A Glimpse of Luxury in South County, RI
Get up close and personal with trolls, but not Taylor
Charming coastal South County, Rhode Island, is packed with woodlands and nature, coastline and beaches, art, fine food and drink, and Taylor Swift’s estate. Boomer writer Martha Steger shares her sample of the area.
South County, Rhode Island, location of Taylor Swift’s luxurious estate, is fewer than two hours’ drive from Providence, where I had a writers’ meeting. I couldn’t resist checking out Westerly, where the superstar’s sprawling estate, Holiday House, is located, and where she is sometimes referred to as “She Who Cannot Be Named.” The community is protective of her privacy in the affluent Watch Hill neighborhood on the banks of the Pawcatuck River.
One of the few good views I could get of Holiday House, which was built around 1930, is from an upper-floor, corner window at the adjacent Ocean House, the luxury Forbes five-star seaside resort perched high on the bluffs. The Standard Oil heir William Hale Harkness and his wife, Rebekah, prized the location when they lived there from the 1950s until her death in 1982. The lavish parties hosted by the Harknesses inspired Swift’s 2020 song, “The Last Great American Dynasty.”
Following Harkness, Gurdon B. Wattles purchased and renovated the home, renaming it High Watch. Swift purchased it in 2013 for about $17.75 million. Westerly is a low-key community where many residents head south in winter, but winter is a great time to settle into a luxurious, local accommodation such as the 1849 Margin Street Inn.
Margin Street Inn in South County
I was glad I checked in early because the inn is the perfect place to snuggle down and enjoy a fireplace and superb food. I had a choice of wonderful options, as the inn comprises a manor house, a second house called the Beech House, and two beautifully renovated Colonial- and Classic Revival-style guest houses, all with private baths and luxury amenities. Surrounded by six acres of manicured grounds with stately old trees, the inn also offers two docks for visitors who wish to come and go by water or just explore the river and fish.
I enjoyed afternoon refreshments with other guests in the river-view sunroom and a European-fare breakfast of frittatas, homemade granola, and fresh fruit served in the beautifully appointed dining room with a fireplace.
My favorite South County attraction is almost an afterthought on its website: The giant, eco-conscious and whimsical Thomas Darnbo Trolls – large-scale sculptures made from recycled, reclaimed wood, promoting nature, art and recycling. The trolls, on which visitors climb and drape themselves, make good photo-ops.
Discover more exploration opportunities around Margin Street Inn
FEATURE IMAGE, TOP: ONE OF THE THOMAS DARNBO TROLLS. CREDIT SOUTH COUNTY TOURISM COUNCIL
