The Towers are the surviving fragment of the Narragansett Pier Casino, a Gilded Age resort complex designed by McKim, Mead & White in 1883. The casino itself — a sprawling shingle-style hall with ballrooms, bowling alleys and a billiard room — was destroyed in a fire in 1900, but the heavy stone porte-cochère that arched over Ocean Road remained standing. It is the most photographed building in town and now houses a small visitor centre and event space.
The arch is best appreciated from the beach side at golden hour, when the late sun catches the rounded stone turrets. Inside the towers is a free seasonal display of historical photographs showing the original casino in its prime; weekend weddings often spill out under the arch on summer afternoons. Walk up the spiral stair when it is open and you get an unusual close-up view of the ocean through the arched stone windows.