Born in 1842, Ida Lewis assumed the keeping of Lime Rock Light in Newport, RI at the age of 15. Set against the backdrop of a country in turmoil and progress, including the Civil War and the Women’s Suffrage Movement, Ida’s seemingly unexceptional life took a drastic turn when the world discovered that she’d been silently saving the lives of countless sailors. Fame took her in hand and, overnight, she became an international sensation. Something she neither wanted nor got accustomed to.
On Thursday May 11, 2023, the Newport Historical Society hosted the event “Exploring Ida Lewis” with Lenore Skomal, author of The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter (Rowman & Littlefield), and filmmaker Nico Raineau. Skomal shared insight on Ida Lewis’s life as featured in her popular text. Originally published under the title "Keeper of Lime Rock", this event marks the start of Skomal’s 20th anniversary book tour. Raineau joined via Zoom to discuss his screenplay, adapted from Skomal’s book, to be produced as a major motion picture.
