History
Newport Tower, or the Old Stone Mill, is a small round stone structure in Touro Park above Newport’s waterfront, generally understood to be the remains of a mid-17th-century windmill rather than an ancient precolonial monument. It is closely linked to Benedict Arnold, Rhode Island’s first colonial governor, whose 1677 will referred to “my stone built Wind Mill,” long treated as the clearest documentary connection to the building. Its unusual design has fueled speculation for generations, but excavations and radiocarbon testing have supported a 17th-century date. Over time it also served practical roles, including as a haymow, powder store, lookout, and munitions store during the American Revolution.
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Newport, Rhode Island · United States
