#conanicut

[cyparissos]

America what is this. What are you doing. There are so many islands here. Why are none of them Rhode Island. What is an Aquidneck. Why do you have a Despair Island.

America, why?

we should set more tv shows in fake US states the way we make up fake european countries for disney channel originals and hallmark movies

[whetstonefires]

It's been a few years since I wrote much DCU fan content, but I have gone on refining things like geography headcanons sort of absently.

For my purposes Gotham is typically in Rhode Island, quite a bit further south than Providence, which in this universe is a much smaller city than in reality because Gotham was there between it and the sea.

Possibly on Conanicut Island; sometimes material writing Gotham as a double for New York leans upon Manhattan's island status in some way. Possibly on the mainland, if you don't have any use for that. Or both. Regardless the 17th century history of the Narragansett is implied to have sucked even harder than it did irl.

It seems to have gotten popular since the Teen Titans cartoon to put Gotham in Connecticut; I can work with this too. Maybe it replaces New London. Any further west and you're fully in Long Island Sound and too close to New York City.

The important features of Gotham are that it's coastal, it's around four hundred years old, and it was founded by English colonists. There have been a lot of variations ofc, including that period where Metropolis and Gotham were hilariously right across a bay from one another, but enough of the history-of-Gotham-and-the-Waynes segments over the years have leaned hard into distinctively New England elements that I cannot accept a Gotham that isn't north of New York.

Also for weather reasons even New Jersey seems like quite a stretch, and there's nowhere to jam a city in there without getting sucked into the orbit of existing stars in the metropolitan belt and ruining the vibe anyhow.

Metropolis meanwhile is, as far as I'm concerned, in Delaware, on the west coast of Delaware Bay, having been established in the 1920s as an ambitious planned futurist city and sucked up a lot of the development that would otherwise have gone to Philadelphia and Baltimore, and taken a bite out of the population of DC also.

Suicide Slum is where the people hired to build the city were living while doing so, a common side effect of such planned construction, and it ballooned in the 30s when the world economy crashed.

Metropolis was saved by WWII, when the feds sited a lot of war production and military transport out of its harbor because the place had been built on a grandiose scale that hadn’t ever hit peak utilization due to the Depression, so it was convenient. There’s still a large Army base near city limits; Lois spent her teens in base housing because her dad was stationed there.

[salantami]

Castle Hill Lighthouse is located on Narragansett Bay in Newport, Rhode Island at the end of the historic Ocean Drive.

 It is an active navigation aid for vessels entering the East Passage, between Conanicut Island and Aquidneck Island. The lighthouse has become a symbol of Newport, and a frequent site for wedding photos, proposals, and tourist photos.

 Although the property is owned by the nearby Castle Hill Inn, the lighthouse is owned by the United States Coast Guard

The lighthouse was completed in 1890 on property formerly belonging to the naturalist, oceanographer, and zoologist Alexander Agassiz of Harvard University. Agassiz sold the land to the United States Government for the lighthouse for $1. 

Credit for the photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/30437612@N06/3728217646/

[weather-usa]

Climate of Rhode Island

See Weather Forecast for Rhode Island today: https://weatherusa.app/rhode-island

See more: https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02817

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02818

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02825

Rhode Island's diverse landscape offers opportunities for outdoor recreation, from hiking in the uplands to exploring coastal areas and islands. It's a compact state with a mix of urban centers, suburban areas, and rural landscapes, providing a variety of experiences for visitors and residents alike.

Yes, Rhode Island's territory indeed includes several islands, with Block Island located about 10 miles (16 km) south of the mainland, and several islands within Narragansett Bay, including Conanicut, Prudence, and Rhode Island itself.

The attempt to officially restore the name "Aquidneck" to the island of Rhode Island at the beginning of the 21st century aimed to alleviate confusion stemming from the shared name between the island and the state. However, this effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Nonetheless, "Aquidneck" continues to be widely used within the state, particularly in reference to the island itself. The island's original name holds historical significance and is still recognized and respected by many in Rhode Island.

