The High Watch mansion has seen its fair share of famous faces over the decades.
Since 2013, Taylor Swift has owned High Watch, also known as Holiday House and Harkness House. The property is situated in Watch Hill, Westerly, Rhode Island and is reportedly the most expensive private home in the area.
In recent years, the house has been popular for being the location for Swift’s high profile Independence Day parties. She also hosted a secret first-listen session for her fans at the house, ahead of the release of her 2017 album Reputation.
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After the European leg of her Eras Tour, the singer was seen there for the first time this summer. Her boyfriend Travis Kelce, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds with their children, Jason and Kylie Kelce, as well as Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper with his daughter were all at the lowkey gathering.
Origins of the House
According to Architectural Digest, Swift purchased the house back in 2013 for $17.75 million. The 12,000-square-foot property features 700 feet of beachfront, eight bedrooms, ten bathrooms, eight fireplaces, and a large swimming pool.
The Colonial-style mansion was originally built in 1929 for Pearl Pinkerton McClelland Snowden, the widow of George Grant Snowden. The prominent Snowden family made their fortune in oil and gas exploration.
After their son Robert Burns Snowden passed away in a car accident while driving from Holiday House, his heirs sold the property to William Harkness in 1948.
Last Great American Dynasty
Harkness, the heir to the Standard Oil Company fortune, bought the home for $80,000 (around $1 million when adjusted for inflation).
He moved in with his wife Rebekah Harkness who grew quite infamous with their neighbors. After her husband’s death in 1954, the deed transferred to her. According to Vogue, she had an additional eight kitchens and 21 baths installed in the house.
At the time, she was mostly known for throwing wild parties and gambling with guests, one of whom was Spanish artist Salvador Dalí. There were also stories of the socialite cleaning her pool with champagne.
By the end of her life, Rebekah was remembered as a philanthropist, a patron of dance and medicine, and an artist herself. For Swift, she was a muse she could relate to.
The singer’s song “The Last Great American Dynasty” from her Folklore album tells the story of the house and Rebekah’s life. In the lyrics, Swift draws parallels between her and the oil heiress, as they both entertained friends at the property and were often criticized by the public.
“Holiday House sat quietly on that beach, free of women with madness, their men and bad habits. And then it was bought by me,” she sings.
Business Insider reports that the house has an assessed value of $20,434,100 as of 2024.
Banner image via X @taylorswift13.
