American structure of mysterious origins possibly predating the Columbian contact. Outside Newport, Rhode Island stands a round tower built of held stones. It is about 25 feet in diameter and stands about 25 feet high. Referred to as the Old Stone Mill, it is supported by eight round columns, which in turn support Romanesque arches. It has two stories, with a very few small windows and three small slits that may have been used by defenders to fire through. The roof and the floors of both stories are missing, but otherwise the building is fairly complete. Although the structure has been called a windmill, a fort, a church, a watchtower, and a temple, its origins remain a mystery.
In 1677, the tower stood on land owned by the colonial governor Benedict Arnold, who called it “my stone- built windmill” in his will, dated December 24th of that year. However, it may not have been built by Arnold; it is not mentioned elsewhere until February 1677, during the middle of King Philip’s War, and it is overbuilt for the purpose of milling. Some historians suggest that Arnold adapted an existing structure for his own purposes. The building may also have been constructed around 1640 as a watchtower, but some reject this, claiming that the English would not have used precious resources building a stone watchtower with so few and such tiny windows.