History - Block Island

Ten thousand years ago, glaciers pushed their way down the East Coast and left behind the rocks and soil that was to form this little paradise that we call home. The result was a cozy community (only around 800 folks in the winter), a land of stunning vistas and a very fragile ecosystem that we have had the good fortune to preserve for all to share. Because of the particular forces of nature that went to work on Block Island, no other place on earth shares its geography, nor its balance of species. A rarity, indeed.

Block Island is a rarity in another sense; it's a place that moves at its own pace and is known for a relaxed way of life. It's where "dressed up" means a pair of shorts. Islanders speak of going to the mainland as going "off island" — an expression of the feeling that Block Island is its own entity, as unique as the North Light or the 250-foot bluffs.

We want you to come here and shed your whole way of life for a while. Forget your agendas and your deadlines, lose your ambitions and your daily planner; sink into natural splendor, clean air and the clear night sky.

There's a story about a visitor who went into a café on the island and asked some of the regulars where the beach was. Four of the patrons turned around and each pointed in a different direction. Well, they all got it right. Perhaps the real reason Block Island was put on this earth was to make sure everybody gets enough beach time. More than 350 freshwater ponds (from natural springs) and 17 miles of beach invite you to jump in the surf, spend a lazy afternoon building a sandcastle or burying Dad in sand. Indulge in the novel you've never finished, or just take a snooze.

This island is ours and this island is yours. Enjoy it and be kind to it.