Mansion Beach has the most pristine beach with soft, warm sand and emerald blue waters that can be found on Block Island. But beware, Mansion Beach is more than just a beach, it has a past and a history.
During our time on Block Island, we found ourselves going back time and time again to the same beach. A little past Crescent Beach and hidden on a gravel street off of Corn Neck Road lies the best beach on Block Island, Mansion Beach. The entrance to the beach is marked by two brick pillars. Pat and I stop before pedaling our bikes any further. Is this the entrance to somebody’s house or the beach? After peering around, I decided to proceed. Pat started to yell at me, “Sveva! What are you doing?! I think that’s somebodies house, come back!” Too late, I had pedaled to the top of the hill where I could see a small parking lot filled with a few cars and a bike rack. I waved Patrick over gesticulating that it was safe to cross.
A brick wall leads me down to the entrance and towards a bike rack shaded under a tree. It became evident why the beach was called Mansion beach, it was originally home to an actual mansion and its remains were still there. The mansion had been requested by famous interior designer and husband of one of the wealthiest women in the world in the 1880s, Edward F. Searles. It’s true name was White Hall and took over 1 million dollars to complete by 1890. It was considered one of the most pristine and beautiful stretches of land on the east coast of the US.
Although the house was considered beautifully by some, the people of Block Island felt that it ruined the island’s natural beauty with it’s opulent ways. That’s how White Hall earned its name Mansion House and Mansion Beach by the locals. When the Searles passed away the house was not able to be maintained by anyone else and people would use it as a place to host their illegal parties. Until one day in the 1960s, the house was burned down (some say arson) and never rebuilt.
The deed stated that the land and beautiful beach on which Mansion House stood be given to the Town of New Shoreham for public use. Today, all that remains of the Mansion House is the two brick pillars at the entrance and a bit of foundation where the small parking lot for cars and bikes now stands. But it’s crown jewel still remains its public beach, Mansion Beach.
It’s true, Mansion Beach is the most pristine beach I experienced on block island. Its white soft sand, its emerald blue water, soft wind, and grass and mansion backdrop with a view of Crescent Beach and New Shoreham in the distance. The water here was pleasant, the sand was spectacular, and it was the perfect place to jump in for a dip and take a nap on the warm sand beach. And after you wake up from your afternoon nap? Bike down to Beachhead for a shifty or rum punch and live music by the sea.
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Which hotels are the closest to Mansion beach?
I’m not sure unfortunately! I stayed at the Sea Breeze Inn since everything was so easily bikeable. The stay came with bikes too.