It's common to hear complaints, typically when things don't go quite right. And it's human nature to skip the applause when all is well. Just ask Joe Whaley, Point Judith's lightkeeper. Joe often heard complaints about his fog signal that was not loud enough or someone had left the light on after sunrise. But Joe took it all in stride during his long tenure at the Rhode Island lighthouse. He was proud to guide thousands of vessels safely passed Point Judith, while seeing 20th century shipping traffic four times as heavy as the activity in New York harbor.
The brownstone lighthouse, dating back to 1854, underwent a major refurbishment in 2000, including a lamphouse restoration. Point Judith remains an active Coast Guard station and receives visitors daily.