They're referred to as 'cairns' (pronounced 'karn'). You can also find them in the White Mountains, used as trail markers above the tree line.

Artist Andy Goldsworthy is well known for making them. They could, I suppose, be considered his trademark composition. But I'm sure he'd argue with that...

I think this might be an Inukshuk rather than a cairn.

Well, if there's two stone columns supporting flat stones stacked upon each other atop the columns, you may be right. But if the 'stack' starts at ground level, with no supporting columns, it's probably a cairn.

A picture would help...

There is information about inukshuks at http://members.shaw.ca/northernlitehikers/inukshuks.htm and Andy Goldsworthy has an excellent new book called 'Passage' with lots of pictures of his cairns, what we don't have is a picture from inchworm.

Check out Andy Goldsworthy's documentary. It's called 'Rivers and Tides', it just came out on video last month.

Not trying to be sarcastic...if you go every summer...ask the people who are doing the stacking..maybe there is a local phrase, a Block Island name, ect they use for such an endeaver? They might believe they have a name intrinsic to Block Island, might not? Might be interesting to find out.
My son spent the summer up on Marthas Vineyard. He said people do it there as well. I'm in Orange County, NY, I do it. Maybe it's an inate human trait, to build, alter our landscape and personalize it.

:) we've a couple of local Goldworthy disciples in Bucks County, and in several places, such cairns pop up alongside trails or creeks (rocks being a major crop in this area)

some folks call them stone spirits, or spirit stones.
some just chuckle and say 'looks like Aaron's beaten us here'
I even heard one bunch referring to them as 'ludo' cairns, after the character from Labyrinth.

It must be the stones that make us pile them.
I make cairns in Vermont from river rocks at the back of my dad's property.

...maybe there is a local phrase, a Block Island name...

In the local vernacular....pile 'o rocks

Thanks so much to all who responded...I am going to google some of your responses and also might try to find someone from Block Island to email as they might have the name they call it there...I also thought you might like to see a picture I located of these rocks...I watercolor and I am planning on a painting of this scene...thanks again all...Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:285682}}

Nice picture, and very helpful, too. It indicates what I thought. The indigenous people of the area have a colloquialism that describes these towers...pile 'o rocks. Visitors, tourists, and seasonal folks to and of the area refer to them in their own languages...art.

The structures in the picture appear to be above the high water mark, and therefore might be considered a more permanent feature of the beach, were it not for the non-indigenous species, Rockpilus destructus, that frequents the waters edge. A 2-legged species of unknown origin, these creatures prey upon the creations of the unwitting artisan or visitor, having not the ability to see and walk by in wonder and admiration. Rather, their propensity is to reak havoc upon the rocks. They can frequently be found in the local bars after the sun retires.

Below the high water mark, Neptunes own frequently see to it that the efforts of the day are wrought asunder below the waves, to be reconstructed another day...and the cycle continues. Materials for these creations are locally available on the beach or in shallow waters. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors, but all seem to share similar traits...rounded and flat, or simply flat and rounded, and then of course, there's the ever popular round...or flat...whichever....

Treebeard,
Once in awhile something on this computer screen will make me laugh aloud and your "rockpilus destructus" did just that for me today. Thanks for starting my day out with a laugh.

Hi! I think inchworminjersey might have seen some of the cool stacked rock things that an elusive RI artist/stone stacker makes... I've seen them on Scotch and Ballard beaches on BI, and also at Matunuck and Moonstone beaches back in America, as the BI-ers would say! They are so mysterious and beautiful to come across- like something out of a dream. There's another guy out there who has a website who does the same thing- I hope this site helps!
http://rock-on-rock-on.com/

http://www.rock-on-rock-on.com/inuit.html

inchworminjersey Try the above site to abswer your question.

rock on
Wildred