The history of Barrington, Rhode Island is as quintessentially American as New England itself. Today this past, which is reflected in the architecture and culture of the area, makes this small town of just over 16,000 one of the most charming places in the world to live. Founded by settlers who had arrived in the New World on the Mayflower, Barrington was originally part of the Plymouth Colony. After being ceded to Rhode Island from Massachusetts in the 18th Century, it slowly began to develop as a home for a number of small industries, many of which produced some of America's first export goods. With official borders that contain a surface area that is approximately 46% water, however, a deep connection to the sea remained, and contemporary Barrington hosts one of the oldest and most respected yachting communities in the United States. Among the many picturesque sights its boaters can enjoy is the centuries-old Nayatt Point Lighthouse while, on foot, visitors can take in the atmosphere of the Alfred Drowne Road Historic District. For the average resident, however, the quiet comforts of daily life in Barrington, as well as its proximity to Providence, are its main virtues. Listed by CNNMoney as one of the best places to live in America, this coastal town has attracted a wide array of wealthy professionals since the 1980s and, with them, developed shopping, culinary, and entertainment venues that have left nothing to be desired. Safe, traditional, and beautiful, Barrington is, and will remain, the type of peaceful community that those who voyaged on the Mayflower wanted to found so long ago.