South East Lighthouse

Tour this historic lighthouse on Block Island, Rhode Island.

The South East Lighthouse is located on Mohegan Bluffs at the southeastern corner of Block Island. The grounds by the South East Lighthouse feature views over the Atlantic Ocean and an excellent viewpoint on the new Block Island Windfarm just three miles offshore. The lighthouse was established in 1875, close to the Mohegan Bluffs. You can see its original location at the giant boulder. It took 19 days to move the lighthouse, and it had to be moved inland 300 feet in 1993 due to erosion. South East Lighthouse is 52 feet tall and is made out of brick and granite. The keeper's house is attached to the tower by a one-and-a-half-story connecting wing of brick, and there is another one-and-a-half-story wing at the rear of the lighthouse. The north wing was designated for the keeper, and the keeper's assistants used the south wing.

This place is on the National Register of Historic Places (since 1990) and became a National Historic Landmark in 1997. The South East Lighthouse has been recognized for its historical importance as an aid to navigation and remarkable architecture. It is only one of 12 lighthouses that used the first-order Fresnel lens. The lighthouse is open to the public daily during the summer (through Labor Day) from 10 am to 4 pm. It is also available for tours on the weekends in the fall (through early October) between 10 am and 4 pm. If you enjoy historic sites, be sure to visit the South East Lighthouse in Rhode Island.