8 Tiny Villages In Rhode Island Where HUGE Things Happened
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Natalie Clunan
Author
Rhode Island may be a small state but we are bursting with history. The cities of Newport and Providence seem to grab a lot of the credit for big inventions, firsts, and historical events. But there are also tiny villages in the Ocean State where huge things happened. Let’s take a look:
Each June, The Gaspee Days Parade is held in Pawtuxet Village. It celebrates Rhode Island's first organized military action towards independence in 1772. Patriots attacked and burned the hated British revenue schooner HMS Gaspée in what was considered to be America's "First Blow for Freedom".
The village of Pontiac in Warwick is known for its textile mills. This is the small village where the world famous Fruit Of The Loom brand of cloth got its start.
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The hurricane of 1938 changed the village of Watch Hill dramatically wiping out 39 houses and killing 15 people. Sandy Point was separated from Napatree Point and still remains an island today.
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The Seth Allen Tavern in Union Village was the first public place to use a primitive form of the bug zapper in 1804. The tavern used hanging bunches of asparagus upside down to catch flies.
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Adamsville was home to reportedly the oldest general store in the United States until it temporarily closed in 2012. Gray's General Store was established in 1788 and was reopened in 2013.
Glendale is a small village with quite a fun accomplishment. The Spring Lake Arcade is the oldest penny arcade in the nation. It opened in the 1930s and although the original building has been replaced many of the original games remain.
Wickford Village was settled around 1637. During King Philip's War, an individual was hanged, drawn, and quartered for treason. This was the only incident of this punishment for the crime of treason taking place on American soil.
Usquepaugh is home to Kenyon's Grist Mill, the oldest manufacturing business in Rhode Island. The grist mill has been grinding meals and flours since 1696 creating praise-worthy mixes for clam cakes and johnnycakes.
Is your hometown village home to a big event or achievement? Let us know in the comments section below. Check out some of the visual histories of Rhode Island by taking a look at these fascinating photos from the early 1900s.
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