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82-438: New Shoreham may refer to: New Shoreham, Rhode Island , United States Part of Shoreham-by-Sea , West Sussex, England New Shoreham (UK Parliament constituency) 1295–1885 See also [ edit ] Shoreham (disambiguation) [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with

164-633: A "Y-dialect", similar enough to the "N-dialects" of the Massachusett and Wampanoag to be mutually intelligible. Other Y-dialects include the Shinnecock and Pequot languages spoken historically by tribes on Long Island and in Connecticut, respectively. The Narragansett language became almost entirely extinct during the 20th century. The tribe has begun language revival efforts, based on early 20th-century books and manuscripts, and new teaching programs. In

246-601: A considerable part of the tribe emigrated to the State of New York, joining other Indians there who belonged to the same Algonquin language group. Nevertheless, in the 1740s during the First Great Awakening , colonists founded the Narragansett Indian Church to convert Indians to Christianity. In the ensuing years, the tribe retained control and ownership of the church and its surrounding 3 acres (12,000 m ),

328-410: A converted " Praying Indian ", was found bludgeoned to death in a pond. The facts were never settled concerning Sassamon's death, but historians accept that Wampanoag sachem Metacomet (known as Philip) may have ordered his execution because Sassamon cooperated with colonial authorities. Three Wampanoag men were arrested, convicted, and hanged for Sassamon's death. Metacomet subsequently declared war on

410-461: A definitive study on it in 1643 entitled A Key Into the Language of America . He traced the source of the word Narragansett to a geographical location: Being inquisitive of what root the title or denomination Nahigonset should come I heard that Nahigonsset was so named from a little island, between Puttaquomscut and Mishquomacuk on the sea and fresh water side. I went on purpose to see it, and about

492-414: A fairly precise localization: He states that the place was "a little island, between Puttaquomscut and Mishquomacuk on the sea and fresh water side", and that it was near Sugar Loaf Hill. This means it was: This suggests that the original Narragansett homeland was identified by 17th-century natives as being a little island located near the northern edge of Point Judith Pond, possibly Harbor Island or one of

574-534: A female householder with no husband present, and 47.0% were non-families. 35.0% of households were one person and 12.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.82. The age distribution was 18.3% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males. The median household income

656-578: A few years later in 1873. Block Island has no natural harbors; breakwaters were constructed in 1870 to form Old Harbor. New Harbor was created in 1895 when a channel was dug to connect the Great Salt Pond to the ocean through the northwestern side of the island. The Island Free Library was established in 1875 and is Block Island's only public library . Isaac Church was the Island's last recorded full-blooded Manisses Indian; he died in 1886 at age 100. He

738-427: A float into the parade, as long as it coordinates with the theme of that respective year. For example, the theme in 2016 was sports and recreation. In addition to the parade, there is a fireworks display on the beach on the night of July 3. The parade is on the fourth and is judged by officials who give out prizes in three categories: family floats, company floats, and overall floats. They also give out one extra prize for

820-454: A frost free season longer than locations inland. Block Island averages 2300 hrs of sunshine annually (higher than the USA average). Block Island's record high temperature is 95 °F (35 °C) on August 26 and 27, 1948 and the record low is −11 °F (−24 °C) on January 16, 1994. The lowest high temperature on record was 8 °F (−13 °C) on December 31, 1962, and January 8, 1968, and

902-636: A spirit of great malignancy," according to Plymouth Colony Governor William Bradford . He was later accused of religious subversion and responded with impertinence, hurling invective at his accusers and even drawing a knife on Captain Myles Standish. He was banished from Plymouth and fled to Massachusetts Bay, settling first in Nantasket , then Cape Ann , and finally Watertown , where he continued to indulge his penchant for mayhem. Despite his unsavory reputation, Massachusetts Bay sought his extensive knowledge of

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984-436: A thin strip of land. The Block Island Historical Society Museum is located near the downtown area and contains a broad array of Block Island artifacts. U-853 is a U-boat wreck 7 miles (11 km) east of the island, lying in 130 ft (40 m) of water. Recreational divers frequently visit the wreck, though at least three have died there. The Block Island Wind Farm , the first offshore wind farm built in

1066-465: A threatening challenge, but Plymouth governor William Bradford sent the snakeskin back filled with gunpowder and bullets. The Narragansetts understood the message and did not attack them. European settlement in the Narragansett territory did not begin until 1635; in 1636, Roger Williams acquired land from Narragansett sachems Canonicus and Miantonomi and established Providence Plantations . During

