The Famous Towers remains Narragansett's strongest link to its storied past. The bold span, which crosses the town's scenic ocean drive, is a reminder of Narragansett's gilded age, that opulent period around the turn of the century when "Narragansett Pier" rivaled a then even-more-prominent Newport in terms of sumptuousness and social prestige. The Towers was an integral element of the great Narragansett Pier Casino, designed by McKim, Mead & White, landscape by Fredrick Olmstead, and constructed 1883-1886 at the core of the thriving resort, where it instantly became the centerpiece of social activity. In those halcyon before the automobile stimulated a craze for unrestricted travel, tourists were accustomed to long, stationary vacations, and Narragansett, featuring 19 major luxury hotels, was a favored destination.