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Jamestown

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A highly visual and new study of the rustic and whimsical shingled houses of Jamestown, Rhode Island from the colonial era to the development of the town as a picturesque report set in a coastal la...
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  • 16 September 2025
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A highly visual and new study of the rustic and whimsical shingled houses of Jamestown, Rhode Island from the colonial era to the development of the town as a picturesque report set in a coastal landscape.

Jamestown, Rhode Island, set in the shimmering waters at the entrance to Narragansett Bay, is marked by cliffs and fields looking out to the sea- a vision of paradise, a place of natural abundance and scenic beauty. For centuries, builders devised architecture that seamlessly rose from and merged back into stony coast and rolling meadows. This island is home to a timeless landscape of pastoral richness and picturesque views; its buildings a testament to those who sought their fortunes and fulfilled their fantasies, within sight of the mainland, but a world apart. In each case, there is a remarkable relationship between the island’s topography and its architecture. Through maps, paintings, poetry and prose, this book illustrates the vibrant heritage of Jamestown, its role as a place of refuge and retreat through the ages, a paradise shaped by the visions and labors of its inhabitants.

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Price: $44.95
Pages: 224
Publisher: D Giles Limited
Imprint: GILES
Publication Date: 16 September 2025
Trim Size: 11.00 X 9.50 in
ISBN: 9781913875701
Format: Hardcover
BISACs: ARCHITECTURE / History / Modern (late 19th Century to 1945), HISTORY / United States / State & Local / New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT), ARCHITECTURE / Buildings / Residential, ARCHITECTURE / Historic Preservation / General
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Praise for America's Eden

“Beautifully executed, exhaustively researched, and compellingly narrated, [America’s Eden] tells the story of Newport’s landscape evolution in an accessible and engaging manner.—Patrice Todisco, Leaflet

Praise for Newport: The Artful City

Winner of The Victorian Society in America 2021 Book Award

“A cavalcade of imagery sure to enthrall even the most knowledgeable history buff”—Fred Albert, Newport Life Magazine

John R. Tschirch is an award-winning architectural historian and Honorary Member of the Garden Club of America. His career in historic preservation has brought him across the globe to study and teach at cultural heritage sites and landscapes. He has lectured and published widely, presenting conference papers for UNESCO ICOMOS in Buenos Aires and Yale University’s Mellon Center in London. John’s work in preserving and interpreting historic places has been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and Martha Stewart Living, and he has appeared on the A&E documentary series America’s Castles. His publications include America's Eden: Newport Landscapes through the Ages (2022) and Newport: The Artful City (2020).

  • Foreword
  • A Note from the Author
  • Introduction
  • A Place of Contrasts: Topography
  • Island Refuge and Retreat: An Historical Overview
  • A Bountiful Land: The Narragansetts and Colonial Settlement
  • The Case of Remembrance
  • Revolution: An Island Exposed
  • Romantic Retreat: The Resort Era
  • The Case of Charles Bevins
  • Conclusion: A Picture of Past and Present
  • Endnotes
  • Selected Bibliography
  • Index
  • Image Credits