Browning's Beach Historic District, historic district in Rhode Island, United States
Browning's Beach Historic District is a coastal area with four houses from the early 1900s located on a barrier beach facing Long Island Sound. The homes display different architectural styles of that period with wood shingle siding, small porches, and cozy chalet-style roofs.
The district was named after the Browning family, who shaped the area's development in the early 1900s when vacation homes appeared on this coastal strip. The buildings reflect how people of that era built simple yet attractive homes by the water and how the community endured storms and erosion over time.
The name Browning's Beach comes from the Browning family who originally owned the land and shaped the area's development. Today, visitors can observe how residents and guests use the beaches and nearby ponds in much the same way their ancestors did generations ago.
Access to the district is via a private gravel driveway from Cards Pond Road, where the houses sit in a quiet, secluded setting. Visitors should know that the beach area is busiest during warmer months and is best explored on foot to appreciate the historic details and coastal views.
One of the four houses in the district is among the last residential homes in Rhode Island built directly on sand, making it exceptionally rare. The cottage was moved multiple times following the 1938 hurricane and now rests on posts, illustrating its remarkable survival and adaptation over more than a century.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
