Westerly Rhode Island - Train Station

While vacationing nearby, a visit to the train station was of course for me a "must do"!

Station History - Details

In 1912–13, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad constructed the present station as part of a curve straightening project. The station building was in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, as were several other New Haven Railroad stations built around the same time. Resembling the “great house” of a Mexican hacienda with its arcades and roofs of Spanish tile, the looks out of place in the cool climate of Rhode Island, but is representative of a period in American architecture when designers felt free to draw on a myriad of inspirations from across history and cultures. Interest in the country’s colonial Spanish ties was strong due to the admission of Arizona and New Mexico as states that same year.

Amtrak closed the Westerly ticket office on October 1, 2016, ceasing all ticketing and passenger assistance services. The building was reopened on August 17, 2018; the waiting area serves as an art gallery and is open on certain days of the week, and for special events.

Under state law, when state funds are used to construct or rehabilitate a building, 1% of the total funds must be devoted to the creation and installation of public art. Therefore, the station site received a new sculpture at the corner of Canal Street and Railroad Avenue. Designed by local artist Kam Ghaffari, it incorporates three smooth granite boulders that recall the town’s former quarries and carving workshops.

Further Info

Amtrak - Great American Stations