Clingstone

Clingstone is a three-story residential house on an island in Rhode Island with approximately 23 rooms and heavy timber framing throughout. The structure was designed with features to withstand severe storms.

The original owner built this house in 1905 after the government claimed his former summer residence for a military fort project. The island location became his alternative to the property he had lost.

The house inspired filmmakers through its distinctive interior spaces and shingle design, which appeared in contemporary films. Visitors can recognize these design influences in the rooms themselves and see how architecture captures creative imagination.

The house is accessible only by boat and operates today as vacation accommodation for stays of several days. Visitors should plan for water-based travel and allow time to spend multiple days to fully experience the location.

A Boston architect acquired this abandoned building in the 1960s and restored it using reclaimed materials he gathered. His rescue of the building from decay became a distinctive example of creative restoration using found resources.