Watch Hill Lighthouse

Richard Fricke was a lighthouse keeper for 27 years at stations including Point Judith, Latimer Reef, and Watch Hill. Richard and his stepson, Fred Buckley, received a citation from the United States government for the rescue of a canoeist who had capsized in the water nearby.

Remarked Fred;

"The keeper's job wasn't just maintaining the lighthouse. We kept an eye on everything. When people were in trouble we went out and helped them - it was like a law. There were no big headlines, we just went and did it."

(above) Summer at Watch Hill, ca. 1909

(left) Richard Fricke in Watch Hill's engine room, ca. 1935