Ida Lewis Revered as America’s Bravest Woman

She saved 18 people while keeping watch at the Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport Harbor

New England Historical Society
1 min read
Share
New England Historical Society
Ida Lewis Revered as America’s Bravest Woman
Copy

Did you know the so-called “bravest woman in America” was from Newport? Ida Lewis saved about 16 people during her time as the keeper at the Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport Harbor, but rescuing two soldiers from drowning when their boat capsized on March 29, 1869, gained her national attention.

Lewis’ final rescue came in 1906, when she was 64. The lighthouse is now named in her honor.

Get the full story in the reel below.

Rhode Island U.S. Rep. Magaziner says mass layoffs at agency are ‘outright dangerous’
Former Providence Journal sports writer will be honored during the NCAA Final Four
Approved two-year extension to pilot program revives past opposition
From a “Hot Printing” class to running a thriving graphic design company, a Providence couple’s passion for design and their cultural roots have shaped their creative journey together
From Brown’s student journalism on administrative bloat to RISD’s removal of anti-Zionist art, Rhode Island universities are grappling with the tensions between free expression and political sensitivity