National Register of Historic Places

Watch Hill Historic District

Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island
Listed
September 4, 1985
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
85001948

About this property

Watch Hill is an affluent coastal neighborhood and census-designated place in the town of Westerly, Rhode Island. As of the 2020 census, Watch Hill had a population of 212. It sits at the most-southwestern point in Rhode Island. It came to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th century as an exclusive summer resort, with wealthy families building sprawling Victorian-style "cottages" along the peninsula. Watch Hill is characterized by The New York Times as a community "with a strong sense of privacy and of discreetly used wealth," in contrast with "the overpowering castles of the very rich" in nearby Newport.

Location

Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island
41.31545, -71.85259

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Watch Hill Historic District

This page lists Watch Hill Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Flying Horse Carousel
Industrial
0.5 mi
Ram Point
Industrial
1.9 mi
Lewis-Card-Perry House
Industrial
3.7 mi
Main Street Historic District
Listed
4.2 mi
Babcock-Smith House
Colonial
4.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Stonington Connecticut 1814
1814Early Republic
2.8 mi
Stonington Bombardment 1814
1814Early Republic
2.9 mi
Bombardment of Stonington, Connecticut
1814Early Republic
3.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Watch Hill Historic District listed on the National Register?

Watch Hill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 4, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Watch Hill Historic District?

Watch Hill Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Watch Hill Historic District?

The period of significance for Watch Hill Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Watch Hill Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Watch Hill Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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Rhode Island history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

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