Westerly is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
on the
southwestern coastline of
Washington County,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, United States, first settled by
English colonists in 1661, and incorporated as a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in 1669. The Town of Westerly is a beachfront community on the south shore of the state with a population of 23,359 as of the
2020 census. The western and northern borders of Westerly are defined by a
natural border of the
Pawcatuck River, with the bordering town of
Hopkinton defined by the Pawcatuck River, while holding a straight border to the east with
Charlestown.
The
Pawcatuck River flows on the western border of Westerly, and was once renowned for its own species of
Westerly salmon, three of which are displayed on the town's official seal. The Pawcatuck River flows from inland, emptying into
Little Narragansett Bay. It also serves as the boundary between Westerly and
Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Three large salt ponds lie along the coast, with sand bars of white sand such as the
Misquamicut State Beach. From west to east, these ponds are
Maschaug Pond,
Winnapaug Pond, and
Quonochontaug Pond.
Westerly becomes a notable tourist destination during the summer months when the population nearly doubles. Its well-known beaches include
Weekapaug Beach, Westerly Town Beach,
Misquamicut State Beach, East Beach, and
Watch Hill Beach. The Town of Westerly was known historically for local important
granite
Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...
mining and
stone-cutting industry, which ran until the quarries stopped operating in the 1950s.
History
Early History and European settlement
It is believed that
Aboriginal people arrived in Rhode Island 5,000 years ago, based on sites located in what is now Washington County.
Westerly would be known as
Misquamicut, home to the
Narragansett people
The Narragansett people are an Algonquian American Indian tribe from Rhode Island. Today, Narragansett people are enrolled in the federally recognized Narragansett Indian Tribe. They gained federal recognition in 1983.
The tribe was nearly l ...
up until 1637, when the English had build an outpost, forcing the Narragansett people out of the region by 1661, allowing for the permanent settlement on the coast line.
The English village was the home of Elder
John Crandall (–1676), one of Westerly's founding fathers. Crandall settled in Westerly in 1661, and the early history of Westerly contains many references to him and his sons.
The Town of Westerly was founded on May 13, 1669 on the eastern shore of Pawcatuck River. There was no defined border between Connecticut and Rhode Island until 1720.
It is believed that Westerly was named for the settlement's location respective to
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
's geography, being the westernmost town in the
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was an English colony on the eastern coast of America, founded in 1636 by Puritan minister Roger Williams after his exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It became a haven for religious d ...
. On May 18, 1669, the newly founded Town of Westerly in the southwest portion of the colony would host its first official town meeting with four elected officers to manage the town, alongside a town clerk.
In 1738, the Town of
Charlestown was partitioned off from Westerly, encompassing modern day land of both
Charlestown and
Richmond, while
Hopkinton would remain a part of the Town of Westerly until being partitioned off 19 years later as its own town.
Bradford
Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
, a village built in 1732, following the partition of Hopkinton, would remain shared between both Hopkinton and Westerly with the
Bradford Village Historic District.
slavery
Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
had existed in the small town of Westerly by the wealthy.
Revolutionary War and Post-revolution
Physician,
American Revolution
The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
general, and Rhode Island Supreme Court justice Dr.
Joshua Babcock was born in Westerly. Rhode Island Governor and Chief Justice
Samuel Ward also lived here for many years. During the
American Revolution
The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, Westerly did not play any major battles compared to the nearby
Battle of Newport, which happened in Rhode Island. Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Ward Jr was a resident of Westerly, Rhode Island, commanding the
1st Rhode Island Regiment in the
Battle of Rhode Island in 1778.
Slavery became illegal in the new
State of Rhode Island in the 1770s to 1780s, with in 1784, the State of Rhode Island passed the Gradual Emancipation Act, stating: “children born to slave mothers were to be considered freeborn citizens." However, children of former slaves were forced to work as apprentices until the age of 21, and their earning given to their mothers’ owners.
In the early 1800s, prior to the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
, Westerly had become a shipbuilding center under
U.S. Navy Officer Oliver Perry, having built
Gunboats.
In 1834, the Crumb Quarry, began operations, the first quarry in Westerly, to produce Westerly White and Blue granite.
The Westerly area was known for its historically important (1870-1950s)
granite
Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...
mining
and
stone-cutting industry, which quarried a unique stone known as Westerly granite.