See more: https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02826

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02827

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02828

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02830

Rhode Island's soils are diverse, reflecting its varied geography and land use patterns. Here's an overview of the general soil types found in the state:

Coastal Soils:

In coastal areas and lowlands, soils tend to be sandy and well-drained. These soils are often formed from marine deposits and are suitable for agriculture, particularly for growing crops like vegetables and fruits.

Upland Soils:

In the upland areas, such as the New England Upland region, soils can vary but often consist of a mixture of sandy loams, silt loams, and clay loams. These soils may be more fertile and suitable for agriculture compared to coastal soils.

Wetland Soils:

Wetland areas, including marshes and swamps, have soils that are often characterized by high organic content and poor drainage. These soils are important for supporting wetland ecosystems and providing habitat for wildlife.

Urban Soils:

In urbanized areas, soils may be heavily modified due to human activities such as construction, paving, and landscaping. Urban soils can vary widely depending on the specific land use practices and soil management techniques in place.

Island Soils:

Islands like Block Island and Conanicut Island have their own unique soil characteristics, influenced by factors such as geological history, topography, and vegetation cover.

Overall, Rhode Island's soils play a crucial role in supporting various ecosystems, agricultural activities, and human settlements. Soil conservation and management practices are important for maintaining soil health and sustainability in the state.

Rhode Island's plant and animal life is influenced by its diverse ecosystems, including coastal areas, uplands, wetlands, and islands. Here's an overview of the plant and animal species found in the state:

Plant Life:

Coastal Vegetation:

Coastal areas support a variety of salt-tolerant plants, including beach grasses, seaside goldenrod, beach plum, and beach rose. These plants help stabilize dunes and provide habitat for coastal wildlife.

Upland Forests:

Upland areas feature forests dominated by species such as oak, hickory, maple, beech, and pine. These forests support diverse plant communities, including understory shrubs, ferns, and wildflowers.

Wetland Vegetation:

Wetlands are home to a variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants, including cattails, bulrushes, sedges, and various species of wetland wildflowers. These plants provide important habitat for wetland birds, amphibians, and other wildlife.

Island Flora:

Islands like Block Island and Conanicut Island have their own unique plant communities, which may include species adapted to coastal conditions, as well as inland forests and grasslands.

Animal Life:

Birds:

Rhode Island is a haven for birdwatchers, with a diverse avian population that includes shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors, songbirds, and migratory species. Important bird habitats include coastal marshes, estuaries, woodlands, and offshore islands.

Marine Life:

Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island's coastal waters support a rich diversity of marine life, including fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and seabirds. Common species include striped bass, bluefish, flounder, lobster, seals, and various seabird species.

Mammals:

Mammalian species found in Rhode Island include white-tailed deer, eastern cottontail rabbits, gray and red foxes, raccoons, skunks, and various small mammals like squirrels, chipmunks, and mice. Some larger mammals like black bears and bobcats may occasionally be spotted in remote areas.

Reptiles and Amphibians:

Rhode Island is home to a variety of reptiles and amphibians, including turtles, snakes, frogs, and salamanders. Important habitats for these species include wetlands, ponds, streams, and forested areas.

Invertebrates:

Invertebrates such as insects, spiders, crustaceans, and mollusks play important roles in Rhode Island's ecosystems as pollinators, decomposers, and prey for other animals.

Rhode Island's plant and animal life contribute to its ecological diversity and provide recreational and educational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. Conservation efforts are important for protecting and preserving the state's natural heritage for future generations.

