill was automated as one of the last manned Light Stations.  The Fourth-order Fresnel Lens illuminated by a 1000-watt electric bulb was replaced by a FA-251 rotating lens with 150-watt tungsten-halogen lamps.  An automatic timer activates the light at night.  Fog-sensor beams were installed to activate the Fog Signal when sensing fog at a distance of 5-miles.

      Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association, an affiliate of Watch Hill Improvement Association, maintains the Lighthouse and operates a Museum in the renovated Oil house during July and August between 1 and 3pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

(2) 1838 Characteristic: Rv W [Revolving White]

1857 Characteristic: FW [Fixed White]
1924 Characteristic: FW alternating with group of 2 Red Flashes every 15 seconds
1987 Characteristic: Al Occ Fl R 15s [Alternate Occulting Flashing Red every 15 seconds]

Currently, The Light remains lighted throughout 24 hours and a Emergency light Fl W 2.5s of reduced intensity is exhibited when main light is extinguished.

(3) 1808 Optic: 10 Oil Lamps with Reflectors

1842 Optic: 8 Oil Lamps with 9-inch Reflectors
1842 Optic: Refitted with a Fourth-order Fresnel Lens
1887 Optic: FA-251 Lens

(4) 1924 Fog Signal: One 5-sec Blast every 25-sec, second-class Reed Horn
A radiobeacon was established and transmitted a Morse Code Identification signal, WH (._ _ ....) V, at 306-kHz to a range of 10 miles.

(5) Jonathan Nash noted the threat of the rock shoals by reporting 45 shipwrecks occurred on the rocks near Watch Hill during his 27 years of tending the Lighthouse.  Most ship disasters occurred in dense fog or stormy weather while traveling along the coast in a southwestward direction.

(6) For Directions, enter the following address at MapQuest.