This pinkish granite has been used in buildings in several states on the
eastern seaboard. Its quarries produced blue granite, in addition to pinks and reds. The
Smith Granite Company employed many granite cutting craftsmen and was one of the town's major employers until the quarries stopped operating in the 1950s. Hundreds of examples of their work can be seen on the battlefields of Gettysburg and in city squares, municipal buildings, cemeteries throughout the United States, and even the
Georgia State Capitol.
The four trolley lines of the
Groton and Stonington Street Railway,
Norwich and Westerly Railway, Pawtucket Valley Street Railway, and the Ashaway and Westerly Railway converged in Westerly and shared track between the railroad station and Dixon House Square downtown. The lines were built in the 1890s and 1900s and ran until the 1920s.
20th Century
In 1912, the Westerly Town Hall and Courthouse was built, designed by William Walker & Son in the Academic Revival style, replacing the old town hall. Following the new town halls creation, the district of Pleasant View would be renamed to the
Misquamicut in 1928, the original native name of the Westerly region, nearly 260 years after the Town of Westerly was founded. Following the creation of the new town hall, a grass strip would be built by the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
in the 1920s, but would not be activated as an registered airport until the 1930s, when it was registered
Westerly State Airport in December of 1939 by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, which would become one of one of six airports managed by the RIAC. The airport continued to serve under the U.S. Navy, allowing for practicing ariel war maneuvers, serving into the 1940s during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. On August 2, 1945, a
Grumman F6F Hellcat piloted by Ensign Walter G. Davies took off from Runway 32 at the
Westerly Auxiliary Naval Air Station, but lost all power and flipped on the runway during emergency landing. The aircraft was deemed a total loss, but there were no injuries or fatalities.
Westerly in 1938 would be struck by the
1938 New England Hurricane, causing severe damage, with the village of Napatree Point being completely destroyed, with buildings being sent into Little Narragansett Bay, and Sandy Point being disconnected from the rest of Napatree to where it remains today. Misquamicut, Galilee, Jerusalem, Green Hill, and Quonochontaug being heavily destroyed, and a
storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
of 12 to 15ft tall along the coast of
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
. Many factories, mines, houses, and more structures collapsed during the hurricane, and the
New Haven and Hartford Railroad was damaged, shutting down transport to Westerly, RI. Following this, Westerly would be struck again 6 years later in 1944, and again in 1954 by major hurricanes.
In 1966, the
Guild Guitar Company, founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge in New York City, moved production to Westerly, and continued to make their well-respected
archtop,
acoustic, and
solid body guitars there. The Westerly Town Charter, which approved the right to maintain and preserve self-government to the Town of Westerly was approved by the
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations on November 5, 1968, and become effective July 1, 1969.
[https://ecode360.com/12078301#. Retrieved December 19, 2024.]
On November 7, 1977, the Potter Hill Mill on the
Pawtucket River had caught fire. Built in 1843, Mill had units from
Ashaway, Rhode Island being the first to respond, and then Westerly Fire Department arrival. The mill was significantly damaged leading to its collapse, with 75 units on scene, and no injuries reported. Many years following this incident in 2020, the Town of Westerly was given $100,000 in a grant from the
NOAA Restoration Center, matched by the Town of Westerly, and other sources, to study fish migration improvements, and flood mitigation improvement, continuing into 2024 with Westerly stating on the town website: "Addressing the dam and the old mill building will eliminate public safety hazards and significantly increase recreation for the community."
21st Century
In 2012,
Hurricane Sandy left beaches along the Westerly shoreline devastated and nearly unrecognizable, including
Misquamicut. Rhode Island Governor
Lincoln Chafee stated that
Misquamicut, a village of Westerly Rhode Island, was the
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
of Rhode Island, referring to the amount of damage that was received in the
State of New Jersey, to the amount of damage received by Misquamicut. The damages caused by Hurricane Sandy caused $11.3 million in damages, with almost 100,000 power outages reported in
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
.
In December of 2019, a
shooting
Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missile ...
happened at the Babcock Village, in which three women ended up shot. The police identified the shooter, and two surviving victims. The shooting was done by 66-year old Joseph Giachello, who was found dead in his room after taking the life of 47-year old Julie Cardinal, the manager of the complex. During this shooting, all the schools in Westerly managed by Westerly Public Schools were put into lockdown, although Westerly Public Schools stated: “there is no verifiable threat to any of the buildings.”
