National Register of Historic Places - Rhode Island Historical ...

NP S ‘0,,.. II 900
United States Department of the Interior -
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory--Nomination Form
Continuation sheet 58 Item number 8
- OMI No ‘024-00,11
Fip t031-04
coy NPS us, only -
received - - - - - - - -
date entered
Though tine Everett Farm was less than half built up at the turn of
the century, other opportunities for building cottages were opened as well.
in 1896 William A. Procter and William P. Anderson of Cincinnati acquired
the Potter Farm, northeasterly of the--Syndicate Line the northeasterly
border of the Everett Farm on the northerly side of Westerly Road. The
old Potter farmhouse was converted into a guest house, subsequently known
as the Misquamicut Inn, arid the acreage was divided into house lots. Some
time later Stanton S. Pendleton subdivided his property, across Westerly
Road from the Potter Pa run. In both sectio ns the new streets were laid out
along curvilinear paths that continued the Everett Farm development. -
The Watch Hill Chapel Society was incorporated in 1875
nent summer - residents. The foLlowing year- George M. Nash,
the Ocean House, gave the society a lot across the street f
A chapel building designed by George Keller of Hartford was
the site i.n 1887-. It was a union chapel which houses interd
Protestant- services conducted by visiting clergymen, as well
masses and separate services foi black servants. The Modern
edifice was enlarged in 1902 following the original style of
and was completely refurbished into a neo-Colonial structure
chapel remains an important center of community life today.
Page 5
As the seasonal population of Watch Hill swelled various facilities
and services were created that catered to the summer inhabitants. in
general, institutions that met the needs of both hote 1 visitors and cottagers
were founded earlier, such as the chapel society. As the number of cottagers
grew, organizations arose that we-re more closely related to their way of
life, such as the country club and yacht club.
by forty promi
proprietor of
rom his hotel.
completed on -
enominational
as Catholic
Gothic chapel
the building,
in 1928. The
A commercial district evolved along Bay Street. It included dry-goods
and specialty shops, restaurants and lunch ro outs, and provisions stores
that supplied the cottage colony. in 1879 a traveling carnival eft behind
a -flying-horse carodsel which became a fixture at the end of Bay Street,
an isolated incident that provided the village- with what is perhaps its
best known landmark. The commun i. ty was subs tantia I enough to ‘a rrant
establnshnnent of a post of ice here in 1883. A trolley line, the Pawcatuck
Valley Street Railway, was completed in 1894, linking Watch Hill to Westerly
center. This :mptovement was apparently promoted to Westerly businessmen
who sought to draw customers froth the are-n. Many Watch I-fill residents
considered the trolley a nuisance that obstructed carriage--and later
auto--traffic on the Westerly Road. They also feared that steamer service
from Stonington would he discontinued, forcing them to make less convenient
train connections through Westerly station via the trolley. The street
railway operated summers until 1921, when it was discontinued.
See Continuation Sheet #59