Warwick Lighthouse -  Rhode Island
Address:
1350 Warwick Neck Ave, Warwick, RI 02889
Warwick Neck Lighthouse — often simply called Warwick Light — stands at the southern tip of Warwick Neck, overlooking Narragansett Bay​;  South of Providence

Prints & Downloads

Map

Lighthouse Keepers
  • Elisha Case (1826–1831)
  • Daniel Waite (1831–1832)
  • Abby Waite (Widow Waite) (1832–1841)
  • John Rice (1841–1845)
  • John N. Greene (1845–1849)​

Location

From Highway 117 in Warwick, turn south on Warwick Neck Avenue and follow it for 2.6 miles to its end, where you will see the light.
​​Google Maps HERE

History

The first lighthouse at Warwick is sometimes known as Warwick Neck or Warwick Point Lighthouse.  This lighthouse is not only a functional aid to navigation but also a resilient piece of coastal history.  It has survived major hurricanes, erosion, and technological shifts while retaining its iconic character.

In one of the most powerful storms to ever strike New England, the hurricane of 1938 severely eroded the land under the lighthouse, leaving it dangerously close to the edge of the bluff. The lighthouse sat only inches from falling into Narragansett Bay.  Local authorities rushed to stabilize the structure.
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By 1939, the tower was moved inland about 50 feet, using a rolling system across steel rails and logs. That operation saved the structure, which stands today.

During Prohibition, Warwick Neck’s strategic position made it an ideal lookout spot. According to local accounts, lighthouse keepers and Coast Guard patrols sometimes clashed with rum-runners, who would slip into the bay under cover of night to deliver illegal alcohol.
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Photography

LENS - Its hard to see the lighthouse without a drone or a boat.   The gate was locked and no one was home.