Jamestown and Newport, Rhode Island
Interesting and Useful Information
Jamestown's character is defined by links
- to its past and to other places through ferries,
bridges and lighthouses. This page expands upon the
information in our short introduction to Jamestown.
For perspective on the present, a brief account of Jamestown and
Newport RI History is also available on this site.
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East
Ferry - 1908
Bay View Hotel (1889-1985) |
East
Ferry - 2001
Bay View Condominums (built 1989) |
This page contains a
summary of many interesting places to visit and things to do in and
near Jamestown and Newport, with links to additional information. Topics include Jamestown
shopping and restaurants, ferry and
sightseeing boats, parks and
recreational areas, things to
see and do in Jamestown, information about Narragansett Bay, a list of lighthouses in and near
Jamestown, Conanicut Island
neighborhoods, Jamestown
businesses, visiting Newport, visiting other nearby
destinations, traveling to
Jamestown and keeping up with local news and information.
It also has a link to a page of Jamestown-focused
websites.
Dining,
Shopping and Services in Jamestown:
Click here for a list of Jamestown
restaurants with comments on their offerings. Find a
restaurant that fits your mood and lifestyle - from
upscale to very casual.
Are you
wondering where you can buy a special gift or a basic
necessity? Visit our "Shopping in Jamestown"
list of stores and services of particular interest to
visitors.
Ferry Service and
Sightseeing Boats:
Ferry service
hasn't disappeared; but has changed with the times.
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The
Jamestown
& Newport Ferry, (401) 423-9900, departs East
Ferry for the trip to Newport (Bowen's Wharf and Perrotti Park) every
60 to 90 minutes in the summer between 8:30 am and 8:30 pm; (see
schedule) with stops at Rose Island, Fort Adams and Goat Island.
See the area the way every traveler used to see
it - from the bay. A $15 all-day pass allows the passenger to
get on and off, as often as desired. One way fares are also
available.
To learn about the history of local ferry
service, visit the Jamestown Museum.
92 Narragansett Avenue (401)
423-0784. |
If you prefer a sightseeing tour boat,
you can take a one-hour long cruise on one of several
vessels that depart from Newport Harbor. You
can see yachts, racing sailboats, warships, commercial
fishing vessels and cargo ships as you cruise by historic
buildings along Newport's waterfront, Goat Island, the
Newport Bridge, Rose Island, Jamestown, the Clingstone,
Hammersmith Farm, Fort Adams, John Nicholas Brown's
Estate and Ida Lewis Yacht Club. See the Visiting Newport page for more information on available tour
boats and embarkation points.
Jamestown Parks and
Recreation:
Visit our Parks and Outdoor Recreation page
for information on things to do on Conanicut Island
involving walking, bicycling, hiking, rock climbing,
observing nature, visiting historical spots, camping,
fishing - or all of these things.
More Things to See and
Do In Jamestown:
Clingstone - the famous "House on the Rocks":
True to its name, this hard-to-ignore, privately-owned Jamestown house
perches atop a rock in Narragansett Bay called Dumplings Island, which
is a bit south of Jamestown's harbor and the Newport (Pell) Bridge.
It overlooks, and can be seen from Newport's harbor. According to
"Historic and Architectural Resources
of Jamestown, Rhode Island",
there are multiple versions of how the house came to be designed and
built. There is, however, agreement that the house was built in
1902-1905 for Lovering Wharton, whose family summer home had been
condemned in order to build Fort Wetherill.
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Described as an overgrown
bungalow‑chalet, the house is three and one‑half stories tall.
Constructed with heavy mill‑type framing, it was designed to
withstand hurricane force winds. Shingled inside as well as out,
the rugged interior features massive beachstone fireplaces,
burlap covered ceilings, many picture windows and natural
ventilation.
The 1938 hurricane caused
considerable damage, but the structure remained sound. After
standing abandoned and sad-looking for decades, it was purchased
and renovated by the present owner; bringing back to life a most
interesting and unusual house. |
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Watson
Farm combines History and Nature:
Watson
Farm, 1796 North Road, is a special place owned by the Society for
Preservation of New England Antiquities, providing insight into the way
people lived in Jamestown for three hundred years. Open: June 1 through
October 15; Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Admission: $4
for the general public, Historic New England / SPNEA members and
Jamestown residents free.
Self-guided and group tours available. (401) 423-0005.
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The main farmhouse was built in
1796. The farm has been in continuous use ever since.
Covering 280 acres, it has cattle, sheep, horses,
a large vegetable garden and two miles of
picturesque trails. The property includes salt
water estuaries, swamps, woodlands, hayfields,
orchards, and open pastures. Visiting can be a
rich learning experience as well as a reminder of
a lifestyle that flourished in many similar
seaside farms in Rhode Island. |
Jamestown's Fire Fighting Equipment
Museum:
The Jamestown Fire Department Memorial
Museum houses a
collection of antique fire fighting equipment,
including a horse-drawn 1894 Lafrance steam fire
engine that can still pump its 600 gallons per
minute rated flow and an 1854 Jeffers Hand
Pumper.
