Beavertail State Park

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Beavertail State Park encompasses 153 acres 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 itself 12 miles from the town of Misquamicut. The original lighthouse was built in 1749, 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, father of the sideburn. 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 Riveria. The rocky shores conceal many small beaches, though accessing these beaches is not easy.