See more: https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02831

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02832

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-02835

[mmltd-blog]

made it just in time for a fish naan! #closeat3 #civilized #bostoncreampie #alwaysroomfordessert #jamestownri #naan #fishsandwich #rhodeisland #islandlife #conanicut #fridaylunch #eatingout #sliceofheavenri (at Slice of Heaven) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bys3U-SnoCU/?igshid=bfk6rvb7gxdm

[lighthouses-click]

Conanicut Island Lighthouse, Conanicut Island, Rhode Island, Novenber 2019⠀ This one is missing its lantern room but you can see the tower. It's also a private residence.⠀

[bm-american-art]

Rhode Island Coast: Conanicut Island, William Trost Richards, ca. 1880, Brooklyn Museum: American Art

Size: 10 x 14 7/16 in. (25.4 x 36.7 cm) Frame: 16 3/8 x 21 1/4 x 1 5/8 in. (41.6 x 54 x 4.1 cm) Medium: Transparent watercolor with touches of opaque watercolor on cream, moderately thick, slightly textured wove paper

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/1099

[enviroblog-spring21]

Blog XIV: Ditch the Desert, Come to the Ocean State

Benjamin Franklin is famous for saying there are only two things that are certain in life: death and taxes, I would also add water as another thing in life that is certain and without water, life as we know it is impossible.

Here in Rhode Island (the Ocean State) the majority of our identity is based around water, yet even we squander the water resources we are blessed to have.[] Water has increasingly been the subject of national headlines in the past decade.

As Chapter 20 of Living in the Environment points out, we kicked off the 2010s with the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Petroleum leaked from the off-shore oil rig for three months and polluted 1,300 miles of coastline, enough to cover Rhode Island’s entire coastline three times.

Chapter 20 also notes that 2014 saw the start of the half-decade long Flint Water Crisis. Michigan’s state government poisoned the city of Flint’s water supply with lead in the name of austerity.[] The water was so corrosive that autoparts manufacturers in the city complained that they could not use the water as it tore through their parts, and people who drank the water suffer life-altering effects from the government’s cruel policies.[]

While Flint, MI held its grip on national headlines for months, if not a year or two, there is one place in particular that has held the nation’s attention since the 2010s and into the current decade: California.

Between 2011 and 2017, Californians endured the most prolonged, severe drought in recent memory, and among the longest and most intense in the state’s history.

Speaking for my fellow urban studies majors at Fordham University, from the endless sprawl and crisscrossing freeways of Los Angeles, to the expansive gentrification and strict housing covenants of San Francisco, California is the embodiment of everything that makes our blood boil. As an urban studies major, I also tend to look at California’s water woes through the lens of urban planning.

The guiding case study for Chapter 13 in Living in the Environment centers around the Colorado River. The system of dams and reservoirs that make up the river’s anthropogenic patrimony provide cities from Los Angeles, California to Boulder, Colorado with electricity, farming irrigation, and drinking water just to name a few.

The ecosystem services the Colorado River provides are already stretched to its limits. The spectacular growth of cities like Los Angeles takes a chainsaw to the natural capital it relies on from the Colorado River.

The mammoth amounts of water consumed by metropolitan populations in desert climates obscures the fact that they are in fact in the desert. Why do we continue to be shocked when there is a drought in the desert?

There is a reason why so few desert cities rise to populations as high as Los Angeles, or grow as fast as Tucson. Deserts are notoriously harsh, its arid climate coupled with scarce sources of water is the reason why many people have died crossing them.

Industrial methods of irrigation, construction of dams and reservoirs, plus the advents of air conditioning and hydroelectricity give Los Angeles the ability to hold over ten million people, and former president Trump the ability to plan his next coup attempt from what was once swampland.

Industrial technology advanced to a point where we can thickly settle environments once too harsh for us. Now, the population of Americans living in desert climates has become too large to sustain the ecosystem services and natural capital that industrialism in part helps deliver to them.

To escape what anthropogenic change has wrought in the form of endless drought, frequent wildfires, unbearable heat, and smog, I am arguing that people currently residing in desert cities should consider moving to the Ocean State.

I know that the entire state of Rhode Island can fit into a lot of desert counties multiple times and that the entire population of the Ocean State is only one-tenth to that of Los Angeles County, believe me, I know.

Rhode Island is so small, however, that if desert climate migrants concentrate in Providence, growth will not only encocmpass the entire state, but also include other states like Massachusetts and Connecticut. As the center for new climate migrants from the southwest, Providence could possibly hold its own against Boston, perhaps even New York.

