WHO BULT RYE BREAKWATER?
When was the breakwater built along Ocean Ave in Rye and North Hampton and who built it? Arthur Stevens REPLY FROM ALEX HERLIHY AT RYE HISTORICAL: Italian stone masons from the Boston area built the sea wall when that stretch of Ocean Boulevard (not avenue) was being built c. 1906. The masons camped in shacks a bit inland off South Road. Herbie Drake of Rye, in his 80’s now, remembered his father, Abbot Drake owner of the Drake House, telling him about these masons; Abbot was about 18 in 1906. Another point — if the inquiry is about the big piles of natural stones — they are “shingle stones”. Some of them got washed up in storms and others were piled up to act as break water; the Italians built the formal wall that stretches from the sharp corner south to the little homes near the North Hampton line and then continues in North Hapmton near that very sharp dangerous curve by the mansions. Visit Rye Historical web site. March 10 BRITISH BACKLASH (sic) why america always copy us? theres
