Editing Little Compton, Rhode Island (section)

== Historic sites ==
[[File:Wilbor House from southwest, Little Compton.jpg|thumb|left|[[Wilbor House]], built in 1692, is now the headquarters of the Little Compton Historical Society and a museum]]
Sites of historic interest in Little Compton include the [[Wilbor House]], built in 1692 by Samuel Wilbore (1664–1740) (grandson of [[Samuel Wilbore]]), and now the home of the Little Compton Historical Society,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lchistorical.wordpress.com/|title=Little Compton Historical Society|website=Little Compton Historical Society}}</ref> the [[Friends Meeting House and Cemetery]], and the [[William Whalley Homestead]]. There are about 57 historic cemeteries in the town.

Little Compton is home to one of only three town commons surviving in Rhode Island; the others are in [[Bristol, Rhode Island|Bristol]] and [[Warren, Rhode Island|Warren]].  Land for the common was designated in August 1677 and has been used ever since as both a religious and civic center, the location of churches, a school, the town hall, town library, and other government buildings and civic institutions. The Common contains a large cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|title=Little Compton Historical Society|url=https://lchistorical.wordpress.com/}}</ref> Benjamin Church and his family are buried in the cemetery, as is [[Elizabeth Pabodie]], the eldest daughter of [[John Alden (Pilgrim)|John Alden]] and [[Priscilla Mullins]] of [[Mayflower]] fame. The stones in the cemetery reflect a style of carving similar to that found both in [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] and [[Boston]] during the same time period. The entire common is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as an [[Little Compton Common Historic District|historic district]].<ref>In Search of The Commons, part of A National Conversation Hosted by the Smithsonian and Arizona State University, Zoloco Public Square|[https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2019/09/18/in-search-of-the-commons-in-modern-america/ideas/essay/].</ref>

Another distinctive feature of the town is the c.1905 "[[Spite house|Spite Tower]]" found in the hamlet of [[Adamsville, Rhode Island|Adamsville]]. Built as a water tower, local lore claims that it was constructed to obscure the sight-lines of a rival abutting neighbor.

The [[Sakonnet Light|Sakonnet Point Lighthouse]] is situated off the coast of Sakonnet Point in the southwest corner of Little Compton; the lighthouse was constructed in 1884 and was extensively restored in 2012.<ref name=":0" />

The [[West Island (Rhode Island)|West Island Club]] was a prestigious [[Sport Fishing|sport fishing]] club that formerly occupied West Island, which is located roughly half a mile (0.8 km) south off the coast of Sakonnet Point. The exclusive club operated between 1864 and 1906, with notable members including the likes of [[Grover Cleveland]], [[J. P. Morgan|J.P. Morgan]] and [[Cornelius Vanderbilt]]. The remaining structures on the island were destroyed by the [[1938 New England hurricane|Hurricane of 1938]], save for three stone support columns that are still extant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Island off Little Compton |url=https://newenglandboating.com/destinations/rhode-island/west-island-off-little-compton/ |access-date=July 28, 2023 |website=New England Boating & Fishing |date=May 13, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Richardson |first=Tom |date=April 9, 2019 |title=Paddling to West Island, RI {{!}} Explore New England |url=https://explorenewengland.tv/adventures/paddling-to-west-island-ri/,%20https://explorenewengland.tv/adventures/paddling-to-west-island-ri/ |access-date=July 28, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=pishposhdesign |date=July 30, 2017 |title=O'CONNOR aka "East & West Island" |url=https://www.sakonnetpreservation.org/oconnor-aka-east-west-island/ |access-date=July 28, 2023 |website=Sakonnet Preservation Association |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Fort Church (Rhode Island)|Fort Church]] was built near Sakonnet Point during [[World War II]] and was named for Benjamin Church. The largest of the four batteries was Battery Gray with two [[16"/50 caliber Mark 2 gun|16-inch guns]], an area that became the Sakonnet Golf Club.<ref name="fortwiki">{{cite web|url=http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Church |title=Fort Church - FortWiki Historic U.S. and Canadian Forts |publisher=fortwiki.com|access-date=October 22, 2015}}</ref>