The Covid Pandemic (2020-2023)
On March 13th of 2020, the Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles would close the Westerly DMV office, deeming the closing until further notice because of complaints that it was disruptive for the employees of the Westerly Town Hall, as the Westerly DMV operated in the Town Hall once a week, however the Westerly Drop Box would remain open for all Rhode Island DMV forms, applications, or canceled plates. 15 days after the closing of the Westerly DMV Office, the
Governor of Rhode Island on March 28, 2020 issued the lockdown of the entire
State of Rhode Island. The Town of Westerly in response cancelled any town council meetings with only few exceptions, and urged residents to use online and mail services. All schools would initially be ordered to remain closed until April 3, 2020, to set up
distance learning for all the students.
In August of 2021,
Tropical Storm Henri made landfall in Westerly, causing significant damage and power outages. Following Henri’s impacts, in November 2021, three tornadoes were confirmed in Rhode Island, the first being an
EF-1 tornado which went from
Stonington, Connecticut
Stonington is a town located on Long Island Sound in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The municipal limits of the town include the borough of Stonington (borough), Connecticut, Stonington, the villages of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, Pa ...
to Westerly. On June 22, 2021, the
Westerly Area Youth Lacrosse 14U girls won the
Rhode Island Youth Lacrosse League Division 2 title.
In January 4, 2022, the Westerly Public Schools system had reopened to the public with mask policies still in place in place, and extended quarantine times for students and faculty who got sick, while many had chosen to remain home due to the ongoing at the time
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
still infecting many.
Aftermath of the Covid Pandemic
In August of 2024, the Westerly Public Schools announced the plans to renovate the Spring Brook and Dunn's Corners Elementary Schools, along with the construction of a new State Street Elementary to replace the existing State Street built in 1955, with the new building planned to cover a 48,000 square foot area behind the existing school, and estimated to serve 300 students in grades K–4. Westerly Public Schools plans for the students and staff to transition to the new building in the summer of 2026 following the completion of its construction, after which the existing elementary will be demolished.
Following the covid pandemic, in September of 2024, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced that samples of the
West Nile virus had been collected within Westerly and
East Providence, found in five of the 114 samples statewide. During the samples, no samples of
Eastern equine encephalitis had been detected, with only one case in the entire state.
Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (59.78%) is water, with Westerly being the 14th biggest town in the
State of Rhode Island. The Bureau includes Westerly in the RI-MA
Providence metropolitan area defined at the county level, while formerly in the CT-RI Norwich-New London
NECTA defined at the
municipal level until NECTA was discontinued in 2023.
Geology
Westerly sits atop a glacial
moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and Rock (geology), rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a gla ...
, a series of small hills of debris left behind by receding
glaciers
A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...
in the last Ice Age. A pristine sample of the moraine encompasses a preserve owned in perpetuity by the Westerly Land Trust. Within the trust land are the rare
kettle formations that extend out under the sea to
Block Island.
Climate
Westerly has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Cfa''), defined as having a mean monthly temperature between in the coldest month and at least in the warmest month. Annually, Westerly has a long warm/hot season from April to mid-November, and a cool/cold season from late November through March. Westerly averages 2300 hours of sunshine annually (higher than the USA average), and receives about of precipitation annually.
Villages
Westerly consists of a number of small villages.
Downtown Westerly on the
Pawcatuck River is the municipal seat of the area, with the old town post office, library, YMCA, railroad station, former police headquarters (the current headquarters is located on Airport Road), granite buildings, and Wilcox Park.
Other villages include Avondale, with antique colonial-style and Queen Anne-style homes;
Bradford
Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
, with its own post office and postal code; Dunn's Corners; Mastuxet;
Misquamicut, a beachfront community with small amounts of nightlife and several hotels; Potter Hill, where the Town Forest is located; Shelter Harbor;
Watch Hill, with beaches and summer cottages;
Weekapaug; White Rock; and Winnapaug, with public golf courses.
Annual events include the Pawcatuck River Duck Race in April, Virtu Art Festival in May, Shakespeare in the Park and the Summer Pops in June, and Riverglow in July. Movies are shown outdoors on the beach in July and August, and there is a Columbus Day parade in October. Also, the Westerly-Pawcatuck Veterans Board of Control hold two of the oldest parades in the United States. The Memorial Day Parade started in 1867, held in May on Memorial Day, and the Veterans Day Parade started in 1917, held in November on the Saturday of Veterans Day week.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2020, there were 23,359 people and 10,657 households in the town. The population density was . There were 13,245 housing units in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 88.60%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.98%
Black
Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.84%
Native American, 2.68%
Asian, 1.35% from
other races, and 5.48% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino people of any race were 4.61% of the population.
There were 10,657 households, out of which 17.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 25.2% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 19.0% had a male householder with no spouse present. Of all households, 13.5% were made up of individuals, and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.69.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 13.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 18.4% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 28.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53.7 years.
The median income for a household in the town was $90,933, and the median income for a family was $117,854. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $47,826. About 6.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
The most frequent ancestries among the town's population, according to the 2000 census, were Italian (34.2%), Irish (17.9%) and English (14.2%). Many Italians moved to Westerly from Italy around the start of the 20th century, a majority from
Sicily
Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
and
Calabria
Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
, with Italian dialects still being spoken at the homes of many older residents in the town. Many Italian immigrants had come and resided in the Town of Westerly originated from the
Town of Acri,
Calabria
Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
.
Economy
Located within the Town of Westerly are two regional banks headquartered in the town, including Washington Trust Bancorp Inc., a publicly traded regional bank with operations in Rhode Island and Connecticut, and the Westerly Community Credit Union.
Education
The main school system of the Town of Westerly is operated by the
Westerly Public Schools, which operates the
Westerly High School, Westerly Middle School, Westerly High School Career and Tech (WHS-
CTE), and the local elementary schools, including State Street Elementary School, Springbrook Elementary School, and Dunn’s Corners Elementary School.
The Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner offers operates three educational centers, one of which is located in the Town of Westerly, the Westerly Education Center, with the purpose of giving residents higher education in business, industry, and provide high-quality educational programs to meet projected workforce growth in the region. The Westerly Education Center works with the
Community College of Rhode Island,
University of Rhode Island,
Rhode Island College, Skills for Rhode Island's Future, the Rhode Island Office of Veteran Services, and more.
High School & Career and Tech
According to
USnews, the Westerly High School ranked #2,806 across the entire United States, and 12th within the
State of Rhode Island. Westerly High School hosts a
RIDE-certified pathways in its career and technical school branch, the WHS-CTE, offering technical education in different fields. Westerly High School, along with other Rhode Island High Schools such as
Chariho Regional High School, participates in
SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a United States career and technical student organization serving more than 395,000 high school, college and middle school students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service oc ...
.
Media
Local media sources in Westerly include the daily newspaper company,
The Westerly Sun, a daily newspaper with its weekly subdivision ''The Express'', and two local radio stations, being
WBLQ (AM) and
WVEI-FM. The Westerly Sun is the biggest source of media local to the Town of Westerly, spreading across other towns in
Washington County, Rhode Island and into the
State of Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
.
Government
Westerly has a
mayor–council government
A mayor–council government is a system of local government in which a mayor who is directly elected by the voters acts as chief executive, while a separately elected city council constitutes the legislative body. It is one of the two most comm ...
system, which the mayor is called the council president. The current mayor is William J. Aiello since 2022.
[https://westerlyri.gov/DocumentCenter/View/294/Elected-Officials-List-With-Contact-Information-PDF] The Town of Westerly has other positions, including the school committee, and administration, with town manager being Shawn Lacey. Terms of the local council, senator and representative in the
Rhode Island General Assembly last two-years, and school committee officials having four-year terms.
Town Charter and Town Council
Since 1969, the Town of Westerly has held a charter approved by
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, structuring the towns government, and allowing autonomy. The town has to abide by state law, but by the town charter can enforce its own laws and policies. Article V, Chapter 1 of the charter defines the amount of people who are on the town council. The charter sets the hierarchy of the town government, and allowing town agencies to function similarly to the way department agencies to the United States of to the
State of Rhode Island function.
The charter defines the powers of positions, and to what those in power can and cannot do. The Westerly School Committee and Westerly Town Council play a role in town finances and structure, both holding legal power. Along with the divisions of local government, the Westerly Municipal Land Trust plays a role in local politics, which oversees and assists local town departments and commissions with the execution of policies related to land use and preservation, currently as of 2025 holding eleven personnel on the board.
Local Elections
The Town of Westerly, Rhode Island holds its own local elections, politics, and hosts its own political parties separate from the state and federal political parties such as the
United States Democratic Party
The Democratic Party is a Centre-left politics, center-left political parties in the United States, political party in the United States. One of the Major party, major parties of the U.S., it was founded in 1828, making it the world's oldes ...
or the
Rhode Island Democratic Party. In the Town of Westerly, there are the parties of Westerly Democratic Town Committee (WDTC) and Westerly Republican Party, which the WDTC holds no affiliation with the Democratic Party of Rhode Island or United States, while the Westerly Republican Party is affiliated with the Republican Party of Rhode Island. The local parties of the Town of Westerly oversee the development of law within the Town Council of Westerly.
