Conimicut Light, built in 1883, is a historic
sparkplug lighthouse
A caisson lighthouse (also referred to as a sparkplug lighthouse, or bug light) is a type of lighthouse whose superstructure rests on a concrete or metal caisson. Caisson lighthouses were developed in the late nineteenth century as a cheaper alter ...
in
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, the third largest city in the state with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is located approximately south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, sout ...
. The lighthouse was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1988. The lighthouse is said to be in "relatively good condition."
The lighthouse was built in 1883 using pneumatic caisson engineering. The light replaced an earlier 1868 light. Conimicut Lighthouse was automated in the 1960s and was one of the last acetylene gas powered lights to switch to electricity. The City of Warwick acquired the light in 2004. Initially the city planned to restore the lighthouse, but a federal grant for this purpose failed to come through. Subsequently, the city is considering various plans, including leasing it to a tourism company to be converted into a bed-and-breakfast inn.
This location marks the mouth of the
Providence River
The Providence River is a tidal river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 8 miles (13 km). There are no dams along the river's length, although the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is located south of downtown to protect th ...
as it empties into
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. Sma ...
.
See also
*
Notes
References and links
Lighthouse pics and info
*America's Atlantic Coast Lighthouses, Kenneth Kochel, 1996
*Northeast Lights: Lighthouses and Lightships, Rhode Island to Cape May, New Jersey, Robert Bachand, 1989.
Gallery
Image:Conimicut Lighthouse 2007 close view.jpg
Image:Conimicut Lighthouse 2007.jpg
Image:Conimicut Lighthouse in 2006.jpg
Lighthouses completed in 1883
Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island
Buildings and structures in Warwick, Rhode Island
National Register of Historic Places in Kent County, Rhode Island
Transportation buildings and structures in Kent County, Rhode Island
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