I can already hear people saying that moving from the desert to the ocean is just swapping one climate crisis for another.

What I would say to that, however, is that although Rhode Island is the Ocean State, most of it is not directly at sea level as, for example, Florida is. A defining characteristic often found just feet away from our shoreline is the state’s steep rolling hills. Providence, in fact, is so steep that for a time we had the cable car system in New England, as trolleys often could not climb College Hill. For the amount of coastline that we have, I do not anticipate that even our settlements that are at sea level will be permanently lost at the mercy of the ocean. Encouraging climate migrants to move to Rhode Island could help fund sustainable coastline resilience initiatives to stave off the sea.

Booming population growth, of course, requires a lot of urban planning. We could forgo the mistakes of last century and create vibrant, affordable, sustainable, and dense communities and revitalize those that are still feeling the pains of deindustrialization.

As for what climate migrants from desert cities get in Rhode Island that they do not get in the desert: plentiful water supplies (no, we don’t just have salt water.) Although we may have to source water from other places, we have plenty of options, unlike most desert settlements that are simply not equipped to sustain such mammoth human populations.

I know that this is a far off and lofty vision, marketing the Ocean State as a climate refuge sounds like an oxymoron. To at least have a vision, is to begin lending a hand to future and current victims of the climate crisis.

Rhode Island is my favorite place on Earth, I want nothing more than for other people to make it home.

Epilogue: Waterfootprint.org is a website where you can calculate your water footprint, i.e. the amount of water you consume in a given year

My water footprint is 645.4 meters cubed, however, the website only calculated this from my country of residence, gender (somehow,) my diet (vegetarian) and the amount of yearly income consumed by myself which I had to estimate. I do not believe that this is accurate, in fact it is likely significantly higher considering that I have a front and backyard with a swimming pool. If my parents and I lived in their childhood neighborhood of Federal Hill it would be significantly lower considering we would not have a yard, garden, or a swimming pool to tend to.

Population density within cities makes them more environmentally friendly. People in dense urban areas often use less water and less inputs of almost everything since dwellings are smaller and proximity to basic necessities is often within walking distance. Cities have to be part of the equation if we are to solve the climate crisis, just because I am closer to "nature" here on Conanicut Island does not mean living here is more environmentally friendly and less wasteful.

WC: 1,067

Question: Is anybody tracking potential migration patterns as water resources become more scarce?

[stradingerm]

Back in #Jamestown, #RI for our 36th #anniversary and our 8th stay at #bayvoyageinn. Amazing how we always #discover new things here. This time a #highlight was Will Tuttle's brand new #homebrew supply store, #Conanicut #Brewing. What an amazing place! All you homebrewers in #newengland, come visit this #wonderland for #homemade #beer supplies. #instagood #travels #autumntrip.

[aleyma]

William Trost Richards, The Daisy Field, Conanicut Island, 1884 (source).

[wingman420]

#forever #respect #selflove #kindness #selfmade #compassion #nevergiveup #fightforit #believeinyourself #lifepartners #businesspartners #nevergiveup #courage #integrityiseverything (at Conanicut Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgy9gS9OgY-A0-bKdV6j2SXjfE5n7iVSDfVDPg0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[welcometowinstanleyslighthouse]

Conanicut Island Lighthouse

Conanicut Island Light is an inactive lighthouse in Jamestown, Rhode Island.

The light was built in 1886 after a petition was sent to Congress to have an official lighthouse built on Conanicut Island, which at the time only had a privately operated beacon funded by the Wickford Rail and Steamboat Company.

In 1933 the light was deactivated as the amount of ship traffic around the northern end of the island wasn't enough to warrant a manned light station. A skeletal tower with an electrically powered beacon was erected to replace it and was active until 1982.

The Conanicut Light was sold in 1934 to Ida and Mahlon Dunn who used it as a private residence. While the light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places it is still a private residence to this day.

Facts of Note

- The light's first keeper, Horace W. Arnold, was an eighth-generation descendant of Benedict Arnold. - LighthouseFriends.com

LighthouseFriends.com

Wikipedia

[dark-water-doctor-woman]

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but seeing with new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust.

