Swifties may already know that Taylor owns a estate in then Westerly, Rhode Island’s Watch Hill neighborhood. This estate is not only Taylor’s holiday home, where she famously hosts high-profile Fourth of July parties, but the inspiration behind her song, “The Last Great American Dynasty,” off her eighth studio album, Folklore.
The song explores the parallels between Swift’s life and that of its muse, Rebekah Harkness, an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. Swift learned during her tour of the estate that Rebekah Harkness was one of the prior owners. Swift drew interest in her Harkness’ life after reading more and found that they both shared in frequent public scrutiny of their lifestyles.
To get a sense of the Watch Hill lifestyle, you can visit Westerly, Rhode Island, under 2 hours from Boston. It’s just a train ride away!
Swift’s home neighbors one of the top oceanfront hotels in the country, Ocean House. The 11,000-square-foot colonial style estate sits on 5 acres and includes a private beach.
‘They picked out a home and called it Holiday House’
“Holiday House” became the name from its first owners, the Snowden family, an American oil family from Philadelphia. The next owners, and the inspiration for Taylor Swift’s song were the Harkness family. Rebekah Harkness was ridiculed by neighbors for peculiar actions yet was known for funding medical research. Gurdon B. Wattles was the last owner of the house and changed its name from “Holiday House” to “High Watch,” in 1974.
If you listen to the lyrics of “The Last Great American Dynasty,” you’ll find notes about Harkness’ relationships and reputation. The lyrics from Taylor are based on Watch Hill neighbors’ true perceptions of Harkness, and how they relate to the general public’s judgement of Taylor.
Fifty years is a long time
Holiday House sat quietly on that beach
Free of women with madness, their men and bad habits
And then it was bought by me
Who knows, if I never showed up, what could’ve been
There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen
I had a marvelous time ruining everything
Taylor uses a country writing technique in which she talks about her muse, then finishes by writing in the first person.
High Watch Estate
There are clear marked “no trespassing” signs and attempts to go near the property could lead to arrest. However, Watch Hill itself has several public areas, a nearby downtown village, and gorgeous beaches like East Beach. You can explore the neighborhood, local estates and ambiance that inspired Taylor Swift’s “The Last Great American Dynasty.”
📍 High Watch is on Bluff Avenue in Watch Hill, Rhode Island