Aerial.America.S01E08.Rhode.Island
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00:00Rhode Island, America's smallest state, only 37 miles wide and 48 miles long.
00:10But while it may lack the wide-open spaces of some of America's larger states,
00:15Rhode Island is home to more than 20 percent of America's national historic landmarks,
00:22from the breakers and the other fabulous mansions of the Gilded Age,
00:28to Slater's Mill, which ushered in America's Industrial Revolution.
00:35Sixty percent of Rhode Island is covered in woodland and parks to protect the natural environment.
00:45A journey through Rhode Island's bays and coves reveals nearly 400 miles of pristine tidal shoreline,
00:54with an incredible array of lighthouses and even more incredible stories
01:00of run-runners and pirates off of Newport's rocky shores.
01:05All of this glimmering water has enticed explorers and Puritans,
01:10those fleeing persecution and those seeking to start a revolution.
01:16Rhode Island's history is rich with the stories of American progress and American excess.
01:25It's called the Ocean State, and to see it from the air, it's easy to understand why.
01:45The Ocean State
01:51The Ocean State
02:10Great Swamp, located in southern Rhode Island, was home to the first residents of Rhode Island,
02:16the Narragansett Indians.
02:19The name Narragansett means people of the small, narrow point,
02:24and archaeological evidence suggests that the Narragansett have lived on this land for more than 30,000 years.
02:38The first European to set foot in what would become the state of Rhode Island was Giovanni de Verrazzano in 1524.
02:47He actually arrived here on Block Island, a small island off the coast of the mainland.
02:54Verrazzano's legacy lives on in Narragansett Bay, in the form of this bridge, which is named after him.
03:06Rhode Island has always had a reputation as a fiercely independent state,
03:12and nowhere is it more evident than here in Providence.
03:18Even its state capital, modeled after the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.,
03:23has a statue on top called simply Independent Man.
03:30Providence was founded by Roger Williams, who came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony to escape the religious intolerance of England.
03:38In 1636, he arrived in Rhode Island, where he purchased land from the Narragansett Indians.
03:47He called the new settlement Providence, in thanks to God.
03:56Williams created the first Baptist church in America.
04:01One of the church's meeting houses, dating back to 1775, still stands today,
04:07and the church is currently being renovated.
04:12Its 185-foot steeple was built on the ground by sailboat makers in just three days.
04:20Williams established a policy of religious and political freedom in his new settlement,
04:25and soon after, colonists with similar beliefs began to arrive in Rhode Island.
04:32Rivers shaped the life of Providence.
04:38The colonial waterfront was the site of a thriving shipping economy
04:42for the so-called triangle trades of slaves, rum, and molasses, as well as the China trade.
04:51Soon, Providence and Newport were among the busiest ports in the New World.
05:02Since the prosperous days of the colonial era, Providence has seen its fortunes rise and fall more than once.
05:15In the late mid-20th century, Providence, home of religious freedom in America,
05:21became known more for its corruption and run-down factories than its historical significance.
05:28But in the 1980s, that all changed.
05:33Just down the hill from the state capitol building, what was once an eyesore became the center of a renaissance.
05:40Providence's waterfront is not the only part of the city that has been revitalized.
05:45Its historic corridors have also been restored to their revolutionary-era glory.
05:51But that almost didn't happen.
05:55In the early 20th century, the city was under the control of the British Empire,
06:00and the city was under the control of the British Empire.
06:05But that almost didn't happen.
06:10In the 1950s, the city of Providence planned to raise and redevelop part of historic Benefit Street,
06:16which runs through this area.
06:22The Providence Preservation Society, established to protest the raising,
06:27offered up a plan to preserve the whole street.
06:31Today, Benefit Street is home to one of the largest concentrations of historic architecture in the nation.
06:44A few blocks to the east of Benefit Street sits one of America's oldest and most prestigious universities.
06:52Brown University opened its doors to students in 1765
06:57and was the only school that welcomed students of all religious persuasions.