1148-439: A variety of different ways, perhaps attesting to different local pronunciations. The present spelling "Narragansett" was first used by Massachusetts governor John Winthrop in his History of New England (1646); but assistant governor Edward Winslow spelled it "Nanohigganset", while Rhode Island preacher Samuel Gorton preferred "Nanhyganset"; Roger Williams , who founded the city of Providence and came into closest contact with

1230-414: Is oceanic ( Köppen Cfb ), bordering a humid continental ( Dfa/Dfb ) and humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ). The ocean stays cool during the winter and spring months, but still warm enough that average temperatures are several degrees warmer than inland areas of Rhode Island. In summer, while the ocean warms to near 70 F, it still keeps Block Island cooler than locations inland. As such, Block Island has

1312-441: Is a popular summer tourist destination known for its bicycling, hiking, sailing, fishing, and beaches. It is home to the historic lighthouses Block Island North Light , on the northern tip of the island, and Block Island Southeast Light , on the southeastern coast. About 40 percent of the island is set aside for conservation, and much of the northwestern tip of the island is an undeveloped natural area and resting stop for birds along

1394-695: Is designated in the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission inventory of recorded archaeological sites as site RI 110. Excavations revealed the remains of a coastal village from the Late Woodland period , inhabited by about 100 people for about four years, sometime in the tenth or eleventh centuries A.D. Evidence of houses and other structures was found, as well as food storage pits, and evidence of maize farming. The find turned out to be an important one, because no other Native American coastal village has ever been found in

1476-549: Is located at Sandy Point on the northern tip of Block Island. The North Lighthouse warns boaters of a sandbar extending from this end of the island. The surrounding dunes are part of the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge, home to many species, including the piping plover and American burying beetle . A short walk away from the North Lighthouse lies the tip of the island, with ocean on both sides of

1558-416: Is rocky and contains iron-rich clay deposits, and is a popular area for shell and rock hunting. Cow Cove, Settler's Rock, and Sandy Point make up the northernmost point of Block Island where the North Lighthouse is located. Settler's Rock is located at Cow Cove, where the settlers landed and swam to shore bringing with them the island's first cows, which they pushed off the boats and forced ashore. Attached to

1640-576: The Atlantic flyway . The Nature Conservancy includes Block Island on its list of "The Last Great Places", which consists of 12 sites in the Western Hemisphere. Popular events include the annual Fourth of July Parade, celebration, and fireworks. The island's population can triple over the normal summer vacation crowd. As of the 2020 Census , the island's population is 1,410 living on a land area of 9.734 square miles (25.211 km ). Block Island

1722-670: The Caribbean ; others became indentured servants in Rhode Island. The surviving Narragansetts merged with local tribes, particularly the Eastern Niantics. During colonial and later times, tribe members intermarried with colonists and Africans. Their spouses and children were taken into the tribe, enabling them to keep a tribal and cultural identity. Ninigret , the chief sachem of the Narragansetts during King Philip's War, died soon after

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1804-752: The Pequot War of 1637, the Narragansetts allied with the New England colonists. However, the brutality of the colonists in the Mystic massacre shocked the Narragansetts, who returned home in disgust. After the Pequots were defeated, the colonists gave captives to their allies the Narragansetts and the Mohegans . The Narragansetts later had conflict with the Mohegans over control of the conquered Pequot land. In 1643, Miantonomi led

1886-477: The Three Sisters technique. They migrated from forest to coastal areas to take advantage of seasonal resources. One modern researcher has theorized that indigenous groups may have established a settlement as early as 500 BC, although there is no consensus on that idea. Giovanni da Verrazzano sighted the island in 1524 and named it "Claudia" in honor of Claude, Duchess of Brittany , queen consort of France and

1968-705: The United States Supreme Court , as the state challenged the removal of new lands from state oversight by a tribe recognized by the US after the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act . Rhode Island was joined in its appeal by 21 other states. In 2009, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Department of the Interior could not take land into trust, removing it from state control, if a tribe had achieved federal recognition after

2050-529: The 17th century, Roger Williams learned the tribe's language. He documented it in his 1643 work A Key into the Language of America . In that book Williams gave the tribe's name as Nanhigganeuck though later he used the spelling Nahigonset . American English has absorbed a number of loan words from Narragansett and other closely related languages, such as Wampanoag and Massachusett. Such words include quahog , moose , papoose , powwow , squash , and succotash . The Narragansetts were one of

