Although it’s the smallest in land size of the 50 American states, Rhode Island is associated with some fascinating facts. According to 50states.com, it covers only 1,214 square miles. From north to south, it covers just 48 miles. The state is only 37 miles wide.
History and government
The official name of this state is Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The colony was founded by Roger Williams after he was banished from the Plymouth, Massachusetts settlement due to his views on religion and freedom of speech. He has been credited with establishing the first practical model of democracy.
Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson acknowledged Williams as originator of the principles reflected in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. These include freedom of religion, speech and public assembly.
George Washington’s second-in-command, Nathaniel Greene, has been frequently called the most capable and significant general of the Revolutionary War.
The Industrial Revolution began in this state in 1790 when Samuel Slater constructed a cotton mill in Pawtucket. The mill was powered by water.
Rhode Island had no county government structure. Instead, it has 39 municipalities, each of which has its own type of local government. The state never ratified the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that instituted prohibition.
Geography
Newport is the site of the magnificent Vanderbilt mansion known as “The Breakers”. In 1876, Newport was home to the first polo match in the U.S. It also hosted the first circus in the country in 1774. The first British troops to arrive to squash the American Revolution landed in Newport. The town’s Pelham Street was the first American street to use gas-illuminated streetlights.
The highest point in Rhode Island is at Jerimoth Hill, 812 feet above sea level. The state rock, Cumberlandite, can be found on both sides of Narragansett Bay but not north of Cumberland. The rock comes in two colors: dark brown or black with white markings.
Point Judith is a corrosion test site. Samples of various materials have been exposed to the sun and ocean air for years and are regularly analyzed.
The Masonic Temple in Warren is the oldest in New England, dating to the eighteenth century. Timbers from sunken British frigates during the Revolutionary War were the main material used in its construction.
The Nine Men’s Misery in Cumberland is known as the oldest monument to veterans in the country. It commemorates colonists killed during King Phillips War in 1676. The oldest schoolhouse in the U.S. sits in Portsmouth and dates to 1716. The oldest torah in North America rests in the Touro Synagogue, built in 1763. It’s the oldest synagogue on the continent.
In 1895, the state hosted the first National Lawn Tennis Championship. Rhode Island is home to the Tennis Hall of Fame. The first American discount department store was Ann and Hope, opened in Rhode Island.
The Quonset hut was invented at Quonset Point, a naval reserve base. Bristol has the longest unbroken series of July 4th celebrations, dating to 1785.
Visitors can find the oldest operating tavern in the U.S. in Rhode Island. It was erected in 1673.
Famous people from Rhode Island
Some of the most famous natives of Rhode Island are listed here.
George M. Cohan, who was both an actor and a dramatist, hailed from Providence. Naval officer Matthew C. Perry came from Newport, as did lighthouse keeper Ida Lewis. Providence was also home to entertainer Nelson Eddy, silversmith Jabez Gorham, trumpeter Bobby Hackett, actress Ruth Hussey, poet Galway Kinnell and author H.P. Lovecraft.
News personality David Hartman considered Pawtucket home, as did correspondent Irving R. Levine. Actor Van Johnson was from Newport.
