“Flying Horses, Swings, Elevated Railroads, ‘Chutes,’ and other forms of attractions abound; there is a large hotel on the grounds, and the dining halls for shore dinners are the most extensive on the bay.” --Official Souvenir of the Exposition of the New England Association of Arts and Crafts
Crescent Park drew in a large crowd each summer, boasting of its “famous” clam bakes and novel amusement rides. The story of Crescent Park begins just before the turn of the century, with Rhode Island in the midst of an industrial upheaval. George Boyden bought land and later a hotel in the late 1880s, which became a beloved oceanfront park with amusement park rides and social events.
The lucrative rides at Crescent Park had names like the Spanish Fandango and the Russian Toboggan. But no other ride at Crescent Park is as well known as the 1895 Looff Carousel. Charles Looff’s (later owner of the park) carousel at Crescent Park had over 50 unique horses and is famed for its decorations and features. Charles Looff’s work also appears at Rocky Point with the Ferris wheel. During its peak, Crescent Park played host to different events such as concerts, regular clam bakes with all sorts of sides, ice skating, and the Exposition of the New England Association of Arts and Crafts. It truly was the, “Coney Island of the East.” This Exposition especially is a salient example of the industrialization happening around Crescent Park in the late 19th/ early 20th centuries. A 1902 souvenir booklet of the exhibition even acknowledged this explicitly, stating, “The aim of this souvenir is to present in a graphic form some of the Industrial Features of the State in the shape of accounts of particular businesses and industries, and at the same time to picture forth the beauties of the Sea and Shore on Narragansett Bay in the vicinity of the Exposition.” Just as the Exhibition combined industrial themes with seaside beauty, Crescent Park’s modern rides blended with its natural oceanside location to create a space for both amusement and relaxation.
Economic difficulties and hurricanes hit the park hard, and the park suffered up through the 20th century until eventually in 1979 Crescent Park had to close. While Crescent Park may no longer be a fully-fledged amusement park, it can still be visited. The area where the amusement park once stood is now a public park on the shore with a gazebo, waterfront area, a clam shack, a boat landing, and the Looff Carousel, still in operation. As of 1976, the National Register of Historic Sites and Places included the Looff Carousel. The carousel has undergone significant restoration this year (2018) at the New England Carousel Museum in Connecticut, and has returned home to Riverside. This Carousel serves as a reminder of Crescent Park’s great history: George Boyden, its backdrop of industrialization, and the restoration and carousel rides of today.
]]>The year? 1938. The weather? The worst you’ve ever seen. The hurricane that hit Rhode Island shook the coast to its core, wreaking havoc on its beaches. Watch Hill was no exception.
Watch Hill in Westerly, RI, one of Rhode Island’s finest beaches, is best known for its fancy houses, quaint town area, and the occasional Taylor Swift sighting. But Watch Hill’s history begins much earlier than modern pop stardom. In 1845 the now-called Watch Hill Inn was built, and later in 1868 the hotel Ocean House followed. In 1867, the beach welcomed a carousel, and it still runs today. In fact, you can still take a ride on the carousel. A large number of homes were built around the beach to provide accommodations for tourists and residents. A beach guide published by railroad and passenger companies from around Rhode Island makes mention of, “great hotels and the ornate villas,” by Watch Hill, a clear sign of the beach’s popularity. Such hotels and villas exemplify the wealthy status associated with Watch Hill. While the beach had its fair share of day trippers, those who permanently resided at Watch Hill were known to be from wealthy families, and so the beach became known for its patrons’ statuses. Even on the drive around Westerly one can see the beautiful waterfront mansions of Watch Hill’s residents.
Watch Hill’s natural aspects helped make it the perfect summer locale. The same railroad company guide published on Watch Hill claimed that Watch Hill’s natural advantages were well known even in colonial times, stating that, “Even in those early days of Indian and colonial wars this locality had attained a fine reputation for healthfulness of situation, beauty of surroundings, and delightful natural attractions generally.” In addition to Watch Hill’s natural disposition, industrialization and modernization played their part on the coast. The famous carousel on the beach became powered by water as of 1897, a clear sign of the industrialization of Rhode Island throughout the late 19th century. But nature overpowered modern technology when disaster struck in 1938.
The hurricane hit the coast hard. The Watch Hill Inn, Ocean House, and the carousel both suffered extreme damage, but ultimately remained standing. The hurricane ruined several seats on the carousel, but since 1938 the carousel has gone through several restoration efforts and is visitable to this day. The Watch Hill Inn as well as the Ocean House lasted through the hurricane, and are now luxury hotels for Watch Hill’s visitors.
Today, Watch Hill beach is still regularly visited by locals and tourists alike. Popstar Taylor Swift’s lavish mansion sits alongside the coast, and diehard fans of Swift visit the beach, hopeful to spot the star. But celebrities aside, Watch Hill is a poignant example of continuity in Rhode Island history. From the early beginnings during colonial Rhode Island to its carousel and clambake days to its new ‘Taylor Swift era,’ Watch Hill remains a staple location in Rhode Island for summer relaxation.
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