Westerly Community & Nearby

Westerly is located on the Southwestern tip of Rhode Island, bordering the Southeastern corner of Connecticut. The Town has a unique history and the atmosphere of an old New England village. The Indian name for Westerly was Misquamicut—"a place for taking salmon." Westerly was the first town incorporated in the King's Province on May 13, 1669, and the fifth town in the colony.

Between 1980 and 1990 Westerly experienced a 14.05% population growth. Currently, Westerly supports a population of over 23,000, although it nearly doubles during the summer due to the large number of vacationers and seasonal residences. Encompassing an area of 33 square miles, Westerly includes the villages of Bradford, White Rock and Potter Hill, as well as the resorts of Misquamicut, Watch Hill and Weekapaug.

In 2002, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Westerly as one of the 12 Most Distinctive Destinations in the country. The unique, well-preserved architecture downtown includes the superb Wilcox Park, created by the firm that was founded by famed landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted. His signature property is New York Central Park. The distinction of Wilcox Park, along with 55 additional historic sites such as the Babcock-Smith House and Flying Horse Carousel, makes it no surprise that Westerly received this outstanding designation. If you'd like to visit the area and see our development, their is no better place to stay than the nearby Ocean House, recently ranked #4 top resort in the Continental US by Travel+Leisure Magazine.