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What you should know about neighbors and history

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Providence Magazine

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WESTERLY – Rhode Island may be small, but it has its fair share of notable part-time residents – and as fans of the HBO series “Gilded Age” know, it always has been that way.

Newport is – at least part of the time – home to “Judge Judy” Scheindlin and former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno.

Christopher Walken has a house on Block Island and fellow actor James Woods has a property in Exeter.

And comedian Matt Rife recently spoke on a podcast about the property he bought in Rhode Island.

But when it comes to sheer star power, no one can compete with Taylor Swift. The megastar purchased her Watch Hill mansion for a whopping $17.75 million in 2013, and the Ocean State hasn't been the same since (as evidenced by the hubbub that ensues every time she hosts her famous friends; the guest list included fellow singers, models, actors, and even celebrity friends).

During an appearance on the “Ellen” show, Swift once said that Rhode Island was her favorite vacation spot in the world.

But what do we know about their getaway in the Ocean State?

The mansion has a history – and it even inspired a song

Swift's song “The Last Great American Dynasty” on the album “Folklore” tells the story of her home in Westerly, known as the Holiday House. The song is about Rebekah Harkness, a divorcee who famously married into the Standard Oil fortune in 1947 and was a patron of several New York dance companies – according to an article in Vogue magazine, she even hosted a workshop for 20 dancers from the Joffrey Ballet at her estate.

The lyrics go on to discuss some of Harkness' more famous escapades, including cleaning her pool with Dom Pérignon, dyeing a pet green, and her relationship with artist Salvador Dali. It also notes that Harkness flies her friends in from New York City for parties, something Swift herself enjoys doing.

She has some famous neighbors in Westerly

Conan O'Brien's parents owned a vacation home on Annandale Road in Watch Hill, which he purchased in 1997.

Sports media star Colin Cowherd, host of “The Herd,” said on his podcast last year that he and his wife surprised a young woman in their driveway who had a strange story to tell about why she was there. Knowing that Swift's home had been burglarized, he immediately called the police. According to Boston.com, the Cowherds purchased their Watch Hill House in August 2023 for $8.5 million. The house, called “Highland Lodge,” was built in 1900 and sits on a two-acre lot, according to the real estate listing.

What do non-famous neighbors think?

Locals will tell you that the pop superstar strolls the beach, strolls to the St. Clair Annex for breakfast or ice cream, and dines at the Olympia Tea Room or the Cooked Goose when she's in town.

But they protect their privacy.

A neighbor who lives next door to Ocean House said she could tell if Taylor Swift was in town because the singer-songwriter's security was double or triple staffed.

Over the years, some controversy has arisen as beachgoers and surfers have taken exception to security guards who they believe have kept them away from the long-popular seawall.

A provision of the CRMC permit prohibits developers or Swift from obstructing public oceanfront rights-of-way or lateral access along the shoreline.

BFF Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds visited a few times

Swift has been friends with Lively for nearly a decade, and Reynolds recently revealed that she is the godmother to his children, and joked that he spends a fortune on babysitting fees.

But other famous friends are also guests at Watch Hill. Guests included actress and singer Uzo Aduba from “Orange Is the New Black,” supermodels Karlie Kloss and Gigi Hadid, Australian model-actress and recording artist Ruby Rose, singer and best friends Selena Gomez and the Haim sisters.

Swift has hosted a series of Fourth of July Independence Day parties at the house, as evidenced by Instagram posts featuring red, white and blue swimsuits and popsicles.

Even Loki admired the accommodations

Of course, among these famous guests were current and former friends. Last weekend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, her boyfriend of over a year, was her boyfriend. But actor Tom Hiddleston, who played Thor's brother Loki in the Marvel films, was greeted by paparazzi with an “I [heart] TS” shirt taking a dip in the sea in 2016.

And Calvin Harris posted a now-deleted photo of Swift grilling outside the property.

What is the house like?

The white-shingled home at 16 Bluff Avenue sits on a 5.23-acre lot and has 700 feet of beach frontage. Built in 1930, the mansion offers stunning views of the Rhode Island and Long Island Sounds.

What is so special about Watch Hill?

Watch Hill is a coastal village in Westerly, offering small shops and restaurants as well as beautiful scenery. The picturesque Flying Horses Carousel, with its soaring horses, on Bay Street was built in 1894. According to the website, a traveling carnival brought the carousel to Watch Hill and left it there. “It is said to be the oldest carousel still in operation in the United States!” the website states, noting that it has survived disasters such as the 1938 hurricane.

Accessed by a private road, Watch Hill Light is open year-round from 8 a.m. to sunset. The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in July and August and the week after Labor Day. (Tip: There's a pretty good view of Swift's house from here.)

Swift's property borders a popular public walkway to East Beach, which is considered “one of the least developed beaches in the state of Rhode Island.”

Westerly has been attracting famous visitors since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is located about a two-hour drive from Boston and a three-hour drive from New York City. Locals recall seeing the likes of Billy Joel, Regis Philbin, Oprah Winfrey, Drew Barrymore and others enjoying the visit over the years.

More: Meet the baker behind Olivia Culpo and Mariah Kennedy-Cuomo's wedding cakes

The Ocean House – which bills itself as “the first and only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star hotel in the state” – is also located in Watch Hill and was most recently known as the venue for the wedding of Olivia Culpo, a model and former Miss Universe from Rhode Island, and San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey.

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