07:04The university began as Rhode Island College, but was renamed in 1804
07:08after a man named Nicholas Brown gave what at the time was a large financial gift, $5,000.
07:17In today's money, the equivalent of about $76,000.
07:27Across the street from the main quadrangle at Brown sits the John Hay Library.
07:36Hay, a Brown alumnus, served as Abraham Lincoln's private secretary during the Civil War
07:42and later became Secretary of State.
07:46The library houses a collection of rare books, including three that feature an unusual binding, human skin.
08:01Although it sounds grisly, in the late 1800s it wasn't unusual to bind books with human skin from cadavers.
08:10This 46-mile-long river has long been called the hardest-working river in America.
08:19The Blackstone River runs from inland Massachusetts to the north end of Narragansett Bay.
08:27The Blackstone River runs from inland Massachusetts to the north end of Narragansett Bay.
08:33The Blackstone River runs from inland Massachusetts to the north end of Narragansett Bay.
08:40This is a National Heritage Corridor, and it's here that America's Industrial Revolution began.
08:50Slater's Mill stands at the falls at the Blackstone River.
08:55British immigrant Samuel Slater came to America with a plan, to take English mill plans and build them in America.
09:06With his knowledge and capital provided by Moses Brown from Providence, Slater built the first successful U.S. textile mill.
09:16The Industrial Revolution had begun.
09:19The mills on the site are still powered by the Blackstone River.
09:25While celebrated for bringing the Industrial Revolution to America, the mill was also infamous.
09:32Slater employed many children, ages 7 to 13.
09:38Some of Lewis Hines' famous child labor photographs were taken at Slater Mill.
09:43Hines' photographs, showing harsh conditions for child laborers, resulted in new laws being created to protect children.
09:52Today, some believe that the centuries-old mill is haunted by some of the children who worked here.
10:00Visitors often talk about feeling a presence, especially by the old machine shop.
10:06This 10-foot-wide and 50-foot-deep abyss is another Rhode Island landmark, known for its legends.
10:18It's said that Purgatory Chasm was created by the power of the Blackstone River.
10:25It's also said that the Blackstone River was the source of many of the world's greatest natural disasters.
10:35The powerful swing of the Devil's Axe.
10:44It's more likely that Purgatory Chasm was created by the force of the sea wearing away the rock.
10:56It's carved nearly 100 feet into the shore from the cliff.
11:00Some people have unwisely tried to jump the chasm,
11:03instead falling between the giant slabs of rock.
11:25Like the rivers that shaped the early life of Providence and Pawtucket,
11:30Narragansett Bay is the lifeblood of the towns that surround it.
11:36In the East Bay is Bristol, an unpretentious coastal town established in 1680.
11:44The layout of the city is based on a grid plan with a large common at its center,
11:49the only one of its kind in Rhode Island.
11:53Bristol's deepwater harbor helped it to become a thriving commercial port before the American Revolution,
12:00and by 1800 it was the fourth busiest port in the country.
12:06Fortunes were made from maritime trading, whaling and shipbuilding.
12:12Harrishoft Boatyard was famous for the yachts it built here in the harbor.
12:16Several were winners of the World Cup.
12:22The large homes built for local merchants and shipbuilders make up the heart of Old Bristol.
12:31Today, Bristol Harbor offers ferries to several islands in the bay,
12:35including this one, which takes visitors to Prudence Island.
12:42Bristol has become a popular destination for summer homes.
12:47So has its neighbor to the south, Jamestown.
12:51Jamestown still retains much of its agricultural feel,
12:55with extensive open farm fields and even a still-functional windmill.
13:00The Jamestown Windmill powered a grain mill for more than a hundred years.
13:05In 1912, it was given to the Jamestown Historical Society that has maintained and restored the mill.
13:13In the late 19th century, wealthy industrialist Joseph Wharton
13:17and other Philadelphia Quakers built summer homes in Jamestown.
13:23Wharton's house, Marbella, overlooks Narragansett Bay, where it meets the ocean.
13:29This area is filled with stories of pirates and privateers.
