Exploring New England's Parks: Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be small but it packs some serious punch when it comes to historical sites, landmarks and protected lands. Check them all out below! Interested in exploring more of New England? Check out our posts on all of the other National Park System units throughout New England...
Maine || New Hampshire || Vermont || Connecticut
Rhode Island:
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution and is made up of 24 cities and towns, including historic mill towns. It surrounds a stretch of the river from Worcester, MA to Providence, RI. The Blackstone's "waters powered the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI, America's first successful cotton spinning mill. This creative spark began the nation's transformation from Farm to Factory." (source: National Park Service)
Roger Williams National Memorial
Our 20th smallest national park in the nation is booming with history. Roger Williams National Memorial is a small park located in Providence, Rhode Island that commemorates the life of the co-founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Further, Williams championed the idea of religious freedom and founded the colony on the notion that all could come to worship as the pleased, without interference from the state - an idea that banished him from Massachusetts.
Washington–Rochambeau National Historic Trail
(MA,RI,CT,NY,NJ,PA,DE,MD,VA,DC)
Designated a National Historic Trail in 2009, the Washington-Rochambeau Trail (or Revolutionary Route), is a 680-mile-long series of roads used by the Continental Army and the Expédition Particulière under the command of George Washington and Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau during the march from Newport, Rhode Island, to Yorktown, Virginia in 1781.
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
Built in 1763, Touro Synagogue is the oldest synagogue building still standing in the U.S., the only surviving synagogue in the U.S. dating to the colonial era and the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America. Located in Newport, RI, the synagogue was declared a National Historic Site in 1946. The building was designed by Peter Harrison, a renowned British-colonial architect and Newport resident - it was considered his most notable work.