I was driving to work when it occurred to me. Despite multiple, multiple moves, more than anyone I've known save military folk, I have succeeded in going to college and getting a job in the same town I grew up in. Based on these facts alone, one would assume I never left. Au contraire.

Upon graduating college, I considered many out of state opportunities, and decided on one that was 300, rather than 3000 miles away . After returning home for a brief stint, the time had come to stretch the limits of my familiarity to 1000 miles away, one third the distance, to the friendly and welcoming midwest. Two years there, and I was missing the coastline. An opportunity sprang in New York City, and suddenly there I was, a Brooklyn resident intimately aware of the limitations of the bridges, tunnels and trains of the city's metro transit.

Back to Kentucky, then a quick visit to Ireland, a Summer in Northern Maine, and then another return to Kentucky. It was around this time I remembered the poetic line of a local Louisville musician who would call Louisville his "favorite city to leave, and his favorite city to come back to."

With every new lease signing, with every new set of keys and utility bills I figured out how much I couldn't wait to take a road trip away from it. Back home, the ocean waves rolled upon the shoreline of my hometown while beers poured, fish sizzled and guitars tuned getting ready for a Saturday night. I missed it. I would come to pass the time looking at maps. I would count the hours and miles between me and the beach which raised me. I came to marvel in the Atlantic Ocean proximity I so once took for granted.

"How could I have ever been in a bad mood with that water beauty 'round me," I asked myself, as my two fingers scrolled across my digital map of Narragansett Bay.

"How could I ever have thought I'd find anything better?"

Novelty, it turns out, would be named a powerful influencer in my life. Noticed and pointed out by a close friend who himself has an unbreakable bond with the salt water life, an old surfer boy now saged up, my buddy Steve. Never had I met someone I could talk for hours with about nothing and everything at the same time, while we both indulged our impulse to look out at the blue. This time, it was in Chilmark. But recently, I've been praying at Beavertail.

"It's how you and I know each other, you know," my psychic told me. "I was with Merlin, I know I was." Her assertions implied I had been there, too.

Huh. Was that why the cliffs so called to me? Why after day after day I still felt called to those Conanicut cliffs. There was something about that area that was just saturated. I would walk across the green, long-bladed grass blowing with the gusts of seawind coming off the Atlantic expanse. I would descend the cliffs, stepping down worn sand paths, down to tide pools, and back up to the boulders fishermen stood from upon which the waves crashed and sprayed.

Many have died here. Too comforted by the mass of the boulders, they felt secure in that the waves could not reach them. But alas, water would rise, spray, make slippery and treacherous, proving once and again that water conquers rock.

My town seems strange to me again. I have been gone long enough that I see everything differently. What once used to be a long road, is short. What was once a frustrating, congested area, is normal to me. I would like to thank the extraordinary traffic jams I have found myself in in Kentucky and Ohio for showing me that New England, while stubbornly obtuse at times, at least has some sense to it's traffic, rather than the reckless, dangerous often deadly negotiations that is midwestern driving.

How thrilling it is to be back here. With a new found appreciate of the treats of my homeland and a newfound patience for its tricks.

[pasonik]

Isle of Conanicut, Jamestown, RI

[iafayettes]

“I will confine myself to repeating to you, what I cannot well describe, the zeal and the infinite pains of Lieutenant Colonel Laurens. He is on the wing the four and twenty hours round, to procure us refreshments; and when this is done, remains on board during very long days with all the patience of an old sailor. We are indebted to him for a hospital established on shore and for disembarrasing us of our prisonners; which in our situation form two important articles.”

— To George Washington from Count d’Estaing, 3 August 1778

Count d’Estaing's fleet had arrived after being at sea for four months, and had developed scurvy, and needed fresh fruit, vegetables and water. The sick were removed from his fleet and John had helped establish a hospital for them in the houses on the western shore of Conanicut Island.

