RETURN TO HOMERealtor Thursday
A conversation with Karen Hurst of Stonehurst Realty, Warwick Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island was settled in 1642. It was considered the first white settlement (meaning other than Indians) on the western side of the Narragansett Bay. Originally it was named Shawomet which means a spring, but then it was changed to Warwick, in honor of the Earl of Warwick. Now, Warwick consists of many villages, one of which has an area called Shawomet, in Conimicut. As you may have guessed, most of Rhode Island names were originally Indian! The main tribe was the Cowesetts who were a part of the Narragansetts. 
Our Town
Warwick Neck is yet another village of Warwick, Rhode Island. It looks like a very wide peninsula, surrounded on three sides by Narragansett Bay. On one side of the neck is home to Warwick Cove which consists of loads of marinas. By boat, coming into the Cove you can see the Warwick Neck Country Club where weddings are held. It has a private membership which includes dining, tennis, golf and much more and is by invitation and sponsor only. A little further up the Cove and still on Warwick Neck is the Seaview Country club sitting right behind Harbor Lights Marina.
The tip of Warwick Neck is the Warwick Neck lighthouse, which is currently occupied by a Coast Guard family. This website has a very good description of the history of the Lighthouse. Directly to the right of the Lighthouse is Briarcliffe Ave, a waterfront neighborhood, which ends with a farm, named Camelot! There are still sheep being raised there and it sits on the Western side of the neck giving it incredible views of the Bay.
Real Estate in Warwick Neck
Maxwell Mays a famous Rhode Island artist had a home in Warwick Neck which was just recently on the market. I recently got to show one of my buyers this home, and as I love history and art, this was a definite high point for me. One could almost picture Mr. Mays painting here. He owned several homes throughout Rhode Island. I am guessing he used them as muses.
The Aldrich Mansion has a wonderful history. It is said that Nelson Aldrich was “kicked out” of Newport Rhode Island’s well to do summer mansion colony and he built what was originally known as “Indian Oaks”, now Aldrich Mansion. Weddings are held there now but it is famous for its beautiful marble staircase. There was also some type of Underground Railroad leading from the Great Tower at one time. One can see straight down Narragansett Bay, across to Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport and several bridges from the Mansion.
Warwick Attractions 
There are so many things to write about Warwick Neck, and Rocky Point Amusement Park, would have to be included, although it is closed now. It was one of the major attractions for years, but started out as a small camp site in the 1850’s.
Warwick Neck has an ambiance that is hard to describe. It consists of many historical homes that have been in the family for generations and many newer luxury homes. The history of Warwick Neck lends to its charm and the affluent residents try to keep it as private as possible. This is where you want to live. It is not a place to ride around in, as every road leads to the water and is pretty much set up as private.
The Market in Warwick
There are several homes on the market right now in Warwick Neck, but they do not stay on the market for long, even in this latest economy due to the exclusivity, and approximation to the Bay. The range starts at around $400,000 and waterfront is listed up to $3,000,000.
The other day I took a photo of a Stone home that I really like in Warwick Neck, because I always thought it would be a nice office space for Stonehurst Realty. Both photos came out with Rainbows so I could not use them in this post.
About Karen Hurst: As the owner of Stonehurst Realty, a boutique Brokerage, specializing in Coastal Properties in Rhode Island, I would love to hear from you if you are looking to buy or sell in Warwick Neck. Please visit our website Stonehurst Realty, or email me for more information. We can also be reached at 401-921-4036.
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This guest post is part of our Realtor Thursday Series. We invite realtors from towns and cities all over the country, big or small, to participate. Our goal is to “travel” to as many towns as we can in every state. Every town is unique and wonderful to our readers. If you would like to showcase your town, your neighbors and your talents as a realtor, please contact us at liz@dalesiegel.com