The Ocean View Foundation educates visitors and islanders on the natural history and beauty of Block Island. We encourage the celebration of its maritime culture, vernacular architecture and preserved open space. The Foundation has preserved four-plus properties on the Island. The most visible and the first project encompasses a little over an acre, on a beautiful site, overlooking the Old Harbor. It was once the grounds of a grand late 19th century Victorian hotel. The Ocean View Hotel was originally created as a swell destination for long summer holidays. Now all that remain are the low stone ruins of its foundation. By acquiring this commercial land and protecting it from development, the Ocean View Foundation has created a new destination providing views, rest, peace, and quiet. On the meadow now stands a small open-air pavilion, completed in 2000, which is open to the public from dawn to dusk. The newest addition to of preserved properties was the acquisition, in 2014, of a small parcel adjacent to the Pavilion site that also borders the east end of Water Street. This parcel, once part of the original Ocean View Hotel land, was used, at one time, as a fuel/gasoline depot and as a pumping station. Now that this commercial lot has been rejoined to the Ocean View site it will increase the area available for purposes of rest, views, and environmental education. In addition to the public open space provided by the site above in the Old Harbor, three other properties have been preserved on the west side of the Island overlooking 10 wild acres of protected land with 2 ponds and a rocky coast. A simple cottage built in the 1840s by a fishing and farming family was reconstructed and restored in the summer and fall of 2001, with additional renovations done in 2008. The house is a model for building in scale with the Island's cultural heritage, and in preserving the inherent spirit of making due with what is available. Much of the house was originally constructed from material washed up on shore. In its new life electric and hot water energy come from the sun as much as possible, through photovoltaic and solar hot water panels. To learn more about Ocean View Foundation, please visit their website.
The Ocean View Foundation educates visitors and islanders on the natural history and beauty of Block Island. We encourage the celebration of its maritime culture, vernacular architecture and preserved open space. The Foundation has preserved four-plus properties on the Island. The most visible and the first project encompasses a little over an acre, on a beautiful site, overlooking the Old Harbor. It was once the grounds of a grand late 19th century Victorian hotel. The Ocean View Hotel was originally created as a swell destination for long summer holidays. Now all that remain are the low stone ruins of its foundation. By acquiring this commercial land and protecting it from development, the Ocean View Foundation has created a new destination providing views, rest, peace, and quiet. On the meadow now stands a small open-air pavilion, completed in 2000, which is open to the public from dawn to dusk. The newest addition to of preserved properties was the acquisition, in 2014, of a small parcel adjacent to the Pavilion site that also borders the east end of Water Street. This parcel, once part of the original Ocean View Hotel land, was used, at one time, as a fuel/gasoline depot and as a pumping station. Now that this commercial lot has been rejoined to the Ocean View site it will increase the area available for purposes of rest, views, and environmental education. In addition to the public open space provided by the site above in the Old Harbor, three other properties have been preserved on the west side of the Island overlooking 10 wild acres of protected land with 2 ponds and a rocky coast. A simple cottage built in the 1840s by a fishing and farming family was reconstructed and restored in the summer and fall of 2001, with additional renovations done in 2008. The house is a model for building in scale with the Island's cultural heritage, and in preserving the inherent spirit of making due with what is available. Much of the house was originally constructed from material washed up on shore. In its new life electric and hot water energy come from the sun as much as possible, through photovoltaic and solar hot water panels. To learn more about Ocean View Foundation, please visit their website.