1920s (replica)

Fabric & embroidery

Donated by Arva Bunting

This hat belonged to Capt. Curtis W. Bunting, USN (Ret), who was president of the board of directors of the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation until 1992. After his passing in 1993, it was donated by his widow, Arva, to the Foundation.

A lighthouse keeper’s uniform around this time would have consisted of a navy-blue double-breasted sack coat with regulation triple gilt buttons, vest and trousers in the winter and serge or flannel in summer. The cap was designed in the Navy pattern and was emblazoned with an embroidered wreath enclosing a lighthouse. The insignia identified lighthouse keepers and symbolized their dedication to the safety of the mariner.

Reference

National Park Service, Maine Historical Society

Pipestems c. 1650-1680

Pearlware c. 1770-1890

Clay, ceramic

Discovered while the septic field was being excavated by archaeologist Charlotte Watrin from the RI Historical Preservation Commission.

From the December 1987 newsletter:

“Among the fragments found, [Charlotte Watrin] dated a piece of clay pipestem to 1650 (about the time it was reported that John Cranston and Caleb Carr sold Benedict Arnold one fourth part of Gould and Rose Islands).”

19th century

Iron

This cannonball was discovered underwater near the Dumplings by scuba divers, who donated it to Rose Island. Soldiers at Fort Adams are said to have used the Dumplings for target practice, sending cannonballs rolling into the bay. When the cannonball arrived someone noticed a small dimple and suggested that there could still be a live charge. The Navy was called in for an X-ray, and after some tense moments, they declared it harmless. RILF members attempted to conserve the cannonball by submerging it in fresh water for over a year, before putting it in the display case where it later cracked in half naturally. It is dated circa 19th-century, and likely would have been shot from a 32-pound carronade: a shorter-range, shorter barrel large caliber gun used in naval battles or short-range barrages on terrestrial targets.

Reference

Dr. Kevin McBride, UConn

Unknown date

Copper & brass, wooden handle

Donated by Frederick Mikkelsen

This torch, fueled by kerosene, was used in the fog horn building at Rose Island to start the diesel engines that powered the compressors that ran the horns.

Both Wanton Chase (grandson of Keeper Charles Curtis) and Paul Stedman (grandson of Keeper Jesse Orton) said when they were little they loved it when the fog rolled in. They'd sit at the bottom of the stairs while their grandfather and the assistant keeper tried to get the fog horn running. They said that it’s also where they learned all their swear words!

Source

Charlotte Johnson

c. 1870s

Brass

Donated by Frederick Mikkelsen

A 3-quart U.S. lighthouse keeper’s brass oil measuring can. This vessel was used for transferring, measuring, and filling lamps with kerosene.

c. 1887

Glass

Blue colored pressed glass bottle with mold seam. "BROMO SELTZER / EMERSON / DRUG CO / BALTIMORE MD" embossed on front; "4" embossed on bottom of bottle.