Pomham Light

Providence River scenery in early spring of 2021 with the restored lighthouse

According to a sparse set of notes I found, today's lighthouse island once belonged to an Algonquian leader with the name Sachem Pomham, who traveled the area by sea. The name of the Providence River rocks and the lighthouse commemorate this native of the upper Narrangansett Bay: Pomham Rocks Lighthouse.

Traveling the East Bay Bike Path south from the Spooky Bottom Scenic Dock and past the Squantum Association Club House, you will find a short trail section that gives way to excellent views of the lighthouse. This section is less than a mile north from the old Riverside Railroad Station, which now is operated by the Borealis Coffee Company serving bicyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts.

An interpretive board summarizes the Pomham Light history:

Along the East Bay Bike Path, the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse is perched on a rocky island jutting out approximately 800 feet from the Providence River's eastern shoreline. The lighthouse was constructed in 1871, was in operation until the 1970s, and was bought by the Mobil Oil Company in 1980. In 2005, Exxon Mobil leased the lighthouse to the American Lighthouse Foundation and the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, at which time full restoration efforts began. After the restoration was completed, the lighthouse was re-lit in 2006. In th spring of 2010, the lighthouse was officially donated by Exxon Mobil to the American Lighthouse Foundation and the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse.