Rhode Island - The Ocean State
About Rhode Island:
Small really is beautiful when it comes to Rhode Island. Only 37 miles wide and 48 miles deep, ‘Little Rhody’ is the USA’s smallest state. It has however, 400
miles of coastline and a great sailing tradition: welcome to the OceanState! There is
plenty to do here, with Providence and Newport, two
of New England’s most historic and lively cities, plus soft sandy beaches, peaceful countryside, fine restaurants and
high-quality B&B, inns. Oh and, it is not an island!
Tiny Rhode Island is easily the smallest state in
the Union, barely even noticeable on a map of the country. For that reason alone, it often tends to be over-looked (but those who do miss out on a destination), even if it is home to
more than twenty percent of the nation’s registered historical landmarks. Indeed, locals take great satisfaction in pointing out the state’s disproportionately large influence on national life:
it enacted the first law against slavery in North America on May 18,
1652, and was the first of the thirteen original colonies to declare independence
from Great Britain. Rhode Island also claims the city of Providence as the birthplace of the US Navy (though Marblehead, MA, among other New England towns, has a rival claim), and the Blackstone
River Valley, which runs northwest from Providence, as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, a process that followed the 1793 construction of America’s first water-powered cotton mill in
Pawtucket.
Though tiny, Rhode Island has more than four hundred miles of
impressive, sometimes spectacular, coastline with more than one hundred public and private beaches, not to mention thousands of acres of pristine woodlands within a surprisingly diverse
geography. Most of this coastline is hacked out of the state’s most conspicuous feature, Narragansett Bay, a vast expanse of water that has long been a determining factor
in Rhode Island’s economic development and strategic military importance. In fact, more than thirty tiny islands make up the state, including Hope, Despair, and the bay’s largest island,
Rhode Island, which gives the state its name – though it’s more often referred to by its Native American name, “Aquidneck”.
Rhode Island’s size and compactness is, ultimately, one of its most endearing features, and means that you are rarely more than an hour’s drive or bus ride
away from any other point in the state. The prime destinations are the colonial college town of Providence, right on I-95, the main highway that runs through the state (and indeed, the East
Coast), and well-heeled Newport, yachting capital of the world, with good beaches and outrageously extravagant mansions. More scenic than I-95, US-1 hugs the coast of
Narragansett Bay – which
presents endless opportunities for swimming, boating, and other water-related leisure activities – and parallels the AtlanticCoast through SouthCounty into Connecticut. Along the coast are plenty of sleepy small towns and ports worth a
look, most notably Watch Hill and Galilee. The latter also happens to be the main point of departure for ferries to Block Island, a popular excursion for visitors
seeking a pleasant stretch of sand.
Providence:
Stretching across seven hills on the Providence and Seekonk rivers, Providence
was Rhode Island’s first settlement, established “in commemoration of God’s Providence” on land given to Roger Williams by the Narragansett Indians. The city flourished as one of the most
important ports of call in the notorious “triangle trade” , where New England rum was exchanged for African slaves to be exchanged in turn for West Indian molasses. Many lavish homes were
constructed during this period, some of which can still be seen in the Benefit
Street district.
Rhode Island’s capital since 1901, Providence is today one of the three largest cities in
New England.
The City: Providence’s downtown, or Downcity centres on
KennedyPlaza, a large public square that houses the city’s transportation. At the
southwestern corner of the plaza, City Hall was completed in 1878, designed in the Second
Empire style of the Louvre and the Tuileries palaces in Paris.
Benefit Street and around: Most of Providence’s historic legacy can be found across the river from Downcity in the College Hill area, an attractive tree-lined district of Colonial buildings, museums, and
Brown University facilities. Part of Roger Williams’ religious experiment was the establishment of a Baptist church, the first in America, in 1638: the white-clapboard First
Baptist Meeting House, at 75 N Main St, is the third such church building on the site, built in 1775 and topped by a tall steeple inspired by St Martin-in-the-Fields
in London. North Main logically leads into South Main
Street, once bustling with waterfront activity and now home to a number of new up market restaurants,
though the neighborhood’s real draw is a block up the hill, on Benefit
Street. This is Providence’s “mile of history”, the most impressive collection of original Colonial
and federal homes in America. Lined with the beautifully restored, coloured-clapboard residences of Providence’s merchants and sea
captains.
Newport:
Nicknamed “America’s First Resort” is probably best known for
its summer “cottages” – more like huge palaces – which were built by nineteenth-century industrial magnates and business tycoons each trying to outdo one another. These monuments to opulence and
greed, like Rosecliff and Beechwood on Bellevue Avenue, give a glimpse into the ostentatious lives behind such names as the Astors and Vanderbilts. Even before these families arrived on the
scene, though, Newport had already established itself as a major port, rivaling New
York and Boston in size and importance. Newport is a good base for exploring the more
peaceful neighboring town of Portsmouth and, across the bay, the appealing villages of Tiverton Four Corners and Little Compton, full of stone-walled country lanes, rocky shorelines, and
idyllic beaches.
The Town: Newport’s main attractions are certainly its mansions, strolling around the
predominantly Colonial downtown is a nice way to spend an afternoon. Otherwise, if you don’t fancy beautiful-people-spotting on the harbour, you’ll do better following the crowds to one
of Newport’s fine beaches.
The Mansions: Most are
open to the public for viewing or to get a peek at the mansions at no cost, you can take the invigorating Cliff Walk, which begins on Memorial Boulevard where it meets First
(Easton) beach. This three-and-a-half-mile Oceanside
path alternates from pretty sections meandering among jasmine and wild roses.
Around Newport: There are some worthwhile detours near Newport, including the town of Portsmouth, also on
Aquidneck Island, and a few
communities on the SakonnetPeninsula, a remote area that was once part
of Massachusetts.
SouthCounty: Rhode Island’s Southern Coast:
SouthCounty is the unofficial name given
to Rhode Island’s southernmost towns along a coastal stretch that begins with North
Kingstown, twenty miles south of Providence, and runs past gently rolling hills,
quaint villages, and gray sandy beaches to Westerly, just this side of the Connecticut border. Further inland the geography is a bit more diverse, full of
dense woodlands, wildlife reserves, and oversize ponds.
The area is alive with reminders of its colonial and Native American heritage,
the latter attested to by such place names as Misquamicut and Quoquonset. Points of interest include Smith’s Castle, America’s oldest plantation house, and the
birthplace of portraitist Gilbert Stuart, whose painting of George Washington is seen on all US one-dollar bills. On the coast, Watch Hill and Narragansett are – albeit on a
less grand scale than Newport – known for their massive summer “cottages” and resort facilities, while Galilee is the point of departure for ferries to unspoilt Block Island, as well as one of the
busiest fishing ports in New England, a great place to enjoy a seafood meal while watching the boats come in.
Block Island:
Block Island, twelve miles off Rhode Island’s southern coast, has managed to
preserve its melancholy, seductive charm even in the face of growing hordes of visitors and the rampant construction of summer homes in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Arrival, information and getting around: Most people arrive on Block Island by ferry. From the Galilee State Pier in Narragansett, The Interstate Navigation runs at least five ferries a day during the summer months
and one to three a day during the winter. The Block Island Chamber of Commerce operates an information centre right where you get off the ferry.
Accommodation: If you want
to stay on Block Island during the summer, it’s advisable to book well in advance; even with more than seventy hotels, inns, B&B’s and studio rentals, accommodation fills up rapidly, especially
at weekends, please call us for hotel availability and prices.
The Island: Most visitors’ first – and last – picture of Block
Island is old Harbour, the island’s only village, which developed after 1870 when the federal
government built the two breakwaters. Huge Victorian hotels were built along Water
Street to encourage the fledgling tourist industry, many boasting cupolas, porches, and flamboyant
gingerbread architecture redolent of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s
Vineyard. Some of these grand structures still stand, albeit amidst a touristy mix of shops,
boutiques and restaurants. Back from OldHarbour, Spring Street trails to the southernmost
tip of the island, where Mohegan Bluffs, the spectacular 150-foot cliffs names for an Indian battle that occurred at their base, tower over the Atlantic. Positioned atop is the red-brick
Southeast Light, built in 1873 but not moved to its present position until 1993 after erosion threatened its survival. Laying claim to being the highest lighthouse in
New England, the attraction
here is the trip up the sixty-odd steps of the tower for the stunning ocean views.
Eating: For such a small
island, there is a remarkable variety of good places to eat. Not surprisingly, fresh seafood tops the bill at many establishments, with lobster a firm favourite. Note that all of these
places reduce their hours drastically for the spring and fall and all but one or two close for the entire winter.
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