2132-1031: The 1934 Indian Reorganization Act , and if the land in question was acquired after that federal recognition. Their determination was based on wording in the act which defines "Indian" as "all persons of Indian descent who are members of any recognized tribe now under federal jurisdiction." The tribe is led by an elected tribal council, a chief sachem , a medicine man , and a Christian leader. The entire tribal population must approve major decisions. The administration in 2023 was: Tribal Council Cassius Spears, Jr., 1st Councilman Mike Monroe Sr, 2nd Councilman Councilman: John Pompey Councilman: Lonny Brown, Sr. Councilwoman: Yvonne Lamphere Councilman: Keith Sampson Councilman: Shawn Perry Councilman: John Mahoney Councilman, Raymond Lamphere Tribal Secretary, Monica Stanton Assistant Tribal Secretary: Betty Johnson Tribal Treasurer: Mary S. Brown Assistant Tribal Treasurer: Walter K. Babcock Some present-day Narragansett people believe that their name means "people of

2214-475: The Block Island Conservancy was founded. The Conservancy and other environmental organizations are responsible for protecting over 40% of the island from development. In 1974, Old Harbor Historic District was declared a National Register historic district. More information can be found in the following books concerning Block Island's old buildings, islanders, history, and ongoing efforts to conserve

2296-468: The Block Island Film Festival, an international film festival established in 2018 by journalist and filmmaker Cassius Shuman. The festival aims to promote independent works from local and international filmmakers, showcasing motion pictures, documentaries, short films and student short films. Block Island Pride is an annual pride celebration held every summer, that commemorates and supports

2378-520: The Endicott group sold the island to a party of twelve settlers that later grew to sixteen (of whom only seven actually settled there ) led by John Alcock, who are today memorialized at Settler's Rock, near Cow's Cove. In 1663, island settler Thomas Terry gave six acres of land at the island's largest fresh pond and its surrounding area to four "chief sachems ". Their names were recorded as Ninnecunshus, Jaguante, Tunkawatten, and Senatick, but they were known by

2460-507: The LGBTQ+ community. The event features a variety of activities, including parades, live performances, and educational workshops, promoting inclusivity and diversity on the island. Southeast Lighthouse is located at the southeast corner of the island on the Mohegan Trail. The lighthouse was constructed in 1875 and remains to this day an active US Coast Guard navigational aid. The lighthouse

2542-507: The Mohegan fort at Shantok. The colonists then threatened to invade Narragansett territory, so Canonicus and his son Mixanno signed a peace treaty. The peace lasted for the next 30 years. Christian missionaries began to convert tribal members and many Indians feared that they would lose their traditions by assimilating into colonial culture, and the colonists' push for religious conversion collided with Indian resistance. In 1675, John Sassamon ,

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2624-409: The Mohegans for his demise. While travelling back in the forests of northern Connecticut, Uncas's brother slew Miantonomi by bludgeoning him on the head with a club. The following year, Narragansett war leader Pessicus renewed the war with the Mohegans, and the number of Narragansett allies grew. The Mohegans were on the verge of defeat when the colonists came and saved them, sending troops to defend

2706-459: The Narragansett people, used a host of different spellings including "Nanhiggonsick", "Nanhigonset", "Nanihiggonsicks", "Nanhiggonsicks", "Narriganset", "Narrogonset", and "Nahigonsicks". Underneath this diversity of spelling a common phonetic background can be discerned. Linguist James Hammond Trumbull explains that naiag or naiyag means a corner or angle in the Algonquian languages , so that

2788-420: The Narragansetts in an invasion of eastern Connecticut where they planned to subdue the Mohegans and their leader Uncas . Miantonomi had an estimated 1,000 men under his command. The Narragansett forces fell apart, and Miantonomi was captured. The Mohegans then took Miantonomi to Hartford to turn him in for his execution, to which they where in favor but did not want blood on their hands, so they returned him to

2870-581: The Native men on the island" and capture the women and children, who would then be sold into slavery . Upon arriving on Block Island, the expedition burned sixty Niantic wigwams and all the cornfields on the island. The expedition also shot every dog they could find, though the Niantic fled into the woods and the colonists killed fourteen people. Deciding that this murder spree and razing was insufficient, Endicott and his men sailed over to Fort Saybrook before going after