Expanded in 2002, admission is free. 50
Narragansett Avenue. (401) 423-0062 |
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The Jamestown Windmill:
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Located a mile north of town
on North Road, not far from the Watson Farm, the Jamestown windmill was built in
1787 replacing a windmill that was destroyed
during the Revolutionary War. Before steam
engines and electric motors, Jamestown, with no
free-running streams to tap for water power, had
to rely on the sea breeze to power the grinding
of corn. A major restoration was completed in
2001. Open to visitors from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday
and Sunday in the summer. Admission is free. (401)
423-1798 |
Jamestown History Museum:
| Housed in a 19th century
schoolhouse, at 92 Narragansett Avenue, the
Jamestown Historical Society operates the Jamestown
Museum. Holdings include a collection of
ferry system memorabilia, historic photos, maps,
and other items that illustrate Jamestown's past.
Admission is free. Call (401) 423-0784 for more
information. (For an
introduction to the history of the area, see our Jamestown and
Newport history pages
and visit Susan White Pieroth's extensive collection of historic postcard views.)
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Visit the Library & See Native
American and Colonial Artifacts:
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The Jamestown
Philomenian Library is located at 26
North Road, just north of Narragansett Avenue.
Incorporated in 1847, it was named for a debating
society. Hours vary by
day of week. (401) 423-7280.
The library is linked with other Rhode Island libraries through
the Cooperating Libraries Automated Network (CLAN) Horizon
Information Portal (HIP).
You can
search
the catalog of the
Jamestown Library and all other CLAN libraries
from your computer. |
| The Sydney
L.Wright Memorial Museum, in the same
building, contains items found near the Jamestown
schools during archaeological excavations in 1966
and 1967. Display cases hold ancient and Colonial
period Narragansett Indian artifacts, European
artifacts from the 1600s, photos and maps.
Related reference books are available, including Cautantowwit's
House, by W. S. Simmons, Brown University
Press, which specifically tells about the
excavations that produced most of the articles on
display. |
Newport and Other Nearby Destinations:
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Newport is just a few minutes
away, across the Newport (Pell) Bridge - with
mansions, museums, restaurants, night spots,
historic sites dating to the 1600s (and maybe
earlier), the Cliff Walk, Harbor Walk, harbor
tours, parks, beaches and scenic train rides.
Check out our Visiting
Newport
page for more information on places to
go and things to do in Newport.
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Find out
about South County, Providence
and other places to visit and things to do on our Nearby
Destinations page.
Nearby
Museums:
If museums
intrique you, there are at least forty located in or near
Jamestown (within a 45 minute drive). See
displays that focus on fine art, history,
architecture, decorative arts, photography, culinary arts, industrial arts, shipbuilding,
sailing and popular culture. Visit
our Museum Page for capsule descriptions and web links leading
to more information.
Information for Sailors (and those who would
like to be):
Visit our Nautical Page to find information on Narragansett Bay,
Jamestown marinas and repair facilities, other marinas
and repair facilities in the area, yacht clubs, the
Yachting Museum in Newport, tide tables, real time wind
speed information and more. To whet your appetite, here
are several photos taken by Captain Vic, of Newport.
Lighthouses:
You don't have to be a sailor to
appreciate the beauty, strength and romance that is
embodied in lighthouses.
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At least eight
lighthouses can be seen from various parts of
Conanicut Island. Beavertail
Light, Point
Judith Light, Castle Hill Light, Rose Island
Light and Goat Island Light are all active. Dutch
Island Light, Plum Beach Light and the Conanicut
or North Point Light are decommissioned.
Follow this link to
learn more about all of the nearby
lighthouses.
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Businesses in Jamestown:
Local News and Information on the Internet:
Visit our News and Information
Sources page for a list of local newspapers, radio
and television stations, their associated web sites and
links to other web sites that focus on Jamestown.
Traveling to Jamestown:
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Go to our Travel Page
for information on traveling to Jamestown
by car, by plane (T F Green Airport) , by
train (using Kingston Station) or by bus
from Providence, Warwick, Newport (and
beyond). Access interactive and
static maps, links to general and
customized directions, links to live
Highway Advisory Radio announcements and
highway traffic cameras that view Route 1
at Route 4 and at Route 138. |
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Jamestown-focused
Websites:
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You
can focus on Jamestown right now by
taking control of a Live Wave camera located
atop the Hyatt Hotel in Newport. Zoom in on the Newport
Bridge, Beavertail lighthouse or
other East Passage sights like Rose
Island lighthouse, Castle Hill, Fort
Adams, the New York Yacht Club, Ida Lewis
Yacht Club, Goat Island Marina, the
Newport fishing fleet or Goat Island
causeway. Check out the current weather
or watch boats and ships moving through
the Bay. |
Conanicut Island
and its Neighborhoods:
Jamestown has a unique
character resulting from its particular
mix of historic buildings, farmland, woodland and
coastal features; its pedestrian-friendly and
scenic village center; and its miles of rural
roads with little traffic, low stone walls and
scenic views across farmland and coastal marshes.
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If you would
like to get a feel for the character of
Conanicut Island's residential
neighborhoods, click here to see a larger
version of this map,
prepared by Conanicut Real Estate. Follow
its links (or those below) to
descriptions and photos of various areas
on the island. |
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