Close To Home, A World Away
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www.blockislandinfo.com
THIrTeen mIles oFF THe coasT
oF rHode Island, surrounded by 17
miles of pristine beaches and home to a
diverse wildlife population, Block Island
stands as a paradise for exploration, fun,
relaxation and adventure. Whether you're
looking to play in the sand, hike the miles
of nature trails or enjoy a fine-dining expe-
rience, Block Island is your destination.
This year you don't have to take an in-
ternational flight or spend a fortune to get
a taste of paradise. For the cost of a ferry
ticket, you'll discover a different world,
culture and pace of life.
The nature conservancy has called
Block Island "one of the last great places
in the Western Hemisphere." and for good
reason. Whether you visit in the spring,
summer or fall, an island paradise awaits.
Here is a place that moves at its own
pace and is known for a relaxed way of life.
Here is where "dressed up" means a pair
of shorts. Here is where locals greet each
other by name at the post office. And here
is where you can shed your whole way of
life for a while.
particularly in the spring and fall, this
tight-knit Island is far removed from the
hustle and bustle of daily life. It's a place
where you can enjoy a hike, take in a
sunset, or build a sand castle. you have the
time to finish a novel you always meant to
read and take an afternoon nap.
For the more adventurous, catch a wave
on one of our many public beaches, or rent
a bicycle or moped and discover the hid-
den corners of the Island. at the end of the
day, enjoy a fine meal at one of the Island's
30 dining establishments, many with views
of the atlantic ocean.
In the following pages, you'll meet some
of the Island's nearly 1,000 year-round resi-
dents that form this cozy, welcoming com-
munity. They'll tell you about the Island's
natural wonders, sandy beaches, extensive
shopping, beautiful art, boating and fishing
opportunities and rich history.
That history extends back thousands of
years when a melting glacier left rolling
hills and ponds behind to form an island
like no other. even centuries ago, people
recognized its exceptional characteristics.
For hundreds of years the narragansett
tribe made this home and called it "man-
isses," or "Island of the Little God." When
Florentine explorer Giovanni da Verrazano
sighted the Island in 1524 he thought it so
beautiful that he named it "claudia" after
the dowager queen of France.
In 1614, dutch navigator and trader
Adrian Block, who is perhaps best known
for being the first European to discover
manhattan, mapped the Island and lent
his name to the land. In 1636 massachu-
setts claimed the Island and sold it to
four businessmen in 1658. They, in turn,
sold the Island in 1660 to 16 men for 400
pounds. some of them landed a year later
and established a settlement that would
join rhode Island in 1664. eight years later
they would incorporate the Island's first --
and only -- town, selecting the name New
Shoreham. These colonists would become
the first of thousands of visitors drawn to
the Block Island experience.
What began as a fishing village soon
became the destination both for the rich
and famous and for others just looking to
get away from it all. Presidents have visited,
movie stars have vacationed here, and the
supreme court once held session at an
Island hotel. They have come here for the
same reason that many others have traveled
to these shores: a desire to step back in
time and reconnect with oneself and the
natural world.
Today's modern transportation system
makes it easy and affordable to reach the
Island via ferry or plane. While thousands
of people visit Block Island every year,
you'll find there's still plenty of space to
discover your own special corner of para-
dise. and no matter if you spend a day, a
week or a month you'll find a true "sense of
place" unlike anywhere else in the country,
or dare we say, even the world.
BLOCK ISLAND
BECKONS
one of the last great places