2952-484: The New England coast when they asked him to retrieve a hefty ransom on the colony's behalf. It was on this mission that Oldham was murdered and dismembered . In August, the Massachusetts authorities dispatched a punitive expedition of ninety men to Block Island under the command of John Endicott to avenge Oldham's murder. The expedition was ordered by governor of Massachusetts Sir Henry Vane to "massacre all of

3034-713: The Northeastern United States. A documentary film about the site was sponsored by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, with support from the Federal Highway Administration, and aired on Rhode Island PBS in November 2015. Excerpts can be seen on Vimeo . Traditionally, the tribe spoke the Narragansett language , a member of the Algonquian languages family. The Narragansetts spoke

3116-519: The Pequot village at the mouth of the Thames River to demand one thousand fathoms of wampum to pay for the murder. They took some Pequot children as hostages to ensure payment, with these incidents being seen as the initial events that led to the Pequot War . Massachusetts Bay Colony claimed the island by conquest . In 1658, the colony sold the island to a group of men headed up by Endicott. In 1661,

3198-487: The Pequots of eastern Connecticut were blamed. A Pequot delegation presented magistrates in Boston with two bushels of wampum and a bundle of sticks representing the number of beavers and otters with which they would compensate the colonists for the deaths. They sought peace with the colonies and also requested help establishing concord with the Narragansetts, who bordered them to the east. The colonial authorities, in turn, demanded

3280-553: The Pt. Judith Ferry and the New London Express Ferry on the way to the island. It contains five smaller beaches: Fred Benson Town Beach (popularly known as State Beach), Surf Beach, Scotch Beach, Rouse's Beach, and Mansion Beach, all of which are located on Corn Neck Road. North of Mansion Beach are Clayhead and Pots & Kettles. Clayhead is a set of cliffs which can be seen from the ferry in from Point Judith or New London. This area

3362-548: The United States, is located 3 miles (4.8 km) from south-east of the island. The five turbines, each 600 ft (180 m) high, commenced commercial operation in December 2016. The island has at least 40 restaurants, but most are closed outside of tourist season; mainland restaurants use New England Airlines to deliver food to the island. There are 17 miles of beach on Block Island. Crescent Beach can be viewed from

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3444-438: The Western Hemisphere, and a large portion of the island is legally protected and set aside for conservation. The island is known for participating in the commercial aquaculture and kelp farming sectors. The island is connected year-round by a ferry to Point Judith , and in summer to New London, Connecticut ; Orient and Montauk, New York ; and Newport, Rhode Island . The traditional ferry takes about an hour to reach

3526-559: The colonists and started King Philip's War . He escaped an attempt to trap him in the Plymouth Colony, and the uprising spread throughout Massachusetts as other bands joined the fight, such as the Nipmuc. The Indians wanted to expel the colonists from New England. They waged successful attacks on settlements in Massachusetts and Connecticut, but Rhode Island was spared at the beginning, as the Narragansetts remained officially neutral. However,

3608-712: The colonists as Mr. Willeam, Repleave (Reprive), and Soconosh. This land was given to "them being the Cheife Sachems upon the Island there Heires & Assignes Forever to plant and Improve". This land was then known as the Indian Lands. The Sachems called the Fresh Pond Tonnotounknug. In 1664, Indians on the island numbered somewhere from 1,200 to 1,500. By 1774, that number had been reduced to fifty-one. A Dutch map of 1685 clearly shows Block Island, indicated as Adriaen Blocks Eylant ("Adrian Block's Island"). In

3690-495: The edge of the tall cliffs to their deaths on the beach below. A staircase of 141 steps leads to the bottom of these clay cliffs and looks out over the Atlantic. On clear days, Montauk, New York , can be seen in the distance from the southern and western sides of the island. Rodman's Hollow is a 230-acre (93 ha) glacial outwash basin, near the southern shore of the island. The hollow has several walking trails. North Lighthouse

3772-531: The fleet to Block Island in search of food and to establish a strategic position at the mouth of Long Island Sound . The British were enraged to discover that nearly all Block Island livestock and food stores had been transferred to Stonington, Connecticut , in advance of their arrival. On August 9, 1814, Hardy and his fleet departed Block Island for Stonington Harbor in part to lay claim to the Block Island food stores and livestock. Hardy's pre-dawn raid on August 10

