Ocean Drive Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Ocean Drive Historic District
covers the long street of the same name along the southern shore of Newport
, Rhode Island
, United States
. It was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1976.
It consists of houses on large lots that overlook the beaches and ocean. It was a favorite picnicking spot of the wealthy summer residents of the mansions on nearby Bellevue Avenue
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
on Aquidneck Island
's southwestern corner, the only place it turns away from the shoreline. It then continues along the shore again, with views toward Conanicut Island
, before it ends just south of Fort Adams
.
The topography
along the road consists mainly of dunes and low hills, on which houses were built in a variety of late 19th and 20th century styles. The hills are mostly open, with occasional patches of scrubby bush and copses of trees. Land use
is almost exclusively residential. Of the 53 buildings within the district, the few commercial structures are the clubhouses of private beaches and associated outbuildings (one, Gooseberry Beach
, is open to the public). Unlike Newport's other historic districts, none of them are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
during the colonial era
. The expansion of the city's development along Bellevue Avenue as the wealthy summer residents built grander and grander mansions eventually opened up the Ocean Drive area to development; however smaller houses were built due to the more rolling landscape. The area thus retains some of the character it originally had.
and Bellevue Avenue) are also recognized as National Historic Landmarks. The city considers them all one large district for its administrative purposes.
The HDC must review any exterior alterations to a building in the district beyond ordinary maintenance and repair, and issue a Certificate of Appropriateness. It cannot order any changes made to a property.
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
covers the long street of the same name along the southern shore of Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1976.
It consists of houses on large lots that overlook the beaches and ocean. It was a favorite picnicking spot of the wealthy summer residents of the mansions on nearby Bellevue Avenue
Bellevue Avenue Historic District
The Bellevue Avenue Historic District is located along and around Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. Its property is almost exclusively residential, including many of the mansions built by affluent summer vacationers in the city around the turn of the 20th century, including...
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Geography
Ocean Drive begins at an intersection with Ocean Avenue, a short distance from the southern terminus of Bellevue. It follows the shoreline closely in a roughly east-west direction, meandering as it does, to Brenton Point State ParkBrenton Point State Park
Brenton Point State Park is located on Aquidneck Island in the town of Newport, Rhode Island. Brenton Point State Park is located off of Ocean Drive, offering majestic vistas of the Atlantic Ocean as it meets Narragansett Bay.-History:...
on Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island
Aquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...
's southwestern corner, the only place it turns away from the shoreline. It then continues along the shore again, with views toward Conanicut Island
Conanicut Island
Conanicut Island is the second largest island in Narragansett Bay, in the state of Rhode Island. It is connected on the east to Newport, Rhode Island, on Aquidneck Island by the Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, and on the west to North Kingstown, Rhode Island, on the...
, before it ends just south of Fort Adams
Fort Adams
Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island, was established on July 4, 1799 as a First System coastal fortification. Its first commander was Captain John Henry who was later instrumental in starting the War of 1812.-History:...
.
The topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
along the road consists mainly of dunes and low hills, on which houses were built in a variety of late 19th and 20th century styles. The hills are mostly open, with occasional patches of scrubby bush and copses of trees. Land use
Land use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
is almost exclusively residential. Of the 53 buildings within the district, the few commercial structures are the clubhouses of private beaches and associated outbuildings (one, Gooseberry Beach
Gooseberry Beach
Gooseberry Beach is a beach located in Newport, Rhode Island off Ocean Drive. It is a private beach, but also open to the public. The beach is located between Bailey's Beach and Hazard's Beach....
, is open to the public). Unlike Newport's other historic districts, none of them are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
The Ocean Drive area was once farmland, distant from the center of townNewport Historic District (Rhode Island)
The Newport Historic District covers 250 acres in the center of that city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968 due to its extensive and well-preserved assortment of intact colonial buildings dating from the early and mid-18th century...
during the colonial era
Colonial America
The colonial history of the United States covers the history from the start of European settlement and especially the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain until they declared independence in 1776. In the late 16th century, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands launched major...
. The expansion of the city's development along Bellevue Avenue as the wealthy summer residents built grander and grander mansions eventually opened up the Ocean Drive area to development; however smaller houses were built due to the more rolling landscape. The area thus retains some of the character it originally had.
Historic District Commission
To maintain the district's historic character, the city created its Historic District Commission (HDC) at the same time as the district itself. It consists of nine citizens appointed to three-year terms by the City Council to oversee not just the downtown historic district but Newport's other historic districts, two of which (downtownNewport Historic District (Rhode Island)
The Newport Historic District covers 250 acres in the center of that city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968 due to its extensive and well-preserved assortment of intact colonial buildings dating from the early and mid-18th century...
and Bellevue Avenue) are also recognized as National Historic Landmarks. The city considers them all one large district for its administrative purposes.
The HDC must review any exterior alterations to a building in the district beyond ordinary maintenance and repair, and issue a Certificate of Appropriateness. It cannot order any changes made to a property.