Roger Williams founded the first permanent white settlement in Rhode Island at Providence in 1636. As a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans, he established a policy of religious and political freedom. The settlement flourished as farming and sea trading became profitable. Rhode Island was the first colony to prohibit the importation of slaves. Famous Rhode Islanders such as General Nathanael Greene, George Washington’s second in command, and Commodore Esek Hopkins, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Navy, distinguished themselves in the Revolutionary War.
After the war, Samuel Slater’s mill in Pawtucket became the first successful water-powered cotton mill, which helped kick-start America’s Industrial Revolution. Nehemiah and Seril Dodge founded the American jewelry industry in Providence, and Jabez Gorham, jeweler and silversmith, was the forerunner of the world-renowned Gorham Manufacturing Company. A tradition of excellence was developed back then, which is still important for the state’s economy today. Providence is a primary center for jewelry manufacturing. Electronics, metal, plastic products, and boat and ship construction are other important industries. Non-manufacturing employment includes research in health, medicine and oceanography, as well as tourism, which is a billion dollar industry.
In addition to a strong economy, Rhode Island is a paradise of outdoor recreation and cultural attractions. Providence offers the Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company, the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the Museum of Art/Rhode Island School of Design. Newport, the “City by the Sea,” is nestled near the brilliant blue of Narragansett Bay and is home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum and the legacy of America’s Cup yacht racing. Built in 1763, Newport’s Touro Synagogue is the oldest surviving synagogue in North America. The Crescent Park Carousel, one of the finest surviving examples of hand-carved carousels in the country, can be found in East Bay, as well as the Herreshoff Marine Museum, where six successful America Cup defenders were built. Elsewhere in the state, charming villages, rolling countryside, historic sites, hundreds of acres of woodlands and countless miles of bike paths offer unlimited opportunities for hiking, canoeing, cycling, shopping and touring.
The independent spirit of Rhode Island, fostered by its founding father, is still evident in the state’s blend of geographic, historic and cultural diversity. From its picturesque streets and unspoiled ocean vistas, to the plethora of antique markets, historic inns, secluded marinas, main streets and village squares, Rhode Island is as authentic as the patriotic spirit of the men and women who settled there so many years ago.