[tallstales]

Day 9 Haunted Places in RI (13 Days of Halloween)

Every place has its tales of terror, especially at Halloween when ghosts are all the rage. Below is a list of 13 favorite local haunts for my state - Rhode Island! Being one of the oldest colonies in the United States, little Rhode Island has its fair share of old buildings and they are full of stories.

1. Byron Read Building - Coventry, Rhode Island

In the town of Coventry, Rhode Island sits an abandoned building on Washington Street. The local historical building located at 706 Washington RI 02816 as been falling to ruin over time. Formally owned by local business owner Byron Read, it has been home to Gorton’s funeral home services, a furniture maker, a Glasswares shop, child carriages builders, and those who sold furs, feathers, carpets and linoleum.This building, has been empty for decades but it does see the occasional short lived tennant. One renter in the 1990’s was using the space as a makeshift recording studio. Afterward, they regretted their decision.

The band knew the building’s history but they didn't give this a second thought. They didn’t expect to encounter anything unusual but what they experienced shocked them. They reported hearing loud banging sounds that would interrupt their recordings.Soon after band members witnessed several apparitions. One of these ghosts was a tall man wearing traditional baggy clothing. They saw this ghost walk right through walls. Another ghost they saw on several occasions was a small man that wore glasses. They allegedly identified this man as an undertaker from a portrait that was left in the building. The undertaker would frequently close the double doors in a room they used for rehearsals.

It is rumored that the creepiest activity they encountered was a woman’s mournful cries. During one of the band’s last visits to their new studio, they heard the doors slam shut behind them and as they began to record they heard other bangs within the building. They also reported hearing a female voice screaming. They seemed to be coming from the top floor but were so loud the band members could hear them throughout the building. When they built up their courage to investigate, the band went up to the 3rd floor and switched on the lights to the large room. Once the lights were on the noises immediately stopped.

Other witnesses state that they have seen lights flicker on and off and several have seen dark entities moving around the building. I myself would love to go in and explore. The building looks like i would make a lovely book shop and cafe. Maybe even one where the books would organize themselves! How fun would that be to own?

2. Nathanael Greene Homestead - Coventry, RI

Going down the road a bit in Coventry, you can find the Nathanael Greene Homestead. This home, now a museum, is located on Taft Street. Dating back to 1770, the historic home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. This was once the home to American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene from 1770 to 1776, and then to his brother Jacob Greene and his wife Margaret. Today, the home is owned and operated by the General Nathanael Greene Homestead Association, a local non-profit organization.

A number of strange things are rumored to happen here.The baby carriage in Elizabeth Margaret's room has been known to move on its own. Other reports include apparitions, voices, screams, disembodied footsteps, door latches that open and close by themselves, and the sound of a phantom carriage driving up to the house. And in the unused kitchen, witnesses have reported the smell of bread baking. This range of spooky activity has given the house a reputation of being one of the most haunted buildings in Rhode Island.

The Nathanael Greene Homestead is one of the few on our list that is still open to small tours so be sure to check it out!

3. The White Horse Tavern - Newport, RI

America's Oldest Tavern is serving more than the expected spirits! The oldest, and supposedly most haunted tavern in America, White Horse Tavern opened in 1673 at which point it served as a courthouse, a meeting place for Colonists, British soldiers, pirates, sailors and founding fathers, and lastly, a private residence. According to legend, and some eye-witness tavern employees, several ghosts still occupy the tavern.

The ghost stories here go back decades and the list of sightings is longer than the Tavern’s bar menu! Many staff members claim to hear and see strange things frequently. There have been accounts of being tapped on the shoulder and disembodied footsteps overheard from nearby empty rooms. Ghostly sightings are said to include an elderly man in Colonial garb, a seamen who previously died on the premises, and a female reported floating above one of the dining tables. Would you like to arrange a visit?

4. Belcourt Castle - Newport, RI

Built in 1895, The Belcourt Castle is located at 657 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI. It was constructed as a summer cottage for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. The home features a Chateau style and is 50,000 square feet, which leaves plenty of room for hauntings. It was purchased by the Tinney Family in 1956, who used the estate to showcase their expansive art and antiques collection. On July 28, 1957, Belcourt opened its doors to the public for guided tours of the museum.

