Dutch Island Light - Dutch Island Lighthouse Society Is Formed

Dutch Island Lighthouse Society Is Formed

The Dutch Island Lighthouse Society was born in 2000 as a Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation and with the objective of restoring the lighthouse and hopefully a functioning light.

In May 2000, the lighthouse was visited by Dave Lombardi, Keith Fornal, Jeremy D’Entremont and Chris Powell of the RI Dept. of Environmental Management (which had jurisdiction over the island). In June 2000, Ginger Hesse and Roberta Randall of the RI State Historic Preservation Office also visited the lighthouse. The building, though needing extensive repairs, was found to be basically very sound and they named it an Historic Building.

In the summer of 2001, DILS filed an application for funds for restoration and reactivation with an estimated cost of $120,000, and the application was “accepted”. It took another 7 years to complete all the many details of design, planning, restoration and activation along with endless encounters with “red tape”. Meanwhile, a set of By-laws was approved which established a Board of Directors so we could include more people in the directing of the Society. So, instead of a President and a Vice-President, DILS had a Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

In January, 2004, DILS was accepted as a non-profit organization in the state of RI. The DILS Treasurer, Betty Aschman, reported that we had $16,000 from “big donors” including the Kimball Foundation, BankNewport’s Community Fund, and several family foundations. We had 188 “small” donors and on May 21, 2004 Al Potter reported that we had the Easement Agreement with the state and the necessary insurance and the Project Agreement. On July 1, 2004 the visitors to the island included key people from RIDOT and Ken Lescarbeau, who was the President and owner of the Abcore Restoration Company that was already at work on Plum Beach Light.

By the spring of 2005, DILS negotiated a long-term lease from the DEM, which was in charge of the island for the state –including the lighthouse. In July of that year, the firm of Vanasse, Hagen and Brustlin (VHB) visited the lighthouse on with Bill DeSantis of RIDOT, architect Richard Ventrone, Jr. and planner Arnold Robinson of the Newport Collaborative Architects. (Campbell Construction Co. had already had a site visit). Their charge was to come up with drawings and specifications that would get the job done and relight the light, and if possible, to stay within the $120,000 grant from RIDOT. The details of their specifications had to be cleared by the DILS Building Committee, RIDOT, the town of Jamestown, the US Coast Guard and RIDEM (Parks Department) before we the Society could advertise for bids. After a short time, RIDOT gave DILS permission to advertise for bids; the Building Committee reviewed the four bids. Winning bidder was Abcore Restoration of Narragansett, which had a very good reputation and had recently completed the restoration of the Plum Beach Lighthouse, also in Narragansett Bay. Keith Lescarbeau – the President and owner of Abcore – was also well known and admired in the area. The Building Committee’s choice of Abcore was approved by the Board of Directors, and on July 3, 2007 . Craig Amerigian agreed to serve as the DILS Project Manager and Owner Representative.

Abcore started July 25. They made a temporary landing area on the rock near the lighthouse of about 20 tires tied together and built a plywood walkway from this landing area to the lighthouse. They had a small launch with a hoist which transported all the scaffolding, ladders and supplies to the island from Jamestown. It was heartening to see the scaffolding in place and to watch the exterior gradually change from mottled brown to gleaming white with the final parging.

Another detail in the rebuilding was the fabrication and testing of a solar-powered workable light, as well as chipping away all loose material on the exterior of the tower, repairing with tuck pointing, coating with a parging (tested in Newport for appropriate whiteness) and then coating with an antifungal material. The roof had to be replaced. The glass in the tower had to be replaced with double glazing. The brass window frames needed repair and replacement and much of the walkway also needed repair and replacement. Considerable work had to be done to the inside staircase, wooden window boards were replaced with metal ones and the door was replaced.

The separate small “oil house” was cleaned out, fitted with a new roof and door and the exterior was refinished. The grant from RIDOT specifically stated that the grant money could not be used for maintenance, nor would RIDOT or the Enhancement Program pay for maintenance. The final “Field Report” was received from the Newport Collaborative Architects on November 20, 2007.

On November 17, 2007 many gathered at vantage points to see the great occasion. At the appointed time (7:00 p.m.) the “count-down” was started, the cannon fired, and founding member Shirley Sheldon pushed the button and for the first time in 28 years Dutch Island had a flashing red light and a gleaming white lighthouse.