Carl W. Haffenreffer

Inducted: 2007
Born: 1906
Died: 1999

Haffenreffer, Carl W.

Carl W. Haffenreffer, son of Rudolph Haffenreffer, Jr., continued his father’s tradition of business and philanthropic activity. With brother Rudolph 3rd and the R.F. Haffenreffer Family Foundation, he donated most of the Mount Hope lands and the King Philip Museum to Brown University. He became president of Narragansett Brewery, succeeding brother Rudolf, and served as director and treasurer of the U.S. Brewers Foundation. He was also the general manager of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company from 1930 until its dissolution in 1945 and presided over the construction of the yachts Enterprise and Rainbow, boats that won the America’s Cup in 1930 and 1934 respectively.

Carl lived on the Mount Hope Farm as a youth before moving to Little Compton where he was active in preservation and environmental projects for a half-century. He had many charitable interests including child welfare, the Boy Scouts, and the Audubon Society. Inspired by the memory of his father’s friend and associate John Brown Herreshoff, he became a director, president, and finally, honorary chairman of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Blindness.

Scroll to Top