Many seats in the local town government of the Town of Westerly
local elections, but also a process of also
volunteering
Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergenc ...
. Important positions in the town such as Town Council members require election by local residents, while other governmental positions elect members by volunteering with candidates applying to the Town of Westerly government.
Public safety
Westerly has a set budget of $102 million for the Westerly Police Department in the 2024–2025 fiscal budget. Westerly, RI has a general crime rate of 10 per 1000 residents, with most crime happening in
Downtown Westerly, and along the coast. The motto of the Westerly Police Department is Pride, Integrity, and Commitment, with the mission of serving with pride in knowing the excellence delivered on each and every call for service, serving with highest level of moral and ethical standards, and commitment to non-bias, professional service to Westerly residents and tourists.
All law enforcement officers in the Town of Westerly of the Department of Public Safety are appointed or promoted by the Westerly Town Manager, who also holds the power to discipline members of the permanent police force. The disciplinary procedure shall follow Rhode Island General Law, the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Transportation

In the Town of Westerly, there is the
Westerly State Airport, which offers services by
New England Airlines. Along with Westerly State Airport,
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
also offers services by the
Westerly Amtrak Station between
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
and
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, stopping at the
Westerly station near downtown. The station itself was closed in October 2016, but passengers can still board and disembark at the platform. Additionally, there have been proposals for
CT ''rail'' to extend its
Shore Line East service eastwards to Westerly station.
Routes and Streets
The Town of Westerly has
U.S. Route 1, and the state routes of:
Route 1A,
Route 3,
Route 91, and
Route 78, which Route 78 forms a bypass around
Downtown Westerly, nicknamed the Westerly Bypass, and ending near the
Westerly State Airport, with three
interchanges in Rhode Island; the other endpoint is in
Stonington,
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
. The
Interstate I-95 is approximately five miles away from Westerly, and can be accessed by
Connecticut Route 2 and or
Rhode Island Route 3. To a census on all streets, excluding highways and routes, there is currently 626 streets within the Town of Westerly, Rhode Island. All streets are managed by the Westerly Department of Development Services, Westerly Public Works Department, and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, with the WDDS managing street names and management.
Points of interest
There are many place in the Town of Westerly deemed points, including the:
*
Westerly High School
*
Misquamicut State Beach
*
Watch Hill
*
Westerly (Amtrak station)
*
Westerly State Airport
*
Wilcox Park
*
Watch Hill
*
Misquamicut
National Historic Register sites
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Babcock-Smith House
*
Bradford Village Historic District, in Hopkinton and Westerly
*
Flying Horse Carousel
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Former Immaculate Conception Church
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Lewis-Card-Perry House
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Main Street Historic District
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North End Historic District
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Nursery Site, RI-273
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Perry Homestead Historic District
*
Ram Point
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U.S. Post Office (Westerly, Rhode Island)
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Watch Hill Historic District
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Weekapaug Inn
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Westerly Armory
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Westerly Downtown Historic District
*
Wilcox Park Historic District
Notable people
There have been notable people who are from Westerly, Rhode Island who lived, resided within, or were born in the town.
Samuel Ward,
Former Governor and
Chief Justice of the
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
is one notable person who resided within the Town of Westerly following his retirement from the Title of
Colonial Governor. Another example of notable people who have resided or reside in the Town of Westerly, Rhode Island include American singer and songwriter,
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
, who holds non-permanent
beach-side residence in the village of
Watch Hill near the
Ocean House.
See also
*
*
The United Theatre, a performing arts center in the town
*
Stonington, Connecticut
Stonington is a town located on Long Island Sound in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The municipal limits of the town include the borough of Stonington (borough), Connecticut, Stonington, the villages of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, Pa ...
, a nearby town to Westerly.
*
Westerly Hospital
*
Acri, Calabria, a town where any Italian immigrants came from.
Notes
References
External links
Official websiteSee Westerly Tourism Website
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{{Portal bar, United States, Rhode Island, New England, Geography
Towns in Washington County, Rhode Island
Populated coastal places in Rhode Island
Italian-American culture in Rhode Island
1669 establishments in Rhode Island
Towns in Rhode Island