Haunted Lighthouses in Rhode Island
Rhode Island, often referred to as the “Ocean State,” boasts around 400 miles of coastline and has its share of perilous reefs, ledges, and sandbars that have challenged mariners for many years. The largest island, Block Island, features two lighthouses to guide sailors through Block Island Sound. One of these, the Block Island Southeast Light, is rumored to be haunted by an angry female spirit, and there have been sightings of a ghost ship named the Palatine, also known as the “Flying Dutchman” near the island shores.
Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay is separated into two channels: the East Passage and the West Passage. On the west side, Watch Hill Light is said to be haunted by a young, playful spirit, while spirits from the tragedy of a murder-suicide haunt Conimicut Shoal Lighthouse. On the eastern shore, the capital city of Newport became a haven for extremely wealthy individuals during the 19th century. In Newport Harbor, paranormal activity has been reported at Rose Island Light and Fort Hamilton nearby.
"Mad Maggie"
Block Island Southeast Light, Shoreham, RI
This tale may be one of folklore that surrounds Block Island's Southeast Light. The story involves a keeper had a violent argument with his wife who was bored and depressed in the lighthouse. In a fit of anger he pushed her down the stairs of the tower causing her death by a broken neck. However, there is no record of any keeper that had killed his wife in the newspapers. So where did she come from?
Whoever this spirit is, named by islanders as "Mad Maggie," she continues to haunt and harass any male visitors or caretakers of the light. Many men have reported to have been recipients of this poltergeist’s wrath and have claimed to have been locked in rooms and closets, and some have witnessed her ghost on the stairs and in the kitchen, banging pots and pans, not caring if anyone was watching her. Women and children however, have never reported any disturbances from this supposedly vengeful spirit.
The Palatine Ghost Ship,
Known as the "Flying Dutchman"
Near Block Island Southeast Light, Shoreham, RI
The Palatine was a Dutch immigrant ship that set sail for the New World in 1752. After weeks of navigating the Atlantic through numerous storms and running low on provisions, tempers flared as their angry captain repeatedly mistreated the crew and the ship’s immigrant passengers. The ship was relentlessly battered by waves crashing onto its deck, ultimately resulting in the captain's death when he was swept overboard by a rogue wave when they were near Rhode Island.
When the first mate assumed command, he sold food to those immigrant passengers who could afford to purchase, starving others. When ran aground on Block Island, they took to the lifeboats, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves as best they could.
One of the versions of the story indicates that all the passengers were allowed to leave the ship, then the locals plundered the ship, while another version reports that the locals helped the immigrants off the ship and gave them food and clothing. All versions claim that the locals set fire to the plundered vessel and let it drift out to sea, but were unaware that one terrified immigrant had stayed on board, too afraid to come ashore. Local mariners could hear the screams of the victim that night as the fiery vessel vanished into the waters.
Today, the Palatine has become one of America’s most famous phantom ghost ships. It is also known in other versions as “The Flying Dutchman,” which is seen sailing off the coast of Block Island, often in flames. The area where the ship burned and sank below the mountainous bluffs is believed to be below where Block Island Southeast Light is situated today, just a short distance from the main harbor of Block Island.
Playful Young Spirit
Watch Hill light, Westerly, RI
Watch Hill Lighthouse is the second oldest beacon in Rhode Island. It was built to protect mariners around the many dangerous rocky shoals and ledges in the area and was a sight of many shipwrecks, even after it was constructed in 1808. One of the last Coast Guard families stationed at the lighthouse, before it was automated, observed what they believed was a young child spirit. During their stay, they experienced the footsteps and laughter of this young ghost. They were very relaxed and not bothered about it, and kept most of the episodes to themselves, as they never felt threatened. They believed it was a young boy. It is believed that many years ago a young boy of a Coast Guardsman or staff member was playing on the rocks as kids do, fell, and died.
Some of these sightings were also reported years before, and there may also be a female spirit in the house, maybe the mother. With so many shipwrecks near the lighthouse over the years, the spirit(s) could have also come from one of these wrecks.
Keeper’s Wife Commits Murder-Suicide
Conimicut Shoal Light, Warwick, RI
Sometimes remote lighthouse locations become too much for family members to adjust to. Keeper Ellsworth Smith who was appointed keeper in 1921, came to Conimicut Shoal Light with his wife Nellie and two children. His wife could not adjust to the lonely life and longed for socializing on the mainland. Keeper Smith refused her requests to leave the lighthouse as he felt maintaining the lighthouse tower and buildings was a family affair. She became depressed and was being driven into a very dangerous state of mind as the weeks went by.
One day as the keeper went ashore to gather supplies, she unlocked the medicine cabinet where she found mercury bi-chloride tablets, that if used in very diluted form, could treat various ailments. These pills however, were deadly if multiple doses were taken. She gave her children (ages five and two) each a pill, telling them it was candy. She swallowed some for herself.
When the keeper returned, he found his wife and two year old son dead, and his five year old son very ill. He immediately rowed his son to shore to get immediate medical attention, where the boy would later recover. That night, the tower was left dark. His son later told him that he had spat out the candy that his mom gave him because he didn't like the taste.
Since the tragedies, keepers and Coast Guard personnel have reported weird occurrences at the lighthouse. Some have reported hearing a woman crying and a young child laughing, when no one else was around. Others have reported that items and tools have been moved around from their original locations.
Rose Island Lighthouse Keeper and the Souls of Quarantine Victims
Rose Island Light, Newport, RI
Historic Rose Island Lighthouse lies about a mile offshore in Newport Harbor with the island also containing the remains of Fort Hamilton with its stone barracks. The island also served as a quarantine station for for those stricken with cholera or yellow fever in the mid-1800s. The barracks and quarantine stations are believed to be inhabited by the souls of some of those who succumbed to illness there. Footsteps, voices, slamming doors, and other noises have been reported over many years. Researchers believe most of these hauntings occurred from restless spirits after the Hurricane of 1938, where a monstrous tidal surge washed over the island and temporarily unearthed some of those buried there.
Rose Island Lighthouse is believed to also be haunted by former lighthouse keeper Charles Curtis who stayed in service for 31 years from 1887-1908. There have been many reports over the years since his death that his ghost walks around the lighthouse still. On some evenings around midnight caretakers and guests have heard footsteps descending the tower's stairs and usually stop in the kitchen. This was the keeper's routine in life when his shift had ended, as he would make one final check before getting something to drink or eat in the kitchen. A photograph of his reflection in a glass painting was taken and verified by the Ghost Hunter's TV show in 2010, who also verified some of the sounds and a light apparition within the barracks and quarantine station as possibly paranormal anomalies or activities.
Books to Explore
New Book!  Available in paperback. |
New England's Haunted Lighthouses: Explore the historical mysteries surrounding the haunted lighthouses of New England! Uncover ghostly tales of lingering keepers, victims of misfortune or from local shipwrecks, lost souls, ghost ships, and more. You'll discover plenty of additional details and information about the haunted lighthouses in Rhode Island. Immerse yourself in the tales associated with these iconic beacons! |
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts This book provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions you can explore, including parks, museums, boat cruises and tours. You'll also find over 360 images to enjoy as well. Look inside! |
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Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: This book provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses in northern New England, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon, and contact info to plan your special trips. Look inside! |
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This book is available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies and measured longer than a football field! These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