13:35Local legend holds that Captain Kidd's treasure was hidden here
13:39when he was in town visiting his friend, privateer Captain Thomas Payne.
13:45To this day, people search the caves,
13:48but they can't find what they're looking for.
13:51This site is also known for its spectacular views
13:56and is a popular place for watching yacht races.
14:03The Jamestown Windmill is one of the most popular places to visit in Philadelphia.
14:08It's a popular place to watch yacht races,
14:11but it's also a popular place to spend time with friends and family.
14:16And is a popular place for watching yacht races.
14:29Until 1940, Jamestown was an island with no connection to the mainland of Newport.
14:36Then, the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge was built.
14:45The Pell Bridge opened to traffic in 1969, connecting Jamestown to Newport.
14:59Originally called the Newport Bridge, in 1992 it was renamed for U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell.
15:09But most residents still refer to it as the Newport Bridge.
15:16It is the largest suspension bridge in New England.
15:30Jamestown isn't the only Rhode Island town with pirate stories.
15:35In this tavern, a notorious pirate was also a popular business owner.
15:40The White Horse Tavern was built in 1673.
15:44It was the meeting place for the Rhode Island Colony's General Assembly,
15:48Criminal Court, and City Council.
15:51And it was owned by a pirate named William Mays.
15:59It's one of the oldest taverns in the United States,
16:02and you can still have a drink here today.
16:04Possibly with a ghost, since many say the White Horse Tavern is haunted.
16:18Another eating establishment with almost cult status is Flo's Clamshack.
16:25There's nothing pretentious or expensive about this clamshack.
16:30There's nothing pretentious or expensive about this clamshack,
16:35which started serving traditional Rhode Island shore fare in 1936.
16:41From clam cakes to clam chowder and stuffed clams,
16:45Flo's wins award after award for its food.
16:50Its luck hasn't been as good with buildings.
16:54Since it opened, Flo's buildings have been completely ruined four times by hurricanes.
17:00Most recently, Hurricane Bob washed it away in 1991.
17:04So far, the newest building has survived nature's wrath.
17:12There was another building in Newport that has survived much longer.
17:18The Old Stone Mill is shrouded in mystery.
17:22There are many theories about how this tower came to be.
17:26Some believe it was built by Norsemen before Columbus ever arrived in the New World.
17:32Another says that the governor of Newport commissioned the tower as a windmill during colonial times.
17:39Its 24-foot high walls are made of fieldstone, and its interior is open to the sky.
17:46New theories about the tower's origins fill websites and articles.
17:51But the mystery will continue on, because no one knows for sure who built the Old Stone Mill.
18:02The first summer visitors to arrive in Newport were wealthy merchants from South Carolina and Georgia
18:08who traveled north to escape the summer heat in the south.
18:13With its sheltered harbor, beautiful beaches, and awe-inspiring architecture,
18:19Newport, Rhode Island is a shining gem on New England's Atlantic coast.
18:26These so-called summer cottages are another remnant from the Industrial Revolution.
18:33They were built from the vast fortunes earned by what some called robber barons and others called savvy businessmen.
18:41On the islands across Newport Harbor, a new American aristocracy had been born.
18:50One of the world's most famous weddings took place here in September of 1953.
18:58More than 750 guests filled St. Mary's Church to watch as Senator John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier exchanged wedding vows.
19:11Afterward, 1,200 guests attended the reception at Hammersmith Farm,
19:15a 300-acre oceanfront estate overlooking Narragansett Bay where Jackie and her family spent many summers.
19:25The young couple continued to summer in Newport, and the city was often called Kennedy's Summer White House.
19:33Every Saturday in the summer, the Newport International Polo Club holds matches here at the historic 100-acre Glen Farm.
19:45Newport calls itself the international polo capital of the world.
19:50Matches have taken place here for more than 100 years.
19:55These ponies at Glen Farm are taking a rest as they gear up for another Saturday match before a crowd of well-heeled onlookers.
20:10There's a certain social and economic exclusivity associated with polo and with Newport itself,
20:17but today's version pales in comparison to the Gilded Age.
