Visitors overnighting in Newport have many options to choose from, including resorts, luxury boutique hotels, full-service and family friendly hotels, budget hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, short-term home rentals and....a lighthouse? It's true. Perched on its own 18-acre island a mile off Newport in the middle of Narragansett Bay, Rose Island Lighthouse played a vital role in Newport’s history as it was once the home of Fort Hamilton during the Revolutionary War. Construction on the fort started in 1798 and though never finished, the lighthouse there, completed in 1870, became a critical beacon, guiding sailors and ships, large and small, on the bay and away from dangerous shoals. During both World Wars, the fort was used for munitions storage by the U.S. Navy as the Torpedo Station was based in Newport. Today, you can be a part of Rose Island’s history by taking on the role of keeper, tending to the lighthouse’s needs while taking in the sights and sounds across this picturesque island. The lighthouse and its living museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been restored to its original 1912 appearance.