Little Compton is a rural farming town in Newport County in southeastern Rhode Island. It includes the villages of Adamsville and Sakonnet. It is between the Sakonnet River on its west and Massachusetts and the West Branch of the Westport River to the east. Little Compton is one of the only places in the state where you can walk on a large, grassy farm while looking out onto the Atlantic Ocean. Its claim to fame is that it is where the famous Rhode Island Red (a breed of fowl and the Rhode Island state bird) was developed.
Get in
In order to get to Little Compton, travelers must either go through Tiverton, RI or Westport, MA. Some common routes are:
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From Boston Area:
Route 93 South to Route 24 South.
EXIT Tiverton/Little Compton - Route 77
South on Route 77.
At the traffic light at Tiverton Four Corners most travelers go straight, but Little Compton and Adamsville can be reached by going left.
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From Providence Area:
Route 195 East to 24 South.
EXIT Tiverton/Little Compton - Route 77
from 24 south directions are the same as from Boston Area.
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From Newport Area:
North on East Main Road (Route 138) or West Main Road (Route 114) to Route 24 North.
EXIT Tiverton/Little Compton - Route 77
From here, directions are the same as Providence and Boston Areas
Route 77 runs through the center of Little Compton all the way to the coastline. Once on route 77, anywhere in Little Compton can be easily accessed within twenty minutes.
Get around
Little Compton is a small town, but spread across a big portion of land. Because of this, travelers will desire a car or motorcycle. For the athletic and/or light packers, a bicycle will suffice. Little Compton is a bicycle-friendly place because of the long, low sloping roads which travel throughout the area. There aren't many hills in Little Compton. Also, there is very little traffic running along Little Compton's main road (Route 77) which makes cycling, walking, and running a more practical means of transportation. If exploring The Commons, walking will suffice as it is in a small area.
See
- Wilbor House, Barn, and Quaker Meeting House, West Road, 41.495278°, -71.186389°, +1 401 635-4035. Mid-Jun to mid-Sep: Tu-Su 2PM-5PM. Historic early 1700s building, maintained by Little Compton Historical Society. The Wilbor House was built during 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries and restored in 1956 by the Historical Society. Barn contains historical New England farm items and tools.
- Gray's Store, 4 Main Street, Adamsville, +1 401 635-4566. Memorial Day-Labor Day: M-F 9:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 9:30AM-5PM, Su and holidays noon-4PM; winter: M-F 9:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 9:30AM-5PM, closed Su and holidays. Built in 1788, one of the oldest continuously operating stores in the country. It contains an old 1804 post office, an original soda fountain, candy and tobacco cases, and ice chest.
- Monument to Elizabeth Pabodie, Commons Burial Ground. Gravesite of first white girl born in New England, a daughter of Pilgrims John and Priscilla Alden.
- Rhode Island Red Monument, Main Street, Adamsville.
- The Commons, This town common area is where one can find a bite to eat, a bank, convenience stores, etc. It is actually the only town commons in the entire state of Rhode Island. The commons is where the people of Little Compton can meet and relax with a plethora of things to do, all within walking distance from one another.
- Spite Tower, Another distinctive feature of the town is the “Spite Tower” found in the village of Adamsville. Locals claim that the tower was constructed to throw off the line-of-site of the townspeople. While most stories involve members of the local Manchester family, there is no consensus as to the true history of the structure.
Do
- Sakonnet Vineyards, 162 West Main Road (Rt. 77), +1 401-635-8486. May 1-Oct: 10AM-6PM; Nov-Apr: 11AM-5PM. Tours, tastings and self-guided vineyard walks.
- South Shore Beach, +1 401-635-9974. This beach is a popular attraction. There are days when "Lot Full" signs are posted along the road. However, it is worth the trip down to the beach to see the accuracy of the sign. It's often filled with both residents and people who travel a great distance to grab a bit of sand in the small hamlet.
Once parked, most visitors sit right by the parking lot, and it gets crowded.
If travelers desire more space or desire a calmer body of water to play in, walking to the "Second Creek" where South Shore turns into Goosewing Beach is an option. Second Creek is a little pond in the middle of the beach that will often after a rain connect to the ocean. There are deep sections of this pond, but it is calmer than the ocean. It's not as developed as a state beach, but port-a-johns and a renowned hot dog cart are more than enough to keep the beach goers happy.
- Simmon's Mill Pond, Colebrook Road, +1 401-789-3094. This area caters to hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, nature walking, fishing, and canoeing.
- Sakonnet Light, 41.453119°, -71.202436°. Erected in 1884, the Sakonnet Light House was actually once marked for demolition. When Hurricane Carol hit the small town in 1954, Sakonnet Light was rendered inactive. Under heavy protest, residents Carl and Carolyn Haffenreffer actually purchased the lighthouse from the town in 1961. It has since changed hands a few times, but was finally reactivated in 1997. It has been a landmark and frequent tourist attraction for much of its life, and continues to function as such.
Buy
- Amy C. Lund, Handweaver, 26 Main Street, +1 508 542-4782. Adamsville. Year round W-Su 10AM-5PM.
- Living Water Surf Co., 73 Simmons Road, Little Compton, +1 401-635-9100.
- The Last Stand, 373 West Main Rd. Seasonal market. Sandwiches, fish, drinks, fruit, vegetables.
- Thursday Thrift Shop, 2 Commons, Little Compton, +1 401-635-2519.
- Wilbur's General Store, 50 Commons, +1 401 635-2356.
Eat
- A-1 Pizza, 20 Commons, +1 401-635-8353.
- Earl's, 35 Meeting House Lane, +1 401-635-8852. Gas station, movies, drinks, and snacks.
- Simmons, 78 Crandall Road, +1 401-635-2420. Small scale grocery store, with an attached sandwich shop.
- The Last Stand, 373 West Main Road. Seasonal market. Sandwiches, fish, drinks, fruit, vegetables.
- The Young Family Farm, 260 West Main Road. Flowers, fruit, vegetables.
- Walker's Roadside Stand, 261 West Main Road, +1 401-635-4719. Vegetables, fruit, corn, drinks, some packaged food items.
- Margaret's Corner Cones. One of the most beloved destinations in Little Compton is the town ice cream shop. Serving many flavors of real ice cream, it's packed from opening Memorial Day weekend until they close up shop on Labor Day. Locals and tourists turn up in droves to taste the constantly rotating flavors, which are all delicious and always served with a smile. Tip: bring bug spray. While there is a small sitting area inside, the majority of the seating is made up of little picnic tables located outside of the Ice Cream shop.
- Crowther's Restaurant, 90 Pottersville Road, +1 401-635-8367.
- The Art Cafe, +1 401-635-2169. A small coffee shop. Little trinkets are on display for sale.
- Pietra (Stonehouse Club), 122 Sakonnet Point Road, +1 401-635-2222. Tuscan-inspired cuisine with a local flair; open May-September. It has yet to be reopened in the summer of 2011.
- 1854 (Stonehouse Club), 122 Sakonnet Point Road, +1 401-635-2222. Serves modern comfort food.
Drink
There are no bars or clubs in Little Compton. However, there are package stores listed below.
- Goulart's Package Store, 39 Meetinghouse Lane.
- Adamsville Wine & Spirits, 81 Stone Church Road.
Sleep
Go next
- Neighboring towns are Tiverton and Westport (Massachusetts). Also, Newport is a short drive away and provides tourists and site-seers many options. Newport has an extensive night scene and is approximately thirty minutes from Little Compton.