20:36There are few places in the world where the pastime is yacht watching.
20:48But there were few places like Newport in the Gilded Age.
20:54It was the coastal resort of choice for American business magnates like the Vanderbilts and the Astors.
21:02The term Gilded Age was coined by Mark Twain and referred to the extravagant displays of wealth and excess of America's super-rich.
21:13Others call it conspicuous consumption.
21:18In Newport, renowned architects were designing enormous homes that mimic the castles and palaces of Europe,
21:26each family seeking to one-up their neighbors.
21:35The Breakers is probably the most spectacular of Newport's summer cottages.
21:43This 70-room Victorian mansion, built by tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt,
21:49is a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's social and financial preeminence at the turn of the century.
21:56Vanderbilt built his wealth in the railroad and shipping industries.
22:06Today, many of the homes are preserved.
22:09Some are open for tours. Others are hotels, like Castle Hill.
22:17This was one of the first major summer houses built along Newport's Ocean Drive.
22:23Its wide porches and sweeping views of the bay make it a popular destination.
22:33Beacon Rock, near Ocean Drive, overlooks Newport Harbor.
22:39Built for the brother of J.P. Morgan, eventually the home was owned by the sculptor Felix de Weldon,
22:45who was famous for sculpting the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, D.C.
22:55This magnificent home is right near Fort Adams State Park.
23:04Fort Adams is the largest coastal fortification in the United States.
23:09Construction of the fort began in 1824 and continued until the middle of the 19th century.
23:19British attacks on Washington during the War of 1812
23:22inspired the federal government to increase security on the coastline.
23:28The fort has a line of vaulted, bomb-proof chambers along its five-feet-thick perimeter walls.
23:38The commanding officer's house to the south of the fort was used in the late 50s
23:43as a vacation spot for President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
23:49Today, Fort Adams is well known as the home of the Newport-Americans.
23:57The Newport Jazz Festival.
24:00It's brought jazz greats and their fans to Newport every August for more than 50 years.
24:09Marble House, an exquisitely detailed home, is owned and maintained by the Newport Preservation Society.
24:16But it began as the property of another Vanderbilt.
24:20In 1888, William Vanderbilt, who nearly is his brother,
24:24gave his wife Alva the money to build Marble House as a 39th birthday gift.
24:32She oversaw its design and construction over four years.
24:37Vanderbilt loved European architecture so much
24:40that she brought in more than 300 different artisans from Italy to complete her estate.
24:47Rough Point was one of five homes owned by heiress Doris Duke.
24:53Duke was only 13 years old when she inherited her family's $80 million fortune.
25:00These camels are here in honor of the two real camels that Mrs. Duke, an animal lover,
25:05kept on her property while she lived here.
25:09Doris Duke died in 1993.
25:13Most of her estate went to charity and to her butler.
25:18Rough Point is now owned by the Newport Restoration Foundation and open for tours.
25:28Through the foundation, Duke also preserved hundreds of other houses in Newport,
25:33making it home to one of the most significant concentrations of 18th century architecture in the country.
25:43Adjacent to Duke's estate, and backing up to many other Bellevue Avenue mansions, is Cliff Walk,
25:52a three-and-a-half mile path through the majestic beauty of Newport's rocky shoreline.
25:59Originally used as a hunting path by the Narragansett tribe,
26:02today it's Newport's most popular tourist attraction.
26:06Over the last 150 years, the public and some estate owners have often clashed over access rights,
26:12both along the shore and to the shore.
26:23Willing to do just about anything to keep the common people away from their palaces,
26:28owners have built walls and fences, planted bushes and trees to block access,
26:33and posted dogs and even bulls to scare people away.
26:38But the path is a public right-of-way open to everyone.
26:45While the wealthy weren't able to keep the riffraff off of Cliff Walk,
26:49they were able to keep the people of Newport safe.
26:53While the wealthy weren't able to keep the riffraff off of Cliff Walk,
26:57they were more successful at Bailey's Beach.
