The Newport Open Space Partnership today announced the opening hours for the historic Miantonomi Park Memorial Tower.
The tower will be open and free to the public each Monday in August from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 pm, beginning August 8th. The opening hours coincide with the Miantonomi Community Farmers Market, a project co-organized by Aquidneck Community Table and the Newport Health Equity Zone and designed to make affordable fresh foods available in a community-oriented setting in one of Newport’s most historic and beautiful parks.
Once the seat of power of the Narragansett tribe and named after the Chief Sachem Miantonomi, the park has a rich history. Miantonomi Hill, at 155 feet above sea level, is the highest point of natural elevation on Aquidneck Island and has housed colonial beacons, revolutionary war fortifications, and finally, a 100-foot-tall World War I memorial tower designed by Meade, McKim and White and built in 1929. Those that endeavor to climb its spiral staircase are rewarded with expansive views of Aquidneck Island, Narragansett Bay, and the surrounding areas.
“The Miantonomi Hill has always been an important vantage point because of its elevation,” said James Galloway, the executive director of the Newport Open Space Partnership, “and we hope that residents and visitors will be able to take some time to enjoy the history and beauty of Newport from the top of the tower.”
The Newport Open Space Partnership is a public-private organization that includes the Aquidneck Land Trust, Newport Tree Conservancy and the City of Newport. Its mission is to promote and assist the continued implementation of the Newport Tree, Park, and Open Space Master Plan. Miantonomi Open Tower Days are made possible thanks to the support of the van Beuren Charitable Foundation and Prince Charitable Trusts.