3854-408: The highest low temperature on record was 76 °F (24 °C) on August 2, 1979. The hardiness zone is now 7b. [1] National Weather Service(Snow depth2016-2023) At the 2000 census , there were 1,010 people, 472 households, and 250 families in the town. The population of New Shoreham was 1,410 at the 2020 census, making it the least-populous municipality in the state. The population density

3936-510: The island from Point Judith and is the only way to bring a car to the island as it is able to carry them. A high-speed ferry on the same route takes 35 minutes but cannot take cars, and another high-speed ferry from New London takes just over an hour. Bikes are a popular form of transportation on the island, as cars are generally discouraged. Additionally, mopeds are quite popular, especially with tourists, since they are easy to rent and drive. This popularity has led to over six moped rental shops on

4018-464: The island, but the same popularity and ease of use has led to many incidents over 40 years with reckless or bad drivers, meaning that moped accidents are a common problem on the island. Narragansett (tribe) The Narragansett people are an Algonquian American Indian tribe from Rhode Island . Today, Narragansett people are enrolled in the federally recognized Narragansett Indian Tribe . They gained federal recognition in 1983. The tribe

4100-420: The land, together with a collection of 800 period photographs of the island spanning the 1870s to the 1980s and all by historian Robert M. Downie: The students of New Shoreham in grades kindergarten through 12th grade attend Block Island School . Harbor Church was founded on October 23, 1765 and is located at 21 Water Street. Block Island's weather is greatly influenced by the surrounding ocean. The climate

4182-552: The late seventeenth century, an Englishwoman called named Sarah Sands née Walker lived on Block Island. Sands is known for being New England's first woman doctor and she has also been suggested to be an early abolitionist . She married sea captain James Sands (one of the original sixteen settlers, as recorded by Settler's Rock ) in 1645 and had possibly six children, including a daughter named Mercy, born 1663. In 1699, Scottish sailor William Kidd visited Block Island shortly before he

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4264-534: The leaders of the United Colonies (Massachusetts, Plymouth, and Connecticut) accused the Narragansetts of harboring Wampanoag refugees. They made a preemptive attack on the Narragansett palisade fortress on December 19, 1675 in a battle that became known as the Great Swamp Fight . Hundreds of Narragansett non-combatants died in the attack and burning of the fort, including women and children, but nearly all of

4346-655: The leading tribes of New England, controlling the west of Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island and portions of Connecticut and eastern Massachusetts , from the Providence River on the northeast to the Pawcatuck River on the southwest. The first European contact was in 1524 when explorer Giovanni de Verrazzano visited Narragansett Bay. Between 1616 and 1619, infectious diseases killed thousands of Algonquians in coastal areas south of Rhode Island. The Narragansetts were

4428-464: The little points and bays". Pritzker's Native American Encyclopedia translates the name as "(People) of the Small Point". The Narragansett language died out in the 19th century, so modern attempts to understand its words have to make use of written sources. The earliest such sources are the writings of English colonists in the 1600s, and at that time the name of the Narragansett people was spelled in

4510-574: The most powerful tribe in the southern area of the region when the English colonists arrived in 1620, and they had not been affected by the epidemics. Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoags to the east allied with the colonists at Plymouth Colony as a way to protect the Wampanoags from Narragansett attacks. In the fall of 1621, the Narragansetts sent a sheaf of arrows wrapped in a snakeskin to Plymouth Colony as

4592-511: The now-weakened Narragansetts. A force of Mohegans and Connecticut militia captured Narragansett sachem Canonchet a few days after the destruction of Providence Plantations, while a force of Plymouth militia and Wampanoags hunted down Metacomet. He was shot and killed, ending the war in southern New England, although it dragged on for another two years in Maine. After the war, the colonists sold some surviving Narragansetts into slavery and shipped them to

4674-515: The only land that it could keep. This continuous ownership was critical evidence of tribal continuity when the tribe applied for federal recognition in 1983. In the 19th century, the tribe resisted repeated state efforts to declare that it was no longer an Indian tribe because its members were multiracial in ancestry. They contended that they absorbed other ethnicities into their tribe and continued to identify culturally as Narragansetts. The tribal leaders resisted increasing legislative pressure after

4756-600: The overall category which is the grand prize, consisting of $ 500. Every summer, the island hosts Block Island Race Week, a competitive, week-long sailboat race. On odd years, the event is held by the Storm Trysail Club, and on even years by the Block Island Race Week. Yachts compete in various classes, sailing courses in Block Island Sound and circumnavigating the island. Every year, the island also hosts

