Mystery Tower of Newport
Newport, RI
N 41° 29.150 W 071° 18.597
he mysterious Newport Tower is located in Truro Park at Mill Street and Bellevue Ave. in Newport, RI.
Long Description:
There has been much speculation about the origin of the Newport Tower. Some believe it is evidence of pre-Columbian visits by Vikings, the Portuguese, the Knights Templar, or even the Chinese. In 1993 carbon-14 dating of the oldest mortar of the Tower indicated a date of 1635 and 1698. Newport was settled by the followers of Roger Williams in 1636 and was incorporated as a town in 1639. The C-14 evidence is consistent with the Tower being constructed in the colonial era.
The best information is that the Tower is the remains of a windmill. Benedict Arnold (December 21, 1615 – June 19, 1678), the first colonial governor of Rhode Island, mentions "my stone built Wind Mill" in his will. The Tower is located near his grave and the site his now demolished mansion.
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