Built 1100-1650? One of the real architectural oddities in America, the origin of this stone tower remains a mystery in spite of extensive archaeological studies. It has been attributed to the Vikings, the Native Americans, the Portuguese, and the English colonists. Along with the suit of armor found farther up the coast and immortalized in Longfellow's "The Skeleton in Armor," many are convinced that it was built by the Vikings hundreds of years before Columbus' discovery of America.

It was once owned by Governor Benedict Arnold, who used it as a windmill. Governor Benedict Arnold was the first Governor of Rhode Island (under the charter of 1643). The mill was referred to in his will as "my stone built windmill". Some say it may have served as a lighthouse. The mill is situated in one of Newport's prettiest parks