is perched 200 feet above sea
level on the magnificent Mo-
hegan Bluffs. When lit in 1875,
the lantern's beams reached 21
miles out to sea -- farther than
any lighthouse in New England.
When this National Historic
Landmark was first constructed,
a large field separated the house
and tower from the cliff's edge.
By the late 1980s, the bluffs had
eroded to within 60 feet of the
building. Funding was attained
through federal, state and local
channels to move it to safe
grounds. The move took place
in August of 1993, and a large
stone now marks where the
tower once stood. The grounds
are open daily from sunrise to
sunset. Guided tower tours are
available daily in the summer and
on weekends in the spring and
fall. For more information call
(401) 466-5009.
The North Light is the fourth
lighthouse built on Sandy Point.
The first, finished in 1829, was
washed away in a few years. A
second light began operation
in 1837, but was not visible to
ships due to the shifting sands.
The government built a third
light near the end of the point in
1857, and that also succumbed
to the sea. At last, in 1867, the
present sturdy building of Con-
necticut granite, hauled to the
site by oxen, was completed.
The lighthouse is located in the
Sachem Pond Wildlife Refuge,
and is less than a half-mile walk
from Settlers Rock.
Settlers Rock & Sachem
Pond are at the northern end of
the Island. The stone memorial
was erected in 1911 in com-
memoration of the landing 250
years earlier of the first European
settlers on Block Island. In April
1661, the families and animals of
16 men who had purchased the
Island for 400 pounds sterling
arrived by barque from the Mas-
sachusetts Bay Colony. Because
the Island had no natural harbor,
they were forced to leave their
ship and wade ashore. The cows
known thereafter as Cow Cove.
Bird-watching, fishing and sunset
gazing are favorite pastimes at
this location.
The Block Island Histori-
cal Society Museum & Gift
Shop is located at Bridgegate
Square in the white mansard-roof
building with rocking chairs on
the porch. It was established in
1942 to preserve the Island's
culture and farming and maritime
past. The museum building, origi-
nally known as the Woonsocket
House, was purchased in 1945,
and houses an extensive col-
lection of fine furniture, textiles,
quilts, boat models, tools, fishing
gear, oral history tapes and other
memorabilia. Group tours and
genealogy research assistance
are available. For more informa-
tion call (401) 466-2481.
Isaac's Corner, at the
intersection of Center Road,
Lakeside Drive and Cooneymus
Road, is named for Isaac Church,
the Island's last surviving Native
Indian, who died in 1886. Nearby
(to the east of the four corners)
is an Indian burial ground where
the headstones (small field-
stones) are set closely together.
Indian custom dictated burial of
the dead in an upright position,
with a pot of clams or oysters
beside them to speed them on
their way to the next life. The
town's Heinz Recreation Playing
Field, where summer camp
and sporting events are held, is
located just north of the corner.
Parking is available on the grass.
There are also Greenway trails
that meander around Fresh
Pond.
The Island Free Library may
not look big but it handles big
business. About 116,000 people
passed through its doors last
fiscal year, checking out more
than 43,000 items from books to
DVDs. The air-conditioned facil-
ity provides public bathrooms,
a place to escape the hot sun
and, of course, dozens of books
detailing the Island's history.
Besides the usual books, the