Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island home has a history of trespassers

Authorities on Friday said they arrested a 54-year-old woman from Connecticut outside the gates of Taylor Swift’s multimillion dollar Rhode Island home, known for its rich backstory, views of Long Island and in recent years, the singer’s celebrity-filled Independence Day parties.

Chief Paul Gingerella of the Westerly Police Department told The Washington Post that the woman, who was detained on Monday, had visited the residence several weeks earlier and was warned by police not to return.

The $17.75 million property, built in 1930, is among the most expensive private residences in Rhode Island. Swift bought the 11,000 square foot beachside Watch Hill mansion in 2013, which, according to Rhode Island Monthly, sits on more than five acres, including hundreds of feet of beach. Almost immediately after the purchase, reports of attempted trespassings began. Some fans left notes for the singer and one man attempted a swim to the property.

In July 2022, a New York man faced trespassing and stalker charges after police identified him breaking into two homes associated with the singer. According to CBS News, police said the man “walked through an unlocked door and remained unlawfully” and made threats to a 32-year-old woman through the building intercom.

Swift spoke about her experiences with stalking and intimidation in a personal essay for Elle in 2019.

“You get enough stalkers trying to break into your house and you kind of start prepping for bad things,” she wrote. “My fear of violence has continued into my personal life. I carry QuikClot army grade bandage dressing, which is for gunshot or stab wounds.”

Swift’s Rhode Island home was previously owned by Rebekah Harkness, a St. Louis-born heiress known for throwing lavish parties with cultural icons like Salvador Dalí, according to a 2020 article by Vulture. The former homeowner appears to have inspired a song on Swift’s “folklore” album called “the last great american dynasty.” Harkness died in 1982.

Swift’s arrival brought her fans and traffic, and grumblings followed, Vulture reported. The Rhode Island mansion has been the site of listening sessions and Fourth of July celebrations, including this year. Swift shared an Instagram post documenting her weekend festivities at the home, pictured are friends like Selena Gomez and the Haim sisters.

Law enforcement declined to say if Swift was at the residence at the time of the arrest. The singer-songwriter is traveling nationwide for her Eras Tour.

She released a rerecorded version of her third studio album “Speak Now” on Friday.

Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island home has a history of trespassers — and parties

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