4838-497: The people responsible for killing Stone and Norton, a promise not to interfere with colonial settlement in Connecticut, and 400 fathoms of wampum and the pelts of 40 beavers and 30 otters. In 1636, John Gallup came across the boat of trader John Oldham , a noted troublemaker. Oldham had flirted with impropriety since the day that he landed on American soil. Not long after arriving in Plymouth in 1623, he "grew very perverse and showed

4920-483: The place called Sugar Loaf Hill I saw it and was within a pole of it [ i.e. a rod or 16 + 1 ⁄ 2 feet ], but could not learn why it was called Nahigonset. Berkeley anthropologist William Simmons (1938-2018), who specialized in the Narragansett people, gives Roger Williams's statement as the last word on the matter, indicating that the precise location of the place seen by Williams could not be determined. But in fact Roger Williams's statement does enable

5002-470: The prefix nai is found in the names of many points of land on the sea coast and rivers of New England (e.g. Nayatt Point in Barrington, RI, and Noyack on Long Island). The word nai-ig-an-set , according to Trumbull, signifies "the territory about the point", and nai-ig-an-eog means "the people of the point". Roger Williams spent much time learning and studying the Narragansett language, and he wrote

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5084-611: The request in their lawsuit Carcieri v. Salazar , declaring that tribes which had achieved federal recognition since the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act did not have standing to have newly acquired lands taken into federal trust and removed from state control. The Narragansett tribe was recognized by the federal government in 1983 and controls the Narragansett Indian Reservation , 1,800 acres (7.3 km ) of trust lands in Charlestown, Rhode Island . A small portion of

5166-591: The rock is a plaque naming the original settlers of Block Island. Coastguard Beach (or "the channel") is situated between the Great Salt Pond and the ocean on the north west side of the island. Ballard's Beach is on the south side of the Block Island Ferry Dock and jetty. Bluffs Beach (or Vail) is set at the bottom of Mohegan Bluffs. Block Island also hosts an office of The Nature Conservancy . The Conservancy named Block Island as one of its top 12 sites in

5248-482: The same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Shoreham&oldid=1030023899 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages New Shoreham, Rhode Island Block Island

5330-598: The smaller islands there. In 1987, while conducting a survey for a development company, archaeologists from Rhode Island College discovered the remains of an Indian village on a site northeast of Point Judith Pond, adjacent to the land where the Salt Pond Shopping Center was subsequently built. The archaeological site has since been purchased by the State of Rhode Island, and is known as the Salt Pond Archaeological Site or Salt Pond Preserve, and

5412-482: The spotters were built to look like houses. The US government offered to evacuate the island, as it could not be effectively defended from enemy invasion, but the islanders chose to stay. Days before the war ended against Germany, the Battle of Point Judith took place seven miles to the northeast of the island. The island's airport (KBID) was opened in 1950 and remains open today as a general aviation airport. In 1972,

5494-540: The tribe resides on or near the reservation, according to the 2000 U.S. Census . Additionally, they own several hundred acres in Westerly . In 1991, the Narragansetts purchased 31 acres (130,000 m ) in Charlestown for development of elderly housing. In 1998, they requested that the Department of the Interior take the property into trust on behalf of the tribe, to remove it from state and local control. The case went to

5576-524: The unveiling ceremony were descendants of the Manisses Indians, with Tiondra White Rapids Martinez, a direct descendant of Isaac Church, opening the ceremony in their native tongue. During World War II, several artillery spotters were located on the island to direct fire from the heavy gun batteries at Fort Greene in Point Judith which protected the entrance to Narragansett Bay . Lookout positions for

5658-402: The war. He left four children by two wives. His eldest child, a daughter, succeeded him, and upon her death her half-brother Ninigret succeeded her. He left a will dated 1716–17, and died about 1722. His sons Charles Augustus and George succeeded him as sachems. George's son Thomas, commonly known as King Tom, succeeded in 1746. While King Tom was sachem, much of the Narragansett land was sold, and

5740-638: The warriors escaped. In January 1676, colonist Joshua Tefft was hanged, drawn, and quartered by colonial forces at Smith's Castle in Wickford, Rhode Island for having fought on the side of the Narragansetts during the Great Swamp Fight. The Indians retaliated for the massacre in a widespread spring offensive beginning in February 1676 in which they destroyed all Colonial settlements on the western side of Narragansett Bay. The settlement of Providence Plantations

