Most houses, such as this one, overlook the water. Over the years many people have built new homes or renovated and expanded the original summer cottages built in the early 1900s.

Shore Acres is a North Kingstown neighborhood that may not be as historic or well-known as nearby Wickford, but this former summer cottage colony is a waterfront retreat, and many houses have views of Wickford Harbor and Fishing Cove.

Shore Acres was subdivided into housing lots in 1910 by the South County Real Estate Company. Over the years many people have rebuilt new summer or year-round houses there, or renovated and expanded the original summer cottages built in the early 1900s.

From Post Road, Camp Avenue leads to Shore Acres Avenue, past entrance point for more densely populated neighborhoods, including the Wickford Point subdivision. This rather remote location makes for little traffic, and on a recent Sunday afternoon there seemed to be more walkers and joggers than automobiles on the neighborhood streets.

The neighborhood has an active neighborhood association, according to Marcie Betres, an early-childhood educator, who has lived in Shore Acres for two years with her husband, who teaches history at Portsmouth High School. Betres said she has recently volunteered to help plan neighborhood events for children. Betres said she and her husband are from the East Bay but discovered Shore Acres during their house hunt two years ago. They first looked in Tiverton but later expanded their search, and they chose Shore Acres because of its peaceful, family atmosphere, and because of the reputation of the North Kingstown public schools, she said.

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Betres and her husband, who are now the parents of a 1-year-old, have been welcomed into the close-knit Shores Acres community. “People here are really so friendly,” and they “genuinely care” about their neighbors, she said. Betres, who previously worked at a child-care center in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence, said she is planning to start a home daycare business.

There were only four houses listed for sale in Shore Acres last week, ranging in price from $350,000 to $1.15 million. The least expensive is a 1978 ranch with three bedrooms and one bath at 30 6th St.; the listing information said the house has 1,305 square feet of living space, a new septic system, deeded rights to the water and a boat launch.

The most expensive house, at $1.15 million, is a waterfront house at 567 Shore Acres Ave., a 2005 contemporary Colonial with four bedrooms, three full baths and a half bath, and 2,708 square feet of space. The listing information said the house is a “contractor’s home” with a new dock and mooring and “sweeping views of Wickford Harbor.”

The two other houses listed for sale were priced at $895,000 and $896,000. Recent sales in the neighborhood have included prices of $565,000 (417 Shore Acres Ave.), $319,000 (282 Shore Acres Ave.), and $412,000 (381 Shore Acres Ave.)

POPULATION:

(North Kingstown, 2000) 26,326

MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE:

(North Kingstown, 2007) $376,000

INTERESTING FACT:

Shore Acres residents have recently organized to oppose a proposed 210-foot pier that would bisect the neighborhood beach; the dock would extend from a property at 221 Sauga Ave.

cdunn@projo.com