27:00This beach is reserved for people of a certain pedigree,
27:04and taking a swim here is by invitation only.
27:08Just having money isn't enough in Newport.
27:11One must have long lines of established social background.
27:16This mansion was home to the undisputed queen of American society.
27:20Caroline Astor insisted that her friends and family call her the Mrs. Astor.
27:27Her home here, called Beachwood, was built in 1853.
27:35When her husband, William Astor, bought the estate in 1881,
27:39it became the social center of New York society.
27:42William was the grandson of John Jacob Astor,
27:45the German immigrant who made himself the richest man in America
27:49through fur trading and real estate.
27:58As recently as 1999,
28:00John Jacob Astor was listed as the fourth wealthiest American ever.
28:06Bill Gates was the fourth.
28:08The family presided over countless social occasions,
28:11including their famous summer ball.
28:17Mrs. Astor retired from social life in 1906 and died two years later.
28:25Astor's son, John Jacob IV, divorced his first wife
28:29and married a much younger woman in a ceremonial wedding.
28:33To escape the scandal, the couple fled to Europe after the wedding.
28:37They booked their passage home on the RMS Titanic.
28:42Astor's young pregnant wife survived, but he did not.
28:48And Astor wasn't the only Newport resident on the ship that fateful day.
28:53He was the only man on the ship.
28:57Miramar, the summer home for George Widener and his wife Eleanor,
29:01was under construction in 1912
29:03when the Widener family sailed from England on the maiden voyage of the Titanic.
29:09Mrs. Widener survived, but both her husband and son Harry perished.
29:15Miramar, Spanish for Behold the Sea,
29:18stayed in the Widener family's home until the Titanic sank.
29:22Miramar, Spanish for Behold the Sea, stayed in the Widener family.
29:27In 2006, the mansion sold for just over $17 million,
29:32the most ever paid for a property on the island.
29:44The least paid might have been for this mansion,
29:47set on a rock in Narragansett Bay.
29:53It's rumored that J.S. Lovering Wharton built his home on a rock
29:57so no one could bother him.
30:06Friends and neighbors were skeptical that the house could exist here
30:10or that the owner would stay in it.
30:13But Wharton spent every summer here until he died in 1938.
30:23His wife remained here until her death in 1941.
30:39For the next 20 years, the house stood empty.
30:43When architect Henry Wood bought the home in 1961,
30:47he's owned it ever since.
30:58While the corporate giants of the industrial age have long since left Newport,
31:02the technology titans of the 20th century have arrived here,
31:06along with hedge fund managers,
31:08not as conspicuously as they used to be.
31:11The technology titans of the 20th century have arrived here,
31:14along with hedge fund managers,
31:16not as conspicuously though,
31:18unless you head to Newport Harbor.
31:22Considered to be America's yacht racing mecca,
31:25the playthings of today's rich and famous are on display at the marinas
31:29that line Newport Harbor along America's Cup Avenue and Tame Street.
31:35From Bowen and Bannister's Wharves to the very exclusive Newport Shipyard,
31:40where they are said to not just have yachts, but mega yachts.
31:46Newport is considered the sailing capital of the world.
31:49The America's Cup, the most prestigious regatta and match race in the sport of sailing,
31:54were held here until 1983.
31:59But Newport still hosts both national and international regattas here.
32:04The abundant supply of water isn't only a source of pleasure for Rhode Islanders,
32:10it's also an important part of the economy here.
32:20The United States Navy saw the strategic importance of this area
32:24and created an experimental torpedo station on Goat Island,
32:28seen here just off the mainland.
32:32Eighty percent of the submarine torpedoes manufactured for World War I and World War II were made here.
32:42A thriving fishing industry developed here in the 19th century and continues today.
32:52Galilee is a working fishing village in Narragansett.
33:02The ocean waters off the coast are exposed to warm water eddies that break off from the Gulf Stream,
33:08bringing with them whales, sharks, tuna and marlin.
33:15Sport fishing is very popular here.
33:22But more than just fish can be found under these beautiful waters.
