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Dust in the Wind -

A Guide to American Ghost Towns

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Ghost Town of the Month

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Finding ghost towns in the country's smallest state may present a challenge to those of us outside the state. Information is not easy to find. BUT, they are there. A little in state research should be able to uncover many other locations. Look for colonial era ferries, mill-sites, taverns and way stations. Later on, mill towns and ship building centers grew and faded. Below are listed just a few of the ghost towns I have been able to discover.

I'll leave the rest for you.

PLEASE NOTE: 

Where photos are indicated thusly (PHOTO!), please use your browser’s “BACK” button to return to this page.  More photos will be added over time.

ARNOLD’S POINT FORT

Newport Co.

On Lehigh Hill, at the north end of Rhode "Island". West of SH 114, south of Willow Lane, one mile south of Bristol Ferry.

AVONDALE

Washington Co.

This small class E town is located on SH 1A, two miles south of Westerly in the far southwest corner of the state.

BEACH POND CCC CAMP

Kent/Washington Co.

In Beach Pond State Park, near where SH 165 exits the west side of the state.   Exact location not determined.

BELLEVILLE

Washington Co.

A tiny town with a population around 100 on US 1, 11 miles south of Warwick and one mile southwest of Wickford.

BRISTOL FERRY

Bristol/Newport Co.

An old class D ferry landing that still has a few folks. It is located on the north end of Rhode Island (the Island), west of the Mt. Hope Bridge (SH 114), south of Bristol.

BRISTOL FERRY PORT

Newport Co.

Just east of the SH 114/Mt. Hope Bridge at north end of Rhode "Island", south of Bristol.

BULLOCK’S TAVERN

Providence Co.

An old colonial era tavern. Exact location not determined

BUTTS HILL FORT

Newport Co.

Just north of Portsmouth, at junction of SH 138/24, on north end of the island that Newport is on.

DURFEE HILL GOLD MINE

Providence Co.

On Durfee Hill Road, north of Ponaganset Reservoir, four AIR miles southeast of West Gloucester.

EAGLEVILLE

Newport Co.

This badly faded class D rural community is 1.6 miles northeast of Tiverton, which is six miles south of Fall River, MA.

FORT BARTON

Newport Co.

On east side of Tiverton, east of SH 77, north of SH 177.

FORT MANSFIELD

Washington Co.

Located on the beach at Napatee Point.  This class B site is the remains of a Spanish American War fort.  It was in operation 1898-1917. Remains include concrete battery foundations hidden in the dunes.  Most of the fort was badly damaged and washed into the ocean in a 1938 hurricane.

Contributed by Ian Kiss, March 31, 2006

This was our Ghost Town of the Month. For Apr-May, 2006.

FOSTER GOLD MINE

Providence Co.

On Harrington Road, just north of Moosup Valley, southwest of Foster Center.

FRENCHTOWN

(AKA...Old Huguenot Settlement)

Kent Co.

Modern town is on SH 2, 1.5 miles south of I-95 at a point 15 miles south of Providence. The old colony is nearby. Inquire locally for actual site.

GREEN END FORT

Newport Co.

Between Newport & Middletown, on southwest end of Rhode "Island"

KENYON GRIST MILL

Washington Co.

In Usquepaugh, which is on SH 138 midway between Hope Valley and Kingston.  This old mill is still active and is a good example of what these old grist mill complexes looked like.  They even have their own website sharing the history of this mill, and milling in general. 

NOOSENECK

Kent Co.

A tiny rural community on SH 3, just east of I-95, one mile north of the county line.

OLD YELLOW TAVERN

Providence Co.

Another colonial era tavern whose site the Ghost Town Guru has been unable to locate.

PERRYVILLE

Washington Co.

Class D town just of US 1, about five miles east of Charlestown.

PORTSMOUTH COLONY

Newport Co.

1.8 miles north of the village of Portsmouth, which is 11 miles southwest of Fall River, MA.

SOUTH FERRY

Washington Co.

On South Ferry Road, just east of SH 1A, about three miles south of the Jamestown Bridge, south of Saunderstown.

Historians estimate that there may be as many

as 50,000 ghost towns scattered across the United States of America. During the next five years, Gary B. Speck Publications will be publishing unique state, regional, and county guides called

The Ghost Town Guru's Guide

to the Ghost Towns of *** ™

These original guides are designed for anybody interested in

ghost towns. Whether you are a casual tourist looking for a new and different place to visit, or a hard-core ghost town researcher, these guides will be just right for you. With over 30 years of research behind them, they will be a welcome addition to any

ghost towner's library.

Thank you, and we'll see you out on the Ghost Town Trail!

For more information on the ghost towns of RHODE ISLAND,

contact us at

Ghost Town USA.

E-mailers, PLEASE NOTE:

Due to the tremendous amount of viruses, worms and “spam,” out there, I no longer open any e-mails with unsolicited attachments, OR messages on the subject lines with “Hey”, “Hi”, “Need help”, “Help Please”, “???”, or blank subject lines, etc.  If you do send E-mail asking for information, or sharing information, PLEASE indicate the appropriate location AND state name, or other topic on the “subject” line.  THANK YOU!  :o)

IMPORTANT

These listings and historical vignettes of ghost towns, near-ghost towns and other historical sites in RHODE ISLAND above are for informational purposes only, and should NOT be construed to grant permission to trespass, metal detect, relic or treasure hunt at any of the listed sites.

If the reader of this guide is a metal detector user and plans to use this guide to locate sites for metal detecting or relic hunting, it is the READER'S responsibility to obtain written permission from the legal property owners. Please be advised, that any state or nationally owned sites will probably be off-limits to metal detector use. Also be aware of any federal, state or local laws restricting the same.

When you are exploring the ghost towns of RHODE ISLAND, please abide by the

Ghost Towner's Code of Ethics.