5822-497: The wife of Francis I. However, several contemporaneous maps identified the same island as "Luisa", after Louise of Savoy , the Queen Mother of France and the mother of Francis I. Verrazano's ship log stated that the island was "full of hilles, covered with trees, well-peopled for we saw fires all along the coaste." Almost 100 years later, Dutch explorer Adriaen Block charted the island in 1614; he simply named it for himself, and this

5904-469: Was $ 44,779 and the median family income was $ 59,844. Males had a median income of $ 39,432 versus $ 28,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 29,188. About 8.0% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over. One of the most popular celebrations on the island is the Fourth of July Parade. Anybody can enter

5986-481: Was 103.8 inhabitants per square mile (40.08/km ). There were 1,606 housing units at an average density of 165.0 per square mile (63.71/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 97.82% White, 0.59% African American, 0.79% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population. Of the 472 households 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 7.2% had

6068-502: Was burned on March 27, 1676, destroying Roger Williams's house, among others. Other Indian groups destroyed many towns throughout New England, and even raided outlying settlements near Boston. However, disease, starvation, battle losses, and the lack of gunpowder caused the Indian effort to collapse by the end of March. Troops from Connecticut composed of colonists and their Mohegan allies swept into Rhode Island and killed substantial numbers of

6150-583: Was formed by the same receding glaciers that formed the Outer Lands of Cape Cod , the Hamptons , Martha's Vineyard , and Nantucket during the end of the last ice age thousands of years ago. The Niantic people called the island "Manisses" (meaning " Manitou 's Little Island"), or just "Little Island". Archaeological sites indicate that these people lived largely by hunting deer, catching fish and shellfish, and growing corn, beans, and squash, presumably with

6232-530: Was hanged for piracy. At Block Island, he was supplied by Mercy Sands (then Mrs. Raymond). The story has it that, for her hospitality, Kidd bade Mrs. Raymond to hold out her apron, into which he threw gold and jewels until it was full. After her husband Joshua Raymond died, Mercy moved with her family to what would become the Raymond-Bradford Homestead in northern New London, Connecticut (later Montville ) where she bought much land. The Raymond family

6314-412: Was moved in 1993, in danger of falling off the bluffs due to erosion. In addition to offering tours of the tower, the lighthouse has a museum that is open during the summer season. The Mohegan Bluffs are located a short distance to the west of Southeast Lighthouse . The bluffs are the site of a pre-colonial battle between the invading Mohegan and the native Niantic, in which the Mohegan were driven off

6396-464: Was nearly landless for most of the 20th century but acquired land in 1991 and petitioned the Department of the Interior to take the land into trust on their behalf. This would have made the newly acquired land to be officially recognized as part of the Narragansett Indian reservation , taking it out from under Rhode Island's legal authority. In 2009, the United States Supreme Court ruled against

6478-410: Was repulsed with damage to his fleet in a battle that has since become known as the Battle of Stonington . The original North Lighthouse was built in 1829, but it was replaced in 1837 after the original was washed out to sea. The ocean claimed the replacement lighthouse also, and the lighthouse that can be seen today was constructed in 1867. Construction began on Block Island's Southeast Lighthouse

6560-661: Was survived by one son and one daughter whose descendants still reside in Rhode Island today. The landmark Isaac's Corner is named in honor of him, located at the intersection of Center Road, Lakeside Drive, and Cooneymus Road. Isaac is buried to the east of the four corners in the Historical Indian Burial Ground. In 2011, the Block Island Historical Society dedicated the Block Island Manissean Ancestral Stone. In attendance at

6642-624: Was the name that stuck. The growing tensions among the tribes of the region in this time caused the Niantics to split into two divisions: the Western Niantics, who allied with the Pequots and Mohegans, and the Eastern Niantics, who allied with the Narragansetts . In 1632, indigenous people (likely Western Niantics associated with the Pequots) killed colonial traders John Stone and Walter Norton, and

6724-529: Was thus said to have been "enriched by the apron". Block Island was incorporated by the Rhode Island general assembly in 1672, and the island government adopted the name "New Shoreham". During the War of 1812 , the island was briefly occupied by the British Navy under the command of Sir Thomas Hardy . British vessels included HMS Dispatch , HMS Terror , HMS Nimrod , HMS Pactolus , and HMS Ramillies . Hardy took

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