Tiverton, RI Road Trips

The town was incorporated as a part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1746 the final settlement of a long colonial boundary dispute between Rhode Island and Massachusetts annexed Tiverton to Rhode Island by Royal Decree, along with bordering towns along the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay: Barrington, Bristol and Little Compton, as well as the town of Cumberland, to the north of Providence. Tiverton was then incorporated as a town of Rhode Island in 1747. Until it was annexed, Tiverton controlled the area of East Freetown, Massachusetts as an outpost. During the Revolutionary War men from the Tiverton outpost took part in the Battle of Freetown, on May 25, 1778. For about three years, from December 1776 to late 1779, Rhode Island proper (also known as Aquidneck Island, historically) was occupied by the British. During this time Tiverton became a refuge for Americans fleeing the occupation, a mustering place for Colonial forces gathering to drive away the British. The occupying forces eventually withdrew strategically, as General Clinton marshalled his forces for the 1780 British invasion of South Carolina. In its early days, Tiverton was chiefly a farming community, with some fishing and boat construction. Until 1900 the manufacture of menhaden oil, a fish derivative, was one of the town’s primary industrial pursuits. Cotton and woolen mills were established as early as 1811, when Colonel Joseph Durfee built a spinning mill at Cook Pond in what it now the city of Fall River, Massachusetts.

Chase-Cory House, 3908 Main Rd, ☏ +1 401 624-2096. Open: May-September, 2-4:30PM. Located in Tiverton’s 4-Corners National Register Historic District, this historical building hosts special exhibits throughout the season. Built in the late 17th or early 18th century and now owned by the Tiverton Historical Society, this 3/4 cape with gambrel roof was home to whaling captains and their families, descendants of one of the first twenty seven freemen listed as original residents of Tiverton. The house and grounds retain many of the original features of a colonial farm, including a corn-crib and wash house. Fort Barton, Highland Road, +1 401 625-6700. Open: year round, sunrise to sunset. An authentic Revolutionary War fortification, Fort Barton was the troop staging area for the invasion of Aquidneck Island and Newport and, eventually, the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778. The park contains three miles of trails and an observation tower, crowning the park at 30 feet high and offering panoramic views of the Sakonnet River, Mount Hope Bay, and the Portsmouth and Bristol shorelines. The vast trails are well maintained, and carefully constructed stairs allow easy travel up and over steep hills. Deep into the trail network, hikers will find a quiet path beside a stream. Four Corners Arts Center, 3852 Main Road, ☏ +1 401 624-2600. Home to the historic Soule-Seabury House built about 1800, and contains over an acre of landscaped grounds used for exhibits, concerts, outdoor dance, sculpture, theater, and special events. Ruecker Wildlife Refuge, Seapowet Ave., +1 401 949-5454.

1 Weetamoo Woods. For nature lovers, Weetamoo Woods (named after an Indian Squaw Sachem) offers the perfect place to observe the beauty of the outdoors and learn a little history, too. While exploring one or more of the four trails this 450-acre preserve has to offer, you can visit the remains of the Borden Sawmill that was built back in the 18th century. The site also includes the ruins of mill worker homes and cellar holes, with gardens still apparent. Also, for those whose interests are geared more toward plant life, this link (https://riwps.org/on-the-trail/weetamoo-woods-tiverton-ri/) will provide you with a list of all plants and trees that can be found in Weetamoo Woods. Roseland Acres, 594 East Main Road, ☏ +1 401 624-8866. One of the only horse friendly areas in Tiverton that is open to the public. While there are many other locations in Tiverton housing horses, they are all either privately owned or for boarding purposes only. Roseland Acres, in the southern part of the town near the Historical Tiverton Four Corners, is a family-owned facility that offers horseback riding lessons (with an indoor ring), summer camps, and one-to-two hour trail rides. 2 Fogland Beach. A tranquil, relaxing spot to enjoy yourself and the sights of Narragansett Bay. Sea birds build their nests along the rocky shoreline. Offers a candid view of the Newport Bridge. You can also enjoy a view of the Portsmouth shoreline and the Sakonnet River. Fogland also provides an excellent windsurfing area.

Sakonnet River Grille, 524 Main Road, ☏ +1 401-816-6944. Mediterranean and modern American-style food featuring seasonal ingredients and changing seasonal menus. Prime rib, swordfish, scallops, etc. Barcello’s, 1214 Stafford Road, ☏ +1 401 624-6649. Just off of Stafford Road, Barcello’s is part family restaurant, part lounge whose menu consists of a combination of American and Portuguese dishes. Boat House (Waterfront Dining), 227 Schooner Drive (From 24 North take the exit that says RT 138 N for North Tiverton. Make a left onto rt 138. Go past Sakonnet Bay Manor and the Villages will be on your left hand side right at the bend in the road. Make a left into the Villages. Follow Schooner Drive all the way down to the water.), ☏ +1 401-624-6300. The Boat House is the quintessential seafood spot within the gates of the Villages on Mount Hope Bay condominium complex. Outdoor and indoor seating with picturesque views of the Sakonnet River. The cuisine boasts a menu of fresh seafood and local produce, taking its cue from the picturesque backdrop of the Sakonnet River. Evelyn’s Drive-In, 2335 Main Road, ☏ +1 401 624-3100. Summer, Monday-Thursday 11:30am – 8:30pm, Friday-Sunday 11:30am – 9PM. Evelyn’s is the local clam shack, serving classic seafood dishes, such as batter-fried belly clams, clam cakes, and chowder. Located on the water at Nanaquaket Pond, Evelyn’s Drive-In offers patio seating that provides its customers with a waterside view while they eat.

Ferolbink Farms Bed & Breakfast, 993 Punkateest Neck Road, ☏ +1 401-624-4107. Bally's Tiverton Casino & Hotel, 777 Tiverton Casino Blvd, ☏ +1 401-816-6000, toll-free: +1-800-874-3669 (hotel reservations), [email protected]. (updated Jan 2022)

Tiverton rests on the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay, separated from Aquidneck Island (also known as the Island of Rhode Island) by the Sakonnet River. The area is disconnected from the rest of the state of Rhode Island by the Narragansett Bay. You can also reach Tiverton by traveling west of the town of Westport and south of the city of Fall River located in Massachusetts. RIPTA, +1 401 781-9400, [1]. Services across all of Rhode Island. Rates: One-Way: $2.00, Transfer: $0.50, One-Day Pass: $6.00. T.F. Green International Airport (PVD IATA) in Warwick.