The rambling cottages of Rhode Island’s Watch Hill rise like grand dames along the shoreline, stoic and weathered, the history of storms and summer memories baked into their sturdy front porches. The facades mesh with a serene coastal landscape that appears seemingly unchanged with each passing season.

It’s the reason why so many for so long have flocked to the small community in the smallest state in the union.

Watch Hill, part of the town of Westerly, sits on a narrow peninsula surrounded on three sides by water, a special location that in the mid-19th century drew wealthy industrialists from the Midwest and other parts of New England who were seeking a summer escape. Large, luxurious resorts popped up to capitalize on the seasonal boom in the area that covers less than one square mile.

Family “cottages” also boomed among the rich. Though they sound like humble dwellings, these ones are anything but. The sprawling estates carefully set on ocean bluffs with private beaches have been passed down from generation to generation. Most favor shingle-style designs with pitched roofs commonly seen in New England, while others added details like Queen Anne gables and fish-scale shingles.

Businessman Ernest Chornyei thought a lot about the look of Watch Hill when he built a home there in the 1980s. He had grown up in Westerly and valued its style and charm. He bought his first piece of land in Watch Hill in 1978 and later purchased an adjoining lot.

That’s when things got interesting.

Chornyei set out to create a home that would fit in, capturing the best of Victorian and seaside style. The house at 18 East Hills Road succeeded in creating its own twist on Watch Hill’s signature architecture. Now it’s on the market for the first time.

Inside and out, the home reflects a grand scale, matching the stately dwellings with high ceilings and long, light-filled windows. A cluster of fashionable turrets and outdoor spaces reflect the look of much older local dwellings.

The front features stylized glassed-in gables, a welcoming wide arch over the entryway and a massive mahogany door with original hardware salvaged from an upscale old home in Boston’s Beacon Hill area. In keeping with local style, the roof and side shingles are all cedar.

Inside, elaborate wood ceilings made of cypress lend an artistic touch to each room. The house was sited to capture three views: Block Island to the east, Montauk, Long Island, to the south and the ultra-exclusive Misquamicut Golf Club.

Century-old pieces lend an eclectic, antique touch, such as leaded stained glass in the kitchen and near bedrooms. The kitchen and hallways feature Mexican tiles while bathrooms are decorated with imported tiles from France and Italy. An octagon-shaped study with ample windows captures the feel of older Watch Hill homes. Outside, a pool with a waterfall and spa was built using natural fieldstone.

Chornyei raised his family and lived year-round in the home. Like most in Watch Hill, he values the quiet and understated lifestyle that differs from popular summer retreats such as Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard. Even nearby Newport, with its opulent Gilded Age mansions, feels a world away.

Visitors come to Watch Hill not to party or be seen, but to enjoy the serenity of a serenely private coastal retreat. A historic lighthouse and an antique merry-go-round that has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark are familiar stops.

And then there’s a bit of the old grandeur.

The imposing Ocean House, a stately yellow reproduction of one of the grand resorts that put Watch Hill on the map, is hard to miss. It was rebuilt and opened in 2010, careful to incorporate elements of the original resort that opened in 1868. The five-star Victorian-style resort once served as “a summer home for America’s wealthy in the early 1900s,” according to Forbes Travel Guide. Guests can still check out the coast on curated yacht cruises available with a stay.

One of the most famous estates built on the community’s namesake hill continues to draw a lot of attention. The five-acre seafront spread with a private beach was first known as Holiday House and later as High Watch when it was built in 1929 or 1930. It was owned by the oil heiress, socialite and philanthropist Rebekah Harkness, who lived the big life in the 1950s.

More than a decade ago, Taylor Swift bought the 11,000-square-foot estate for a reported $17.75 million. (And yes, she even wrote a song about it called “The Last Great American Dynasty.”) Now she appears to have plans to expand her Rhode Island home.

Still, Watch Hill manages to stick to the quiet side. The beaches, the ocean breeze, the grand cottages, old and new, and the scenic views create an appeal that has lasted centuries.

18 E Hills Road is listed with Flagship Real Estate Advisors’ Benjamin Emerick. Flagship Real Estate Advisors is a member of Forbes Global Properties, the invitation-only network of top-tier brokerages worldwide and the exclusive real estate partner of Forbes.