Beavertail State Park
Encyclopedia
Beavertail State Park encompasses 153 acre (0.61916958 km²) of land on Conanicut Island
in Narragansett Bay
in the state of Rhode Island
. The lands were acquired by the state in 1980. Its main attraction, Beavertail Lighthouse
, is an active light at the south end of Jamestown
on the island. Beavertail Light is 25 miles (40.2 km) from Misquamicut State Beach
.
The original lighthouse was built in 1749, was rebuilt multiple times, most recently after the Hurricane of 1938, and has undergone restoration work since. Before the lands and the light were under the name of Beavertail, the area was called Fort Burnside after Major General Ambrose Burnside
. The park includes acres of grassy fields and miles of shoreline. Beavertail's topography has been frequently compared to that of the French
or Italian Riviera
. The rocky shores conceal many small beach
es, though accessing these beaches is not easy.
Conanicut Island
Conanicut Island is the second largest island in Narragansett Bay, in the state of Rhode Island. It is connected on the east to Newport, Rhode Island, on Aquidneck Island by the Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, and on the west to North Kingstown, Rhode Island, on the...
in Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
in the state of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The lands were acquired by the state in 1980. Its main attraction, Beavertail Lighthouse
Beavertail Lighthouse
Beavertail Lighthouse, built in 1749, was and still is the premier lighthouse in Rhode Island, USA, especially for entrance into Narragansett Bay. The lighthouse lies on the southernmost point of Conanicut Island in the town of Jamestown, Rhode Island in Beavertail State Park. The light has been...
, is an active light at the south end of Jamestown
Jamestown, Rhode Island
Jamestown is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island, in the United States. The population was 5,405 at the 2010 census. Jamestown is situated almost entirely on Conanicut Island, the second largest island in Narragansett Bay.-History:...
on the island. Beavertail Light is 25 miles (40.2 km) from Misquamicut State Beach
Misquamicut State Beach
Misquamicut State Beach is a state park in Westerly Rhode Island. It is a part of Misquamicut Beach which is a seven mile length of beach that stretches from Weekapaug in the east, westward to Watch Hill, which was called Noyes Beach after Reverend James Noyes from the 18th century to the late...
.
The original lighthouse was built in 1749, was rebuilt multiple times, most recently after the Hurricane of 1938, and has undergone restoration work since. Before the lands and the light were under the name of Beavertail, the area was called Fort Burnside after Major General Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
. The park includes acres of grassy fields and miles of shoreline. Beavertail's topography has been frequently compared to that of the French
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
or Italian Riviera
Italian Riviera
The Italian Riviera, or Ligurian Riviera is the narrow coastal strip which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines...
. The rocky shores conceal many small beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es, though accessing these beaches is not easy.