FRIENDS OF POMHAM ROCKS LIGHTHOUSE CELEBRATE 150TH ANNIVERSARY LIGHTING
The year-long celebration leading up to the 150th anniversary of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse in Riverside came to a close recently. December 1, 1871 was the official first lighting of the lamp in the beacon that still guides mariners in upper Narragansett Bay.
Throughout the year, Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse sponsored events to focus the attention of the community on the importance of preserving this historical landmark. Early in the year, a photo/art contest was held. Winning entries were displayed at four local sites.
More than 200 people participated in a 5K/10K benefit run/walk through Riverside. Educational displays and lighthouse merchandise were offered at The Looff Arts Festival. Pomham’s 4th order Fresnel lens was returned from the Custom House Maritime Museum in Newburyport, MA. The antique lens was restored, reunited with its original pedestal, and placed on a specially designed platform as the centerpiece of the lighthouse museum’s exhibits.
Repairs were made to the exterior of the lighthouse and the lantern room, and the entire building and oil house were painted in their original 1871 colors. While removing an unused oil tank on the north side of the island, original stone retaining walls were unearthed, restored and painted in their original white color.
Members gathered at the annual meeting and saw a visual presentation of the year’s accomplishments.
At sunset on December 1, board members of the Friends took a boat ride to the lighthouse to witness the beacon turn on, marking Pomham’s official 150th birthday.
They dedicated the celebration to the keepers and their families who kept the light burning for more than a century:
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Captain C.H. Salisbury and his wife, Mary, who tended the light for 22 years;
Nathaniel Dodge, who spent five years at Pomham Rocks;
Thomas Fishburne, who committed ten years as keeper;
Adolph Aronson, who dedicated 29 years with his wife Nellie and three children;
William Howard, who kept the light with his wife and son for 14 years;
Howard Beebe, who spent five years as the last civilian lightkeeper;
and all the Coast Guardsmen who carried out their duties at the light station, including, Dennis Tardiff, current chair of the board of Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse.
The board of the Friends concluded their ceremony with the following tribute: “To all who committed themselves to watching the light and to all the modern-day keepers who support the preservation of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse today, we dedicate this lighting to you in the hope that future generations will continue to keep this good light shining as a symbol of hope and perseverance.”
Jeremy D’Entremont, author, photographer and historian for the American Lighthouse Foundation and the United States Lighthouse Society, produced a video to commemorate Pomham’s 150-year history.
The documentary can be viewed on youtube by clicking on the following link: Happy 150th birthday, Pomham Rocks Lighthouse!
The Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation. All proceeds support efforts to maintain this important New England maritime light station and museum that is an integral part of Rhode Island’s heritage and that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Support and new members are always welcome.
Visit us at
pomhamrockslighthouse.org
LIGHTHOUSE GIFT MEMBERSHIP
Getting anxious about holiday shopping? Mailing packages? Right sizes? This year, give a unique gift that isn’t sold in a store, doesn’t get delivered by a truck and fits everyone. A gift membership to Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse will solve your gift-giving problems and help preserve a vital, local historic landmark.
December 1 marked the 150th anniversary of the first lighting of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse. The Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse look forward to celebrating the 150th year in 2022 with renewed enthusiasm.
For just $30 you can purchase a Lighthouse Keeper (individual membership) or $15 for Assistant Keeper (student membership). Surprise the whole family with a Keeper Family membership (for those who live in the same household) for $50. Or provide additional support for East Providence’s lighthouse by purchasing membership at select levels: $75 for Lampist, $100 for Lighthouse Inspector, $250 for Lighthouse Superintendent or $500 for Commissioner of Lighthouse Service.
All members receive a subscription to Pomham Glow newsletter, to keep you informed of programs and activities.
As a member, you have the privilege of a discounted rate on boat trips to the lighthouse and invitation to members-only events.
Gift memberships will also receive a 2.5-inch ceramic ornament packaged in cellophane, featuring Pomham Santa at the top of the Lighthouse.
Corporate memberships are also available at $250. Memberships are renewable annually.
The membership year is from January 1 to December 31.
Whatever level you choose, you will feel the personal satisfaction in knowing that your gift membership assists with the support and preservation of this historic maritime light station and museum.
Gift memberships can be purchased by sending a check, made payable to Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, to Membership Chair, Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, P.O. Box 15121, Riverside, RI 02915. Please include the name, address, phone number and email address of the person whom you would like to receive the gift.
A gift membership package, including a welcome letter, membership card, newsletter and lighthouse ornament, will be sent to you to personally give or, if you wish, it will be sent directly to your chosen recipient.
pomhamrockslighthouse@yahoo.com
with questions.
Located on an island off the coast of East Providence, Pomham Rocks Lighthouse is the last surviving lighthouse in upper Narragansett Bay.
The Lighthouse was built in 1871 and served as a navigational aid to the brisk shipping traffic in the Providence River until the Coast Guard decommissioned it in 1974. Since 2004, the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse have made it their mission to protect and preserve this landmark that is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
LIGHTHOUSE CELEBRATES 150TH YEAR WITH FRESNEL LENS ORNAMENT
Just in time for the holiday season, Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse have introduced a new holiday ornament. To commemorate the return of the lighthouse’s classic Fresnel lens for its 150th anniversary, this year’s ornament is a 2-dimensional layered replica of the iconic lens.
The 3.25” x 2” ornament is made of silver rhodium, has a red ribbon hanger and is gift boxed. It is made exclusively for Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse by Beacon Design, a division of ChemArt, located in Lincoln, RI.
A card describing the history of this New England landmark accompanies the ornament.
Buy one for your Christmas tree and order extras for family and friends who have moved away. Priced at $20, these also make great gifts for teachers or co-workers.
They can be purchased by calling 401-433-3463. Requests from local residents will be delivered.
For orders outside the East Providence/Barrington area, ornaments will be shipped.
Call or email lighthouse1871@cox.netwith name, address, email address and phone number, as well as the number of ornaments, to determine the cost of shipping and handling.
Checks can then be made payable to Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, c/o 81 Harris Street, Riverside, RI 02915.
Built in 1871, Pomham Rocks Lighthouse is the last surviving lighthouse in upper Narragansett Bay. It still serves as an aid to navigation and is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
Proceeds from the sale of the ornament will be used to maintain the lighthouse.