Misquamicut State Beach
| Misquamicut State Beach | |
| Rhode Island State Park | |
 | |
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| State |  Rhode Island |
| County | Washington |
| Town | Westerly |
| Elevation | 7 ft (2 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 41°19′25″N 71°48′10″W / 41.32361°N 71.80278°WCoordinates: 41°19′25″N 71°48′10″W / 41.32361°N 71.80278°W [1] |
| Established | 1959 |
| Management | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Parks & Recreation |
  Location in Rhode Island
| |
| Website: Misquamicut State Beach | |
Misquamicut State Beach is a Rhode Island state park in the town of Westerly.[2] It is a part of Misquamicut Beach which is a three-mile length of beach that extends westward from Weekapaug to Watch Hill and separates Winnapaug Pond from the Atlantic Ocean.[3]
History
The state beach was created in 1959 after a devastating hurricane in 1954 destroyed much of the Misquamicut community. In 1992, the state beach area was nearly forced to close when the forty-year-old septic system broke. The Division of Parks and Recreation was not allowed to build a new septic field so a switch was made to a waterless form of waste management. In 1999, the state built a $1.5 million bathing pavilion (the James J. Federico Jr. State Beach Pavilion) with heated shower stalls and Clivus Multrum composting toilets. The building project was completed in 2000 with a $700,000 expansion and paving of the parking lot.[3] The lot now holds up to 2700 cars.[4]
Activities and amenities
The state beach offers over a half-mile of oceanfront recreation. The beach pavilion includes a gift shop, shade gazebos, lifeguard towers and outdoor cold showers.[2] Two annual music festivals, Springfest and Fallfest, are held each May and September under the auspices of the Misquamicut Business Association.[5]
References
- 1 2 "Misquamicut State Beach". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
- 1 2 "Misquamicut State Beach". State of Rhode Island Division of Parks & Recreation. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- 1 2 "Misquamicut State Beach History". State of Rhode Island Division of Parks & Recreation. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Beaches". Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Misquamicut Business Association". Misquamicut Business Association. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
External links
- Misquamicut State Beach Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Parks & Recreation