Rose Island Lighthouse as fog lifts in Rhode Island.
Hauntings by Charles Curtis, the Rose Island Lighthouse Keeper, and the Restless Souls of Quarantine Victims Nearby
Historic Rose Island Lighthouse is located approximately one mile offshore in Newport Harbor. Fort Hamilton was partially constructed on the island after the Revolution in 1794, when Congress authorized fortifications at key harbors, such as Newport, as part of the American Seacoast Defense System. The fort had 60 guns and stone barracks designed to house 300 troops behind its 3-foot and 4-foot-thick walls.
Souls of Quarantine Victims
The island also served as a quarantine station for cholera victims in the 1820s and those stricken with yellow fever in the 1850s. There are two mass graves on the small island, as indicated by logbook entries written by past lighthouse keepers; however, their precise location remains a mystery because they are unmarked. It is reported that some individuals had stolen bodies for medical research.
Vintage Rose Island Lighthouse
Courtesy US Coast Guard.
As the island was a quarantine site for many years, the Fort Hamilton barracks and lighthouse are believed to be inhabited by the souls of some of those who succumbed to illness there. Footsteps, slamming doors, and other noises have been heard around the barracks and sometimes around the lighthouse. During the hurricane of 1938, massive tidal surges washed over and around the island, unearthing some of the bodies of those who were buried. Those who observed the bodies stated that the clothing appeared to be from the Civil War period.
Sometime later, workers were excavating an area of the island to construct a water tower and unearthed skeletons in Civil War-era clothing. The remains were immediately reburied on the island. Some believe these events may have catalyzed many sightings and noises reported afterward, as the spirits of these souls may have become restless. Recently, one overnight visitor to the lighthouse reported something was typing on her iPad, and the keys lit up as it typed, “I am Ena. I live here.”
Rose Island Lighthouse Keeper Charles Curtis
Rose Island Lighthouse by Newport Bridge in Rhode Island
After the Civil War, shipping and tourism expanded between Newport, Boston, and New York, as Rose Island Lighthouse was completed in 1870. There have been numerous sightings since the early 1900s, as the lighthouse is believed to be haunted by the former lighthouse keeper, Charles Curtis. He became keeper in 1887, and his 31-year stay, from 1887 to 1918, would be the longest in Rose Island’s history. Keeper Curtis loved the island and the lighthouse and took his duties very seriously.
Many reports suggest that his ghost still walks around the lighthouse, checking to see if all is well. In his life, in his daily routine, the 12-hour shift would end at midnight, when his replacement, the assistant keeper stationed at the lighthouse, would take over. At the end of his shift, Keeper Curtis would descend the tower’s stairs from the lantern room each night and go into the kitchen for a glass of milk. After his death, visitors and staff members would hear footsteps coming down the stairs and usually stop in the kitchen.
Investigation by the Ghost Hunters TAPS Team
A sailboat passes by Rose Island Lighthouse in the fog in Newport, Rhode Island.
In 2010, the Ghost Hunters team was invited to the island (Season 6, Episode 15). The TAPS team was shown strange photographs, including one of a reflection of someone they believe may be Keeper Charles Curtis in the glass of a picture frame, and they were apprised of various accounts of apparitions, footsteps, doors opening and closing, and other strange noises and voices as the crew explored Rose Island. When the members investigated the keeper’s quarters, they received a high reading from the closet. However, when the door was opened, activity ceased, followed by a child-like voice that sounded like a doll saying, “Mama.” Murmuring noises were heard in the lantern room without much explanation.
Outside the barracks by the fort, other members spotted a “white mass” or some light anomaly in one of the camera feeds that could not be explained. In their investigation of the light source, they heard a door open and faint voices in the quarantine room of the fort. In their reveal, the team unveils a photo of the old light keeper, Charles Curtis. When shown the mysterious photo of a reflection of a face in a picture frame that was taken inside the lighthouse, the image had a strong resemblance to the dedicated keeper.
Books to Explore
New England’s Haunted Lighthouses: Ghostly Legends and Maritime Mysteries
New England’s Haunted Lighthouses:
Ghostly Legends and Maritime Mysteries
Discover the mysteries of the haunted lighthouses of New England! Uncover ghostly tales of lingering keepers, victims of misfortune or local shipwrecks, lost souls, ghost ships, and more. Many of these accounts begin with actual historical events that later lead to unexplained incidents.
Immerse yourself in the tales associated with these iconic beacons!
The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships
The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships:
Stories of the Six and Seven-Masted Coal Schooners of New England.
In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! This self-published book, rich in color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that accompanied these mighty ships.
Available also from bookstores in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
Book – Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions in Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England:
Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
This 300-page book provides memorable human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses. You can explore plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions, including whale-watching excursions, lighthouse tours, windjammer sailing tours, parks, museums, and even lighthouses where you can stay overnight. You’ll also find plenty of stories of hauntings around lighthouses.
Book – Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions in Northern New England: New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England:
New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont.
This 300-page book provides memorable human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses. It also describes and provides contact information for numerous indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours. These include whale watching, lighthouse tours, unique parks, museums, and lighthouses where you can stay overnight. There are also stories of haunted lighthouses in these regions.
Copyright © Allan Wood Photography; do not reproduce without permission. All rights reserved.
American Lighthouse Foundation
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