Admiral Charles-Louis D’Arsac Chevalier de Ternay, born in Angers, France 1723, was in command of the French Navy, who transported the army of Lieutenant General Rochambeau, commander of the French expeditionary forces in America. The French, as allies, are the only foreign land and naval forces ever to establish themselves in America. The French fleet […]
History
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Rhode Island releases 2025 holiday ornament honoring nation’s first integrated regiment
A new commemorative holiday ornament honoring soldiers from the nation’s first integrated military regiment is now available from Rhode Island’s semiquincentennial commission. Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, who chairs the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial 250th Commission, announced Friday the release of the 2025 limited-edition ornament featuring the First Rhode Island Regiment. The ornament depicts six […]
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How the Plymouth Pilgrims took over Thanksgiving – and who history left behind
Thomas Tweed, University of Notre Dame Nine in 10 Americans gather around a table to share food on Thanksgiving. At this polarizing moment, anything that promises to bring Americans together warrants our attention. But as a historian of religion, I feel obliged to recount how popular interpretations of Thanksgiving also have pulled us apart. Communal […]
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On This Day – September 26, 1983: Australia II Wins America’s Cup in Newport
It was on September 26, 1983 that Australia II defeated Liberty in Newport to win the America’s Cup trophy that had been in the hands of the New York Yacht Club since the competition begain in 1851. The 1983 America’s Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club, […]
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On This Day In History – September 21 – 22, 1963: Video of President John F. Kennedy and family at Hammersmith Farm
President John F. Kennedy and their family spent a weekend at Hammersmith Farm in Newport during the weekend of September 21 – 22, 1963. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., and Under Secretary of the Navy Paul B. “Red” Fay Jr. and his family are with President Kennedy. Video via President […]
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On This Day In History – September 21: Hurricane of ’38 hits Newport
September 21 marks the anniversary of the New England Hurricane of ’38, one of the deadliest hurricanes in New England history. The New England Hurricane of 1938 was the first major hurricane to strike New England since 1869. The tide was even higher than usual because of the autumnal equinox and full moon. The storm […]
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This day in Newport History: September 19, 1902 – Jimmy Van Alen born in Newport
Jimmy Van Alen, tennis star and founder of the International Tennis Hall of Fame was born on September 19, 1902 in Newport. Alen was the son of James Laurens Van Alen and Margaret Louis Post, prominent members of Newport society who were descendants of the Astor family. In 1925, Alen graduated from Christ’s College in Cambridge, […]
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On This Day In Newport History – Sept. 12, 1953: Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy married in Newport
Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, the future 35th President of the United States, and Jacqueline Bouvier were married at St. Mary’s Church in Newport on September 12, 1953. It is estimated that between 750 – 800 guests, including many notable individuals, attended the wedding on Spring Street and an additional 400 – 450 attended the reception at […]
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On This Day – August 28, 1987: Actor John Huston dies in Middletown
On this day in 1987, film director, screenwriter and actor, John Huston, died in Middletown, Rhode Island from pneumonia as a complication of lung disease. Huston was in Rhode Island and rented a home in Middletown for his work as producer and co-writer of Mr. North (1998), the last film he would ever work on. Huston […]
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On This Day In Newport History – August 27, 1995: Tiger Woods Wins 1995 U.S. Amateur Championship in Newport
In celebration of the U.S. Amateur Championship centennial, the Newport Country Club hosted the 1995 U.S. Amateur Championship. At age 19, Tiger Woods became the ninth player to win back-to-back Amateur championships when he defeated Buddy Marucci on August 27th at the 1995 US Amateur at Newport Country Club. Following an outstanding amateur and two-year college golf […]
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This Day in RI History: August 26, 1949 – Bob Cowsill is born
Happy Birthday Bob Cowsill! The guitar/vocalist of the Newport-based family band The Cowsills was born on August 26th, 1949. Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, Bob spent some of his youth in Ohio, before the family moved to Rhode Island in the early 1960’s. https://youtu.be/HCqg-vhiBAc Based in Newport, The Cowsills achieved national success in the 1960’s, behind […]
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On This Day in Newport History: Van Johnson, Actor and Dancer, Was Born in Newport on August 25, 1916
Van Johnson, a popular Hollywood star in the ’40s and ’50s with such films as “30 Seconds over Tokyo,” “A Guy Named Joe” and “The Caine Mutiny,” was born on August 25, 1916 in Newport, RI. He was born Charles Van Dell Johnson on Aug. 25, 1916, in Newport, R.I., where his father was a […]
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On This Day In Newport History: August 23, 2000 – Newport’s Richard Hatch Wins Survivor
Survivor: Borneo, the first season of CBS’s Survivor, hosted its finale on August 23, 2000. After 39 days of competition, Richard Hatch, a corporate trainer from Newport, was named the Sole Survivor and became Survivor‘s first millionaire. Nielsen reported that 125 million people watched at least some part of the finale. The show was filmed from […]
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Today In Newport History: August 22, 1762 – Ann Franklin Takes Over Newport Mercury, Becomes First Female Editor in U.S.