33:27Not surprisingly, Rhode Island's rocky shores have more shipwrecks per square mile than any other state.
33:36Lying deep beneath these pristine waters are more than 2,000 wrecks,
33:41including colonial trading ships, ships of war and luxury passenger vessels from the 19th century.
33:48And it seems that lighthouses alone aren't enough to prevent these disasters.
33:55In 2006, researchers discovered the remains of four ships sunk by the British
34:01during the American Revolution in Newport Harbor.
34:05Scholars believe that one of the ships was the Lord's Sandwich,
34:09which was used by the British during World War II.
34:13Scholars believe that one of the ships was the Lord's Sandwich,
34:18originally named the Endeavour, which would have dwarfed these smaller vessels with ease.
34:25Captain James Cook sailed the Endeavour on his famous voyages across the Pacific Ocean
34:30to New Zealand and the eastern coast of Australia.
34:34A series of lighthouses have been built on Narragansett Bay to keep sea travelers safe.
34:41One of the first was on Point Judith at the bay's entrance.
34:46At one time, this point saw more ship traffic than New York Harbor.
34:52On one infamous night in 1896, five vessels ran aground here during a storm.
35:00Now, the lighthouse is automated, and it shares the property with a U.S. Coast Guard station.
35:11Now, Rhode Island has 21 lighthouses.
35:15Thirteen of them are active, and the others are privately held.
35:21Like Nyett Point, built in 1828 to mark the narrow channel between Nyett Point and the reef off Conimacut Point.
35:30This lighthouse was poorly built and needed repairs almost immediately.
35:36It was auctioned off in 1890 to private owners.
35:41Since that time, the lighthouse has been greatly expanded and is used as a private residence.
35:49The Nyett Point Lighthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and, in 2001, sold for nearly $1.3 million.
36:00Built into the cliff face, Castle Hill Lighthouse was lit in 1890 after years of negotiation with the property's owner.
36:11Finally, the owner relented and sold the land to the government for $1.
36:18Although not open to the public, the lighthouse is accessible to guests of the nearby Castle Hill Inn and Resort.
36:24The lighthouse has a red light that flashes about every eight seconds at night.
36:31Imagine sailing in complete darkness, the only sight a small red light flashing every eight seconds.
36:38It could be yards or miles away.
36:44Conimacut Lighthouse sits on the northern tip of Conimacut Island.
36:49Conimacut Lighthouse sits on the northern tip of Conimacut Island.
36:54It was activated in 1886.
36:58The tower is attached to the wood-framed Keeper's House.
37:03By the 1930s, there was no longer enough ship traffic to justify having a manned lighthouse here.
37:10It was deactivated and the buildings and property were sold at auction for $2,874.
37:19Today, the station is a private residence.
37:29Only once in American history has a lighthouse been named after its keeper, and this is where it stood.
37:37In 1854, Hosea Lewis was named innkeeper of the Lime Rock Lighthouse.
37:43Soon, he suffered a stroke, and his duties fell to his wife and their oldest daughter, Ida.
37:51Ida handled most of the work here, and when her mother also died, Ida became the lightkeeper.
38:00She also became known as the bravest woman in America,
38:04enduring the ice-cold water to rescue those stranded on the rocks or drowning.
38:09She is credited with saving at least 18 people during her time here.
38:15The Rhode Island State Legislature changed the name of the lighthouse from Lime Rock to the Ida Lewis Lighthouse.
38:22Today, it's the site of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.
38:25Today, it's the site of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.
38:33The Rose Island Lighthouse sits on a small island that was used for military purposes from the Revolutionary War through World War II.
38:43The island is open to the public except for one part of the summer when it becomes a sanctuary for nesting birds, mostly gulls.
38:55When the last ferry leaves, the island is off-limits except for a very few people.
39:03When the lighthouse became run down due to decay and neglect, the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation came to its rescue.
39:13The foundation came up with a fundraising plan, the Lighthouse Keeper of the Week.
39:17For a small price, guests can serve as honorary keepers.
39:23The job is involved.
