Posted in Rhode Island
March 08, 2017
7 Insane Things That Happened In Rhode Island You Won’t Find in History Books
As one of the oldest states in the nation, Rhode Island has quite an extensive history! While most of this is pretty well documented in our history books, there are a few fascinating things have have happened in the state you probably haven’t heard about. Some of these things occurred more than a century ago, while others are part of our state’s more recent history. Regardless of when it happened, these 7 things are definitely pretty amazing!
Don't mess with the Ocean State. The event known as the Gaspee Affair is still celebrated annually in the state.
A uranium recovery worker accidentally spilled a bad combination of radioactive material and caused the explosion in Wood River Junction.
It resulted in the exile of Thomas Dorr and eventual imprisonment after several battles between the then governor and Dorr's regime.
The New England Vampire Panic, a confused and tragic reaction to tuberculosis, occurred in the 19th century with Rhode Island at the forefront. It was believed that deceased family members were causing their surviving relatives to fall ill and the only way to stop it was to burn the internal organs of those in the grave.
Prohibition just seemed like too much of a bummer for Rhode Islanders.
The incident caused harm to one beach goer who was thrown 10 feet from the blast. Though no cause has been confirmed, officials speculate that it was caused by a build up of hydrogen gas and a corroded copper wire.
The parade was in response to a letter to the editor calling for an end to women's yoga pants.
For more on the Mercy Brown Vampire Incident, click here.
