Harbour Point emblemHarbour PointBristol, Rhode Island
A coastal landmark since 1873

Harbour PointBristol, Rhode Island

A house shaped by water, weather, movement, and memory — from its early years at Windmill Point to its continuing life on the Bristol shoreline.

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The Place

A house with a journey

Harbour Point is the name of the house itself. It is located on Poppasquash Road, but it is distinct from Poppasquash Point and has a history all its own.

Harbour Point near Bristol Harbor

The story preserved by Paul M. Sanromá traces the house to 1873. Originally positioned at Windmill Point, it was later moved by horses and rollers toward its present location. Rain, mud, and winter interrupted the journey, leaving the house in the road until the move was completed in spring 1918.

Today, Harbour Point remains closely connected to Bristol Harbor, sailing, shoreline weather, and the changing views across Narragansett Bay.

1873Traditional construction date
1907Historic postcard view
1917–1918Move to the present setting
2026Interior and deck renewal

Not simply a building by the water, Harbour Point is a record of the shoreline itself — moved, weathered, renewed, and still looking toward the harbor.

The Written Record

A small history

Paul’s account preserves the details that make Harbour Point unusual: its architectural date, early shoreline setting, interrupted move, and reversed orientation.

1873

A Queen Anne house

Paul dated the house through architectural details in the tower and its trim, which were associated with the 1873 form of the style.

1907

At Windmill Point

A postcard shows the house beside the water, with a shoreline porch, a nearby beach house, the dirt road, and the last telephone pole on the road.

1917

The move begins

The house was placed on a platform and pulled by horses over rollers. Autumn rain softened the dirt road until the house became stuck in the mud.

1918

The journey is completed

After remaining in the road through winter, the house reached its new location in spring. It was rotated 180 degrees before being set down.

1971

Harbour Point receives its name

Paul and Edna Sanromá purchased the property in 1971. Paul’s later history notes that it had formerly been called Rocky Point up to that year, indicating that Paul and Edna renamed it Harbour Point as they began their chapter there.

2015

Paul records the story

Paul M. Sanromá assembled the account, photographs, and postcard into Harbour Point: A Small History.

2026

The next chapter

Interior remodeling began, together with a two-story deck and an additional side deck at the back of the house.

Restoration Journal

Renewing Harbour Point

In 2026, work began inside the house and expanded outdoors with new spaces designed around the rear and harbor-facing setting.

01

Interior remodeling

Updates began throughout the interior, opening a new period in the house’s long history while retaining its distinctive character.

02

Two-story rear deck

A new two-level deck was added at the back of the house, creating broader outdoor space and stronger visual connections to the surrounding landscape.

03

Rear side deck

An additional side deck was added at the back of the house, extending the usable outdoor area and connecting different levels and views.

People of Harbour Point

Paul and Edna Sanromá

Paul and Edna Sanromá purchased the property in 1971 and are understood to have given it the name Harbour Point. Their connection to the house is presented as part of its continuing story — with warmth, accomplishment, sailing, and curiosity rather than as a formal memorial.

Paul Manuel Sanromá

Engineer · sailor · musician · veteran · teacher

Paul’s interests ranged from engineering and meteorology to music, sailing, and teaching. His careful attention to Harbour Point’s architecture and movement made it possible to preserve the house’s story in writing.

  • Computer engineer and former United States Army intelligence serviceman
  • Accomplished cellist and Eagle Scout
  • Dedicated sailor associated with the Bristol Yacht Club
  • Author of the 2015 Harbour Point history

Paul’s account remains the foundation for understanding how Harbour Point reached the shoreline where it stands today.

Edna M. Hikel Sanromá

Radiation physicist · aviator · educator · entrepreneur

Edna’s life reflected science, independence, and adventure. Her work in radiation safety and nuclear medicine was paired with interests in aviation, amateur radio, sailing, and education.

  • Licensed radiation physicist and consultant
  • Teacher and lecturer in radiation safety
  • Commercially rated airplane and helicopter pilot
  • Amateur radio operator and Bristol Yacht Club member

Edna’s energy and range of interests add another dimension to the story associated with Harbour Point.

Bristol Harbor

Harbour Point on the shoreline

Harbour Point is the house’s name. Its address is on Poppasquash Road in Bristol, Rhode Island; Poppasquash Point is a separate place and is not used as the name of this property.

Harbour Point

55 Poppasquash Road
Bristol, Rhode Island

Near Colt State Park and Bristol Harbor, the house occupies a coastal setting shaped by sailing, changing tides, open shoreline, and long views across Narragansett Bay.

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