The Newport Tower is a cylindrical stone structure standing in Touro Park in Newport, Rhode Island, supported by eight arched pillars and open at the ground level. It has been at the center of one of colonial New England's most persistent historical controversies — was it built by Norse explorers centuries before Columbus, or is it simply a colonial-era windmill? Archaeological and historical research has generally concluded the latter, placing its construction in the mid-17th century, most likely during the governorship of Benedict Arnold (great-great-grandfather of the infamous traitor). The tower's round form and arched arcade gave generations of wishful thinkers reason to imagine a Viking origin, and it became a focal point for 19th-century efforts to claim a Norse heritage for early America. Gates stopped here during his broader investigation into Viking presence in New England, using the tower as a case study in how romantic mythology can take root around genuinely ambiguous historical structures.
Newport Tower believed to have been constructed as a stone windmill during the colonial period, likely under Rhode Island Governor Benedict Arnold
Harvard chemistry professor Eben Horsford and other proponents popularize the theory that the tower and similar New England landmarks are of Norse origin, part of a broader Protestant elite effort to claim a Viking — rather than Catholic Columbian — founding narrative
Gates investigates the Newport Tower as part of Expedition Unknown S04E02 'Vikings in America,' examining and ultimately setting aside the Viking origin claim
The mainstream archaeological and historical consensus holds that the Newport Tower is a colonial-period stone windmill, most likely constructed in the mid-17th century. It appears to closely resemble British windmill designs of the era, and historical documents — including a reference in Governor Benedict Arnold's will from 1677, in which he mentions 'my stone-built wind mill' — are widely cited as supporting a colonial origin. No credible archaeological excavation has produced evidence dating the structure's construction to the Norse period.
The Viking theory gained its widest currency in the 19th century, when figures like Eben Horsford — as Gates notes on camera — championed Norse exploration myths partly for cultural and religious reasons. Protestant New Englanders were eager to trace their heritage to Norse explorers rather than to Columbus and his Catholic Spanish backers. This ideological motivation does not automatically invalidate all inquiry, but it does help explain why claims about the tower and similar structures were embraced with less skepticism than the evidence warranted.
There is genuine, ongoing scholarly interest in whether Norse explorers reached areas of North America beyond the confirmed site at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland — so the broader question Gates pursues in the episode is a legitimate one. The Newport Tower, however, is generally considered a settled case among historians, even if it continues to attract amateur theorists. Carbon dating and architectural analysis conducted over the decades have consistently pointed toward a 17th-century construction date.
Gates' episode does not attempt to rehabilitate the Viking theory for the Newport Tower — if anything, he uses it as a clear example of how wishful thinking and motivated reasoning can distort the historical record. His candid, self-deprecating delivery ('Okay, so, it's clear my childhood was all a lie') models the kind of evidence-respecting approach that separates genuine historical inquiry from romantic speculation.
Governor Benedict Arnold's 1677 will reportedly references 'my stone-built wind mill,' which historians cite as one of the strongest documentary pieces of evidence for a colonial construction date.
The tower's 19th-century Norse boosters included Harvard chemistry professor Eben Horsford, who funded multiple Viking-themed monuments across New England — most of which have since been debunked.
The structure's eight arched pillars at the base closely resemble the design of British colonial windmills, a detail that architectural historians point to as evidence of its English origin.
Martha's Vineyard — which Gates visits immediately after the Newport Tower in the same episode — has also been proposed as a candidate for the Norse 'Vinland' described in the Icelandic sagas, named for its abundant wild grapevines.
The Newport Tower stands in Touro Park in central Newport, Rhode Island, and is generally accessible to the public as an open-air park feature — visitors can walk around and beneath the arched base. No special permits or fees are typically required to view the exterior, though visitors should check current city park hours and any local advisories before visiting.
Newport, Rhode Island — the tower is located within the city itself, roughly 30 miles south of Providence.
Newport is generally most pleasant from late spring through early fall, when the weather is mild and the city is lively with tourists. Summer weekends can be crowded given Newport's popularity as a seaside destination.
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is another North American site where Gates investigates a mysterious colonial-era disappearance, exploring the gap between popular legend and documented history.
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain has been linked to pre-Columbian exploration theories in the northeastern United States, making it thematically adjacent to the Vikings-in-New-England question Gates pursues in this episode.
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is the cultural and geographic origin point for Norse exploration and the Viking Age, directly relevant to the broader investigation Gates conducts in S04E02.