Poplar Point Lighthouse
Wickford, Rhode Island
Built in 1831
Location:
The lighthouse marks the entrance to Wickford Harbor in Narragansett Bay. Private Residence.
Latitude: 41° 34' 16" N
Longitude: 71° 26' 21" W
Historic Stories:
Wickford Harbor became popular as a commercial shipping destination for goods from plantations that were flourishing in the area. Local shipyards were quite busy as well. Poplar Point Lighthouse was built in 1831, with the octagonal tower built of wood and attached to the one-story, keeper’s dwelling made of rubble stone. Samuel Thomas Jr. was appointed Poplar Point's first keeper.
During the lighthouse’s tenure, ferry sloops provided the needed public transportation from Wickford to Newport. This continued until 1870, when the Wickford Railroad and Steamboat Company began passenger ferry service to Newport. Wickford was then connected by railroad to New York City. The terminal for the trains was located near the lighthouse, and the beacon was becoming unnecessary for mariners.
In 1882, the decision was made to replace Poplar Point Lighthouse with a new lighthouse on Gay Rock, northeast of the station and about 200 yards offshore. This became what is known as the Wickford Harbor Lighthouse, which was destroyed in the hurricane of 1938.
Poplar Point lighthouse is Rhode Island's only lighthouse which has not needed to be rebuilt and is also still in its original location built in 1831. The lighthouse itself has the oldest wooden lighthouse tower in the nation.
Places to Visit Nearby:
Heading northward along Route 1A, the quiet townships of historic North Kingston, Saunderstown, Davisville, and East Greenwich regions provide opportunities to discover early Colonial period architecture nestled in wooded locations and farmlands where you’ll find an abundance of stonewalls used to mark properties.
| Wickford is a small coastal village within North Kingston. | 
Wickford Harbor Boats |
This little village provides picturesque waterfront streets with quaint specialty shops, cafes, restaurants, and art galleries among quaint churches and colonial homes.
| During the summer months you'll find performances where visitors can enjoy relaxing views of the harbor. | 
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Exhibits by the Wickford Art Organization are also on display.
There are diverse museums nearby like Smith’s Castle, one of Rhode island’s oldest buildings butil in 1678, The Seebee Museum, honoring the naval construction battalion of Seabees, which originated in this area, and who developed the mobile Quonset huts used originally in World War II.
Casey Farm Museum |
To learn about rural farm life, check out the The Casey Farm, which is a Colonial farm nearby. |
Explore the Gilbert Stuart Museum a colonial home of the famous American portrait artist with working snuff (tobacco) and grist mills, along with woodland hiking trails for exploring.
| This is also the first tobacco mill used in the Colonial American colonies. |
Gilbert Stuart Museum |
There is no public access to the lighthouse as it is a discreet private residence and best views are by boat anyways. Distant views can also be seen across the mouth of the harbor from the breakwater at Sauga Point.
Local Boat Tours
Rhode Island Bay Cruises
Provides a narrated cruise past 10 Rhode Island Lighthouses in Narragansett Bay, and has a complete Newport Harbor Tour.
347 Roger Williams Way
North Kingstown, RI 02852
Phone: (401) 295-4040
Email: info@fastferry.com
Save the Bay Tours
Special organization for lighthouse and coastal preservation. In addition to various educational, nature, and historical tours, they provide an Ultimate Lighthouse Tour, which includes a stopover at Rose Island Lghthouse.
100 Save the Bay Drive, Providence, RI 02905
Phone: (401) 272-3540 x103
My 300-page book, Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions, including museums and parks, and boat tours you can explore. Look inside! |
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