Few People Know The Tragic Love Story Behind This Unusual Tower In Rhode Island

Tragic love stories pull on everyone’s heartstrings. The tale of Romeo and Juliet is probably the most famous of all time. But not many know that Rhode Island has an equally tragic romance lingering in its past and the story lives on at the Hannah Robinson Tower.

Hannah Robinson was born in 1746 to a wealthy family. She was said to be one of the most beautiful ladies of her time. Hannah should have lived a charmed life but as well all know when you throw love into the mix, sometimes things go awry.

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Back in those days, young girls with money had plenty of time on their hands. One of Hannah's favorite pastimes was to sit on a large rock and stare out at the Narragansett Bay.

Once Hannah got older she attended a finishing school in Newport where she fell hopelessly in love with her dancing and French teacher, Pierre Simond. The two knew that their romance had obstacles, namely Hannah's father. Peter did not have a family background nor the funds to be considered an appropriate match for Hannah.

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A father's disapproval was not enough to keep the two apart. Pierre visited Hannah secretly at her home until her father found out. As fathers will do, he forbid his daughter to see Pierre and kept a very tight watch on her whereabouts.

Is it any surprise that the couple managed to elope? Under the cover of darkness and with the help of friends, Pierre and Hannah escaped to Providence to be married. And as it frequently happens, fathers are right and the romance quickly soured. After being cut off monetarily and receiving no financial support from her family, Pierre showed that he was truly after Hannah's fortune. He abandoned her in Providence in poverty and Hannah began to waste away.

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Hannah's father wanted his daughter to come home but his pride prevailed. He told her that she could only return if she revealed who helped her to elope with Pierre. And Hannah refused.

She grew sicker and sicker until finally, her accomplices in the elopement gave her permission to tell their names. Her father arrived to retrieve Hannah and was shocked by her sickly appearance. He hired strong men to carry her home and on the way, Hannah asked to visit that rock where she had perched one last time.

Hannah Robinson arrived home and lived for a short time thereafter dying at the young age of 27.

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Today a watchtower stands near the rock where Hannah once watched the bay. The Hannah Robinson Tower stands 40 feet tall and along with the rock serves as a memorial to the young beauty caught up in a tragic love story.

You can climb to the top of the tower and take the short trail to see Hannah's rock. Find the tower at the interchange between U.S. Route 1 (Tower Hill Road) and Route 138 (Bridgetown Road) in South Kingstown. To see a map, click here.

Did you ever hear of the story of this tragic romance? Do you enjoy getting a glimpse into Rhode Island’s past? Take a look at these old photos from the early 1900s that offer a rare peek at our history.