Ida Lewis Light, Granite lighthouse in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island.
Ida Lewis Light is a granite lighthouse built on Lime Rock, a small island in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island. The structure combines a two-story stone building in the Greek Revival style with a brick tower rising from one of its corners.
The lighthouse was built in 1854 and became the home of Ida Lewis, who took over the station after her father suffered a stroke and continued to serve there until her death in 1911. She was received by presidents and received official recognition from the government for her rescue work.
The lighthouse takes its name from Ida Lewis, a woman who became known across the country for her rescue work in Newport Harbor. The local sailing club is named after her, which shows how deeply her memory is tied to the waterfront life of the city.
The lighthouse sits on a small island and can only be seen from the water or from certain spots along the Newport waterfront, so getting close requires a boat. Bringing binoculars makes it much easier to see the details of the building from the shore.
During her lifetime, Ida Lewis was so well known that thousands of people came to Lime Rock just to catch a glimpse of her, including President Ulysses S. Grant. This flow of visitors made the tiny island one of the most visited spots in all of Newport.
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