Collaboration: Preserving History, Celebrating Teamwork & Building Something Unique Together

This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the 100-year celebration of Clingstone, the "House on the Rock" in Jamestown, Rhode Island - which is near Newport in Narragansett Bay (note: this house is literally on a rock in the middle of the bay).

Thank you to Henry Wood (Boston architect) who's the current owner and the primary cheerleader for the house's restoration over the past 40+ years. Each year, Henry hosts a work weekend (the last one was in May) where friends and family join to have fun while collaborating on projects that help to preserve this amazing place.

Henry hosted a wonderful party on Saturday where people gathered to share stories, celebrate their work together, and to honor this unique and special architectural space.

For anyone interested, here is some historical background on the house, taken from a 2002 newsletter article published by the Jamestown Historical Society:

"J.S.L. Wharton built Clingstone (completed in 1905) to replace Braecleugh, his cottage that was demolished when Fort Wetherill was built. It was completely self-sufficient. A vast cistern held rainwater collected throughout the year. A diesel engine pumped water through the house and provided electricity. [Editorial note: the house is now powered by wind and solar power.]

The Whartons summered at Clingstone until 1941. The house stood empty for the next 20 years and suffered greatly from the ravages of water and vandals.

Henry Wood bought Clingstone in 1961 and started a long program of restoration. Over the years this fine old cottage has been the subject of many newspaper articles and anecdotes – some accurate, some not."

....all life is art direction.