39:26The honorary keeps must do everything from dusting the windowsills to keeping the light burning through the night.
39:35It may sound like an odd vacation, but it's wildly successful and usually fully booked two years in advance.
39:43One of the most remote lighthouses is on the northern end of a small island only accessible by air or water.
39:56The island is also home to the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.
40:00One of the most remote lighthouses is on the northern end of a small island only accessible by air or water.
40:18A stark contrast to the opulent playgrounds of Newport, Block Island residents prefer just to be left alone.
40:30Thousands of years ago, a glacier left the rolling hills that were to become known as Block Island.
40:39Dutch explorer Adrian Block arrived here in 1614 and gave the island its name.
40:47Boat wrecks happened often here, given the island's position and the rocky shoals that surround it.
40:54A life-saving station was put in, as well as lighthouses on the northern and southern ends of the island.
41:04Since Block Island has no natural harbors, in 1870 breakwaters were created to form Old Harbor and give steamers and ferries safe entry to the island.
41:17Today, ferries shuttle visitors to the Old Harbor from the mainland.
41:24In 1895, another channel was dug to create New Harbor on the west side of the island.
41:35It connects the Great Salt Pond to the Atlantic Ocean.
41:42Archaeologists believe that when humans first began to settle in the northeast, they came here and created a settlement around Great Salt Pond.
41:54These people were the ancestors of the Menesean Indians.
41:59Today, pleasure boaters come from all over to enjoy the pond's sheltered waters.
42:09On a summer day, as many as 2,000 boats can fill the pond, and several marinas line the harbor to welcome their visitors.
42:18As in many natural places, there is an ongoing debate on how to preserve the island's beauty while also benefiting from tourism.
42:31Conservationists see the boats as a threat to the pond's fragile ecosystem, which is part of a national wildlife refuge.
42:48Although Block Island is only 12 miles off Rhode Island's coast, it's a world of its own.
42:56The Nature Conservancy included the tiny island on a list of 12 sites it called the Last Great Places in the Western Hemisphere.
43:07Home to restorative natural resources, the island is also home to the Great Salt Pond.
43:17Inside Victorian hotels, beautiful beaches, and a fragile but thriving ecosystem, islanders here want to keep things just as they are, idyllic.
43:35So when a pair of New York real estate developers wanted to divide the island up and fill it with houses,
43:41lifelong resident Captain John Robinson Lewis was intent to stop the plan.
43:48He organized his neighbors to create the Block Island Conservancy, and ultimately bought back the land the developers were planning to parcel out.
43:59The Conservancy has been active on the island ever since.
44:03No task is too large or too small.
44:06In the 90s, they literally moved this historic southeast lighthouse back 245 feet from the cliffs to keep the Coast Guard from demolishing it.
44:17And in 1984, they threatened to secede from the state if the use of mopeds wasn't restricted on the island.
44:25They got their way.
44:30Conservation has a long tradition here.
44:32From its ponds, beaches, and bluffs, more than 43% of the island is protected from development.
44:41Several of Rhode Island's other small towns and islands are moving toward conservation and limiting new development to preserve open spaces.
44:51Although it may be small in size, Rhode Island's historical significance in America is huge.
44:58From Roger Williams' ideas about freedom of religious thought, which are included in the Constitution,
45:04to the colonial-era influences, the start of the Industrial Age, and the Gilded Age,
45:10Rhode Island has a long tradition of being the center of American history.
45:14to the colonial-era influences, the start of the Industrial Age, and the Gilded Age,
45:20this tiny state packs a lot of history into its borders,
45:24combined with the breathtaking vistas and the independence, still today, of the people who live here.
45:30Rhode Island is a tiny, gleaming treasure on America's east coast.
45:44This is a story of a small town in Rhode Island.
45:49A small town in Rhode Island.
45:54A small town in Rhode Island.
45:59A small town in Rhode Island.
46:04A small town in Rhode Island.
46:09A small town in Rhode Island.
46:14A small town in Rhode Island.
46:19A small town in Rhode Island.
46:24A small town in Rhode Island.