Block Island
Just seven miles long and three miles wide with over 17 miles of beaches is Block Island – Rhode Island’s little jewel located 12 miles off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean. Block Island is a true island paradise, rich with cultural and natural history. The only town on the island, New Shoreham, was incorporated in 1672. Today, some 800 people call Block Island home, hosting upwards of 15,000 visitors a day in the high season. Accessible by boat, ferry or plane, Block Island is a year round destination and one of Rhode Island’s top attractions.
Old-fashioned stone walls dot the island where visitors find 32 miles of nature trails to stroll across the sandy beaches, along the bluffs, or past the historic lighthouses. Along the southeastern shore is the 52-ft high brick Block Island Southeast Lighthouse built in 1875. Seven years earlier, in 1868, the 55-ft tall granite Block Island North Lighthouse was erected at the north end of the island at Sandy Point. The rolling hills and high bluffs offer spectacular, breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and the coastline of Rhode Island across Block Island Sound.
Downtown New Shoreham is a well-equipped a tourist destination. There are plenty of shops and boutiques. Diners will find fresh seafood to be a specialty of the island. The cultural types will head to the Block Island Historical Society on Old Town Road, to uncover the farming and maritime history of the island. The society’s permanent and special exhibits are displayed in a 1850’s mansard-roofed farmhouse.
Newport Mansions and the Cliff Walk
The Victorian Era and the Industrial Age ushered in an era of riches and wealth for the barons of the time. This “Gilded Age” is seemingly synonymous with the display of wealth, sometimes excessive, perhaps ostentatious, but always grand, lush, and beautiful. Such was the case of the very wealthy of the cities of the east, who established little summer “cottages” on the shores of the Atlantic. The shoreline of Rhode Island, in Newport, was one of the more popular attractions. Thanks to the efforts of the Preservation Society of Newport County, some of these mansions and gardens have been preserved in their historical elegance and the properties of the “Newport Mansions” collection are open to the public.
The collection includes the following properties: The Breakers (Vanderbilt home in Italian Renaissance-style), Chepstow and Chateau-sur-Mer (Italiante-style villas), The Elms (French Chateau), Marble House (another Vanderbilt home), Rosecliff (seen in several motion pictures), Kingscote (Gothic Revival), Isaac Bell House (shingle-style, American Colonial), Hunter House (Georgian Colonial), and the Green Animals Topiary Garden.
The properties’ hours of public access may vary due to private events or weddings. Some are open seasonally. Guided and self-guided tours are available as well as package tours.
(Another way to view the famous Newport Mansions is via the Cliff Walk, a rugged, 3.5-mile National Recreation Trail with views of the Rhode Island shoreline and of the mansions. This trail is a public access (right-of-way) across these exclusive private waterfront properties. The walk begins at the end of Easton’s Beach located at Memorial Boulevard.)
Slater Mill Historic Site, Pawtucket
Samuel Slater was called a traitor in his native England. Emigrating to the new, independent United States, post-revolution, Samuel Slater brought skills and knowledge across the Atlantic Ocean that transformed the United States into a leader of the world and started the Industrial Revolution. The Slater Mill is a remarkable historic site that seeks to bring alive the past to visitors. This interactive museum includes grounds and buildings that transport guests back to the past of the 18th century as the Industrial Revolution was beginning.
The Sylvanus Brown House exhibit demonstrates the everyday life of the family and the tasks that each family member had to accomplish. Spinning and weaving flax and wool, and other daily talks such as hearth cooking and sewing are demonstrated by staff, dressed in period costumes. The Historic Garden is where they grow flax, vegetables, and flowers. Using authentic tools and machinery, flax-breaking and spinning into linen are demonstrated, illustrating the time-consuming process from plant to cloth. In the Wilkinson Mill, old-fashioned belts and pulleys run the machines powered by the force of the water of the Blackstone River. The Old Slater Mill (as the first mechanized powered mill in America, it’s called the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution) demonstrates the process of transforming raw cotton into cloth.
Dedicated to providing interactive educational experiences to students, the Slater Mill offers programs to educators and students that explain how the Industrial Revolution changed the society. Controversial issues such as child labor, strikes, industrial accidents, and slavery’s role may be part of the historical discussions.
Special events are featured throughout the season. Slater Mill is open daily from May through December and is available by appointment for groups of 5 or more year round.