Westerly is located on the southern tip of Rhode Island, bordering the southeastern corner of Connecticut.
Westerly, Rhode Island Watch Hill, Rhode Island Misquamicut, Rhode Island Hopkinton, Rhode Island Richmond, Rhode Island Pawcatuck, Connecticut The Town has an atmosphere of an old New England village,and a unique history in the annals of U.S. History. 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. On the 23rd of June 1686, the name was changed from Westerly to Haversham, but the former name was restored in 1689. The Towns of Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond were later taken from the Town of Westerly.
In its early beginnings, Westerly was the frontier town of the colony. Out of this beginning, many diversified industries grew, but Westerly has been best known for the granite that was once taken from its quarries for building purposes in neighboring towns and cities, and for monuments in various parts of the country.
Westerly is also known as a vacation area. The position of Watch Hill almost surrounded by the ocean and bay with beautiful formation of rocks and sand beaches all contribute to its beauty. The winds bring in the cool bracing sea air and the temperature in the summer is rarely oppressive. Rowing, swimming, ocean sailing, fishing, and hiking make this a favorite resort area.
Westerly's seven miles of sandy beaches are a mecca for tourism. The seven-mile strip is composed of the Misquamicut State beach, Westerly Town beach, public and many private beaches. The State Beach is open year-round, while other beaches are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The town of Westerly is located just minutes away from Interstate 95 and is divided by US Route 1. Granite Street, a five-mile portion of Route 1, runs through the heart of Westerly. It is ranked the 10th busiest street in Rhode Island with average daily traffic of 25,750 (both directions ). Passenger and freight transportation is available via Amtrak Rail Service and the Westerly State Airport. The town of Westerly is composed of seven villages also known as fire districts: Westerly, Watch Hill, Dunn's Corners, Misquamicut, Bradford, Shelter Harbor and Weekapaug. 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, the town's average population density is projected to be 626 per square mile.
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, coupled with 55 historic sites, such as the Babcock-Smith House and Flying Horse Carousel, makes it no surprise that Westerly received this outstanding designation.
