The Dutch Island Lighthouse is a wonderful example of what can be achieved with a combination of volunteers, dedication and money. Located in the western passage of Narragansett Bay of Rhode Island, the island was named after the Dutch West Indian Company which operated a trading post with Indians as early as 1636. The government acquired six acres at the southern tip of the 81 acre island in 1825 and it has been home to a lighthouse since 1827. After automation, the lighthouse suffered badly at the hands of vandalism and was abandoned by the Coast Guard, but a group of preservationists have worked hard to save her and return the light to service.