Westerly, town, Washington County, southwestern Rhode Island, on Block Island Sound and on the Pawcatuck River, opposite Connecticut; settled in 1648, incorporated 1669. A summer beach resort, it has textile and other light manufacturing industries. Westerly comprises several villages, including Westerly, Watch Hill, Bradford, and Avondale. The area, known as Misquamicut, was purchased in 1660; after a division in 1669, this site became known as the “westerly” section. It grew as a shipbuilding center, and the U.S. naval officer Oliver Perry built gunboats here before the War of 1812. Population 18,580 (1980); 21,605 (1990); 16,612 (1996 estimate).
