William C. 0' Neill Bike Path

The Narragansett Pier Railroad was constructed in 1876 by the Hazard Family, a prominent family that owned most of the land throughout South Kingstown and Narragansett. The Hazard family owned and operated a mill in Peace Dale that was powered by the currents of the Saugatuck River. A fire in 1845 destroyed the mill, and during reconstruction, the Hazards choose to switch from relying on the river for power to coal powered steam boilers. Coal was imported by ship at Narraganset Pier, however, transporting it to the mill was costly. To absorb the costs of transporting goods to the mill, the Narragansett Pier Railroad was constructed, connecting Narragansett Pier to the Stonington Railroad that connected Providence, Rhode Island to Stonington, Connecticut.

On July 17, 1876, the first train consisting of only an engine and two railcars traversed the NPRR. While the railroad was originally constructed to transport freight and supplies to the Hazards mill, passengers were also transported on the railroad during the summer months to absorb the costs of operating the railroad. At its peak in 1890, over 100,000 passengers were carried between Kingston station and the vacation destination of Narragansett Pier. To support modest passenger transport, four train stations were constructed along the railroad (see map below for locations). Once at the Narragansett Pier Station, passengers could board a steamboat that would take them to Newport. After 70 years of operation, the Hazard Family decided to sell their railroad operation to Royal Little for $25,000 in 1946. Royal Little predominant businessman in Rhode Island and summer resident of Narragansett.

After a short lived endeavor, the tracks running from Wakefield to Narragansett Pier were abandoned and removed. The remaining rail running from the Wakefield to West Kingston was purchased by the Wakefield Branch Lumber Company in 1953 to transport fuel and lumber. Over the coming years, the remaining railroad pass through the hands of several different owners including J. Anthony Hannold, a Philadelphia investor that hoped to repurpose the railroad as a tourist attraction. After failed attempts at drumming up business, the remaining railroad was purchased by its final owner Anthony Guarriello in 1981, the owner of the Peace Dale Mill at the time. Shortly after, the remaining tracks were removed, and the engine and train cars were sold. Remnants of the railroad can be found at the Valley Railroad in Connecticut, where the NPRR’s caboose awaits restoration. 

Today, the once vibrant railroad connecting Kingston to Narraganset Pier has found a new life as a commuter bike path. In 1981, Anhtony Guariello and Rhode Island State Senator William O’Neill suggested that the easement be repurposed as a bike path as it connected to a number of schools and could be used by children to reach school by foot or bicycle. In 1991, a feasibility study for the bike was conducted by Fay, Spofford, and Thorndike. Plans for the initial named Kingston-Narragansett Bike Path were proposed to the Department of Transportation in 1995 shortly after the passing of the Rhode Island Greenways Act, a piece of legislation that was intended to assist I the creation and coordination of greenways. At the time, several other bike projects throughout the state, including the Black River and East Bay Bike Paths, were in competition for limited state funds designated for the construction of Greenways.

To promote construction of the bike path, the Friends of the South County Bike Path was created. Working with DOT, local and state officials, and the Governor’s office, state and local officials, the proposed bike path was finally approved in 1998. On April 8, 1998 ground was broken for Phase 1 construction of the bike path, running from the Kingston Train Station to Peace Dale. Between 2000 and 2009, the remaining sections of the bike path were constructed in two phases.. In 2019, a branch of the bike path connecting to the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus was opened, providing a safe way for community members to access campus. In addition, an extension was added on the Narragansett end of the bike path to connect to a parking lot adjacent to the Narragansett Community Center for easy access to the path. A final phase for the bike path is in design that would connect the bike path from the spur at the Narragansett Community Center to Narraganset Pier through Canonchet Farm. 

The map below provides a guided tour of many of the natural areas, local businesses, and historical and cultural sites located along the bike path. 

The Friend's of the William C. O'Neill Bike Path is a local organization that originated in support of construction of the bike path. A link to their website is provided below which has additional resources regarding use of the bike path and updates.

Edward J. Ozog. (2021, April 28). Narragansett Pier Railroad Company. Retrieved from Ann Album Illustrating Rhode Island's railroads in Years Past: https://sites.google.com/site/rhodeislandrailroads/home/east-providence-south-of-india-point/east-providence-north-of-india-point/pw-b-route/valley-falls/woonsocket/pascoag-line/hartford-line/main-line/pawtuxet-valley/buttonwoods/warwick/wickford/kingston

Votava Design. (2009). History. Retrieved from William C. O' Neill Bike Path: http://southcountybikepath.org/?page_id=8

Wallin, B. L. (2017). Down to the Sea by Rail: The Narragansett Pier Railroad. Retrieved from Small State Big History: http://smallstatebighistory.com/sea-rail-narragansett-pier-railroad/