Fort Greene Fire Control Tower 1-B (Point Judith, RI)

Exploring Fort Greene Fire Control Tower 1-B: Point Judith’s Forgotten Coastal Watchtower 👁️‍🗨️

Standing quietly above the rocky shoreline of Point Judith, Rhode Island, the Fort Greene Fire Control Tower 1-B is a haunting relic of America’s World War II coastal defense system. Once camouflaged as a beach cottage to conceal its military purpose, this concrete tower now rises bare and weathered — a stark monument to a time when Rhode Island’s coastline played a crucial role in national defense.

The Birth of Fort Greene

In 1940, as global conflict escalated, the U.S. Army began constructing a series of modern coastal fortifications to replace outdated Endicott-era forts from the early 1900s. One of these was Fort Greene, built at Point Judith in Narragansett, Rhode Island, and named in honor of Major General Nathanael Greene, the Revolutionary War hero born in the state.

Fort Greene, together with Fort Church in Little Compton, was designed to protect Narragansett Bay and the approaches to Newport Harbor, home to critical naval installations. The fort included three main reservations — South, North, and West — housing multiple artillery batteries, observation posts, and fire control towers like the one that still stands at Point Judith today.

Fire Control Tower 1-B: The Eyes of the Fort

Located in Fort Greene’s South Reservation, Fire Control Tower 1-B served as one of two lookout stations (the other being Tower 1-C) responsible for directing artillery fire from the nearby coastal batteries.

Built of reinforced concrete and rising two stories high, the tower’s narrow observation slits provided a panoramic view over the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay. Inside, range-finding teams would watch the water for enemy ships or submarines, then relay coordinates by radio and field telephone to gun crews positioned below the bluffs.

From this tower, spotters coordinated directly with:

• Battery 211 — armed with two 6-inch M1903A2 rapid-fire guns on M1 Shielded Barbette carriages
• Battery 155 — equipped with four 155 mm mobile guns mounted on circular Panama mounts

Together, these batteries could rain fire across the bay’s entrance, protecting the approaches to Rhode Island’s southern coast and naval facilities.

Disguise and Deception

During the war, the military took elaborate steps to hide installations from enemy reconnaissance. Fire Control Tower 1-B was cleverly disguised as a seaside cottage, complete with a pitched wooden roof and clapboard siding. To passing boats, it appeared as just another coastal home — concealing the concrete observation post within.

After being decommissioned in 1943, the fort’s guns were removed and its buildings abandoned. The tower’s wooden coverings eventually rotted away, leaving only the concrete core. Decades of salt air, wind, and erosion stripped it down to the structure that remains today: a raw, gray monument to wartime ingenuity.

The Tower Today

Today, Fort Greene Fire Control Tower 1-B still stands at Camp Cronin Fishing Area, just a few hundred feet from the Point Judith Lighthouse. Though weathered and partially crumbling, the tower’s silhouette remains visible from Ocean Road, rising quietly against the Atlantic horizon.

Because of its unstable condition, entry is prohibited, and visitors should respect all posted No Trespassing signs. The surrounding area, however, is open to the public — Camp Cronin offers fishing access, walking paths, scenic overlooks, and the poignant Point Judith Fishermen’s Memorial, honoring those lost at sea.

As of 2023, redevelopment efforts are underway near the property, though the fate of the tower itself remains uncertain. For now, it endures as a lonely sentinel — one of the few surviving physical links to Fort Greene’s once-vital defense network.

Visiting Information

• 📍 Address: 1399 Ocean Road, Point Judith, Narragansett, Rhode Island
• 🌐 GPS Coordinates: 41.364083, -71.486694
• 🅿️ Parking: Free public parking at Camp Cronin Fishing Area
• 💰 Fees: None
• ⚠️ Safety: Do not enter the tower — unstable and unsafe
• 🕰 Best Time to Visit: Late afternoon for golden-hour photography of the tower and lighthouse

Quick Facts

• 🏗 Built: 1940–1941
• 🏰 Fort: Fort Greene, Narragansett (South Reservation)
• 👁️ Type: Two-story fire control observation tower
• 🎯 Purpose: Range-finding and spotting for Battery 211 and Battery 155
• 🪖 Era: World War II Coastal Defense
• 🏡 Disguise: Originally camouflaged as a beach cottage
• ⚙️ Decommissioned: 1943
• 🏚 Current Condition: Concrete core only; wood roof and siding gone
• 🌊 Nearby Landmarks: Point Judith Lighthouse & Fishermen’s Memorial
• 🚫 Entry: Prohibited — unsafe structure

Final Thoughts

The Fort Greene Fire Control Tower 1-B may be a small structure, but it carries a large story — one of vigilance, ingenuity, and the defense of Rhode Island’s shores during one of the most uncertain times in modern history.

Though the guns have long fallen silent and the disguise has faded away, the tower still keeps its quiet watch over Point Judith. For visitors walking the windy bluffs of Camp Cronin, it remains a striking reminder that even the smallest buildings can hold the echoes of a nation’s resolve.