Photographer David Zapatka Instrumental in the Return of Poplar Point Lighthouse

North Kingstown beacon relit after 142 years in the dark

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The night sky over Narragansett Bay just got a little bit brighter. The Poplar Point Lighthouse, which sits just east of Wickford Harbor, was relit for the first time in 142 years in late December. Built in 1831, it is the oldest surviving wooden lighthouse tower in the US, and the oldest in the state still standing at its original location.

“We wanted to make it historically correct at night,” says author, photographer, and lighthouse expert David Zapatka, who was instrumental in the push to relight the historic beacon. Zapatka, director of photography for the US Lighthouse Society, has taken hundreds of nighttime photos at over 200 lighthouses in 27 states, and published two books with a third in the works.

Although replaced by GPS navigation as a nautical tool, the modest beauty and historic legacy of lighthouses remain cherished. First illuminated in 1831, Poplar Point was the only lighthouse in North Kingstown for many years until another was built in Wickford Harbor. “It hasn’t been lit since 1882; we’re making history here, getting it relit, which is really cool,” says Zapatka. The 50-foot-tall light can now be seen for several miles, visible to boaters on the water and drivers crossing the Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge.

The lighthouse is attached to the home of Russell and Cathy Shippee. Zapatka worked closely with the couple and encouraged them to apply for a permit with the Coast Guard, which regulates lighthouses. The permit was approved, and the new light, which originally illuminated the Plum Beach Lighthouse in Narragansett Bay, was installed. Unlike the original fixed light, the new bulb at Poplar Point flashes every few seconds, alerting boaters to the presence of the coastline. 

Zapatka developed an interest in lighthouses when the non-profit Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse began a renovation project in 2001. Having worked in television as a cameraman for national television networks, he offered to produce a documentary on the renovation project. In 2004, he became president of Plum Beach Lighthouse, where he continues to oversee the historic site that sits adjacent to the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge.

Zapatka, who specializes in nighttime lighthouse photography, began capturing images of lighthouses around the country in 2013. He noticed that while photographs of lighthouses taken during daylight were plentiful, there were surprisingly few taken at night. In the age of film cameras, darkness made it difficult to capture light images at night. However, the advent of digital photography in the 21st century has made nighttime photography more accessible.

“On a whim, I went out alone on October 1, 2013, to Dutch Island, anchored my boat, and got some really cool pictures,” says Zapatka. He showed the photos to Coast Guard officials who shared his enthusiasm. “I found out later that historical pictures of lighthouses working at night just don’t exist,” he continues. Fast-forward to today: “I’m working on my third book, and I’ve only been able to find six (nighttime) lighthouse photographs in the public domain. The United States Lighthouse Society didn’t have a single image of a lighthouse at night.”

Even with all the tools available to mariners these days, the site of a working lighthouse on a cold, foggy night offers a unique sense of comfort. “Poplar Point is going to make its presence known in a way it didn’t before,” adds Zapatka. Learn more at StarsAndLighthouses.com.

 

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