Newport Tower

The Newport Tower is a round stone tower located in Touro Park in Newport, Rhode Island, the remains of a windmill built in the mid-17th century.The tower has received attention due to speculation that it is actually several centuries older and would thus represent evidence of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact. Carbon dating shows this belief to be incorrect.DescriptionThe Newport Tower is located in Touro Park at the top of Mill Street, surrounded by a historical residential neighborhood on the hill above the waterfront tourist district. Eighteenth-century paintings show that the hill itself once furnished a view of the harbor and would have been visible to passing mariners in Narragansett Bay, but recent tree growth now obscures the view.The Newport Tower is not exactly circular. From southeast to northwest, the diameter reportedly measures 22ft but, when measured from east to west, the diameter lengthens to 23ft. However, the 19th century measurements of the interior gave an east-west dimension of 18ft, which was slightly shorter than the north-south measurement of 19ft, suggesting that the discrepancies may be due to the unevenness of the rubble masonry. The tower has a height of 28ft and an exterior width of 24ft. At one time, the sides were coated with smooth white plaster, the remains of which can still be seen clinging to the outer walls. It is supported by eight cylindrical columns that form stone arches, two of which are slightly broader than the other six. Above the arches and inside the tower is evidence of a floor that once supported an interior chamber. The walls are approximately 3ft thick, and the diameter of the inner chamber is approximately 18ft. The chamber has four windows on what used to be the main floor, and three very small ones at the upper level. Almost directly opposite the west window is a fireplace backed with grey stone and flanked by nooks.