Ann (Smith) Franklin became the sole editor and publisher of the Newport Mercury on August 22nd, 1762, making her the first female editor in the United States. The Newport Mercury dates back to 1758 and until recently was considered one of the oldest newspapers still operating in the country. Newport Mercury announced in April 2018 that […]
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This Day In Newport History: August 20, 1915 – Miramar mansion inaugurated
On this day in Newport history, Miramar Mansion was inaugurated on August 20th, 1915. Located at 646 Bellevue Avenue, it was intended as a summer home for the George D. Widener family of Philadelphia. George and his son, Harry, Widener lost their lives aboard the RMS Titanic. Eleanor Elkins Widener, George’s widow, who was rescued in a lifeboat […]
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Today In Newport History: August 17, 1790 – George Washington Arrives In Newport
On the morning of August 17th, 1790 George Washington arrived in Newport. He was accompanied by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Governor George Clinton of New York, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Blair of Virginia, and U.S. Congressman William Loughton Smith of South Carolina. The following recount of this historic visit is from the Touro […]
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Today In Newport History: August 11, 1866 – First roller skating rink opens to the public in U.S.
Roller skates in the United States around 1905 James Plimpton, inventor of the modern quad roller skate, and the New York Roller Skating Association (NYRSA) leased The Atlantic House Hotel in Newport and converted the dining room into a skating area on August 11th, 1866. This was the first roller skating rink open to the public in the […]
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Ken Burns to bring ‘The American Revolution’ documentary to Providence this October
Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns will make a stop in Providence on Thursday, October 16, as part of a national tour promoting his upcoming six-part documentary series “The American Revolution.” The visit, announced by Governor Dan McKee, Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, and Rhode Island PBS CEO Pam Johnston, will include both daytime activities at […]
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Marking The Landscape: Saluting Newport’s Black & Indigenous history one century at a time
Sharing Rhode Island’s Untold History at the Newport Public Library We’re incredibly fortunate to have the Newport Public Library at the heart of our city – a vibrant and accessible space for learning for all ages and interests. In honor of Juneteenth two weeks ago, the Newport Library staff invited me to speak about the […]
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This Day in RI History: June 5, 1941 – Actor Spalding Gray born in Providence
Actor and writer Spalding Gray was born on this day in 1941. Gray was best known for the autobiographical monologues he wrote and performed as well as for his films including the critically acclaimed Swimming to Cambodia and Gray’s Anatomy. Born in Providence, Gray grew up in Barrington and summered in Newport. After graduating from Emerson […]
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“Our Town” documentary series coming to Tiverton
Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio are collaborating with Tiverton residents to produce a local documentary for their “Our Town” series. Part documentary film, community-building initiative, and fundraising effort, each edition of the “Our Town” series offers a collection of historical events, local traditions, and personal stories from a Rhode Island town. An informational […]
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The Breakers’ historic front gates reinstalled after restoration
The Preservation Society of Newport County announced today (May 21) that restoration work on The Breakers’ massive main gates has been completed.Weighing 5,600 pounds each, the main gates were put back into place by crane on Wednesday (May 21). Two large wrought-iron crown pieces were reinstalled on Tuesday (May 20).The two main gates, two side […]
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This Day in RI History: May 18, 1652 – Rhode Island becomes the first colony to pass an anti-slavery law
On May 18th, 1652, Rhode Island became the first of the thirteen colonies to ban slavery. The good intentions of those who wrote the law, however, went unheeded – the statute was largely ignored for over a century, as many merchants in the state became leading slave traders in colonial America. The act read, “Whereas, […]
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This Day in RI History: May 9, 1861 -U.S. Naval Academy moved to Newport
The U.S. Naval Academy was established in Annapolis, Maryland on October 10, 1845 with Commander Franklin Buchanan its first superintendent. The first class was comprised of 50 students and 7 professors. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, then superintendent Captain George S. Blake made the decision to move the Academy to Newport. Although […]
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This Day in RI History: May 4, 1776 – Rhode Island declares independence from Great Britain
On May 4th, 1776, a full two months before the rest of the new nation, the Rhode Island General Assembly formally declared independence from Great Britain. Of course, Rhode Island was already in a state of rebellion by that point, as the declaration came four years after the Gaspee affair, and a year after the […]