The Belcourt is rumored to be one of Rhode Island's most haunted spots, it isn’t haunted by an actual ghost, instead it is home to haunted objects and antiques on display. Some antiques on this list are haunted chairs that move and send tingles up the spines to those who sit in them and a monk's statue that allegedly claimed the man's spirit that it was modeled on.��There is also a suit of armor rumored to echo with the death cry of its original owner. A guest to the mansion, Harle Tinney discusses his interaction with this suit of armor in Haunted Newport:

"No one was home so I thought it was strange that the lights were on in the ballroom. Being naturally conservative and not wanting to burn the electricity unnecessarily, I went through the ballroom to turn out the lights. After I had turned off the switch, there was a very little light left. As I passed the front of the armor, something screamed at me. It was a horrible and loud, roaring sound. Then the lights went back on and I turned them off again and the armor screamed. When it screamed a third time, I ran as fast as I could from the room. The scream was terrifying. It sounded like someone was being killed."

The amount of paranormal activity at this century-old estate makes it one of Rhode Island's spookiest destinations. If you're feeling brave enough, the house offers tours of the haunted rooms and worldly antiques. And the sixty-room mansion has a lot of them!

5. Fort Wetherill - Jamestown, RI

Fort Wetherill is another one of the most haunted places in Rhode Island, but it may have the oldest haunt on this list. It is told that when the British took control of the Fort in 1776 they were terrorized by a black dog who prowled there. In British folklore, a black dog is said to be an omen of death so they were understandably kept on edge by his appearance.

He is still spotted on occasion at Fort Wetherill usually glaring at people before disappearing through a wall. To this day, people still report growling, barking, and howling there.

Rebuilt as a park in 1899, Fort Wetherill is located on Conanicut Island and sits on the East Passage of Narragansett Bay opposite Fort Adams State Park. Almost a century later the Fort would see death again when four women were found murdered and dumped in the water near the docks in 1985, all of them just in their 20s. Ever since the tragic incident, there have been over 200 police reports regarding paranormal activity.

Despite the violent history, the former artillery fort can has long been an interesting place for locals and tourists alike to hike through during the spring and summer. There is a museum’s worth of graffiti on the walls adding to the atmosphere. You only have to worry about staying after sundown if you don’t want things to get weird.

6. Chestnut Hill Cemetery - Exeter, RI

This is perhaps the best known haunted place in Rhode Island. Nestled in the Chestnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, flowers and trinkets adorning her well-worn tombstone, lays Mercy Brown . In 1892, when Mercy Brown died from tuberculosis it was nothing abnormal. In fact, she wasn’t even the first in her immediate family to suffer through the same sickness. Mercy, her mother, and two of her siblings all died of consumption and her brother was at the time sick as well. This was during a period when there was a great deal of hysteria surrounding vampires in New England and rumors persisted that one of the Browns must be undead.

This hysteria led to the families’ bodies being exhumed.But as more and more people began to die from the dreaded disease, suspicion arose that supernatural powers were to blame. Mercy’s mother and sister were dug up for inspection and after seeing sufficient decomposition to the bodies, were deemed safely dead. But Mercy, whose body was being stored in an above ground vault due to the frozen ground, seemed merely sleeping. When they cut out her heart to examine it, the frozen liquid was still bright red and that seemed to prove it. To the town, Mercy was a vampire and the only way to heal the evil she had spread and stop her victims from dying was to burn her heart and liver and mix the ashes in a tonic to feed to those victims. Even to some locals, this was too much. The story soon spread nationwide and even crossed the pond, allegedly inspiring Bram Stoker’s famou tale, Dracula.

Today, Mercy's grave is protected by a metal band connected to a post imbedded into the ground to prevent it from being stolen. Some visitors still claim Mercy’s ghost has been seen around the tomb wearing a dirty, ripped gown.

In one instance, a visitor to the cemetery managed to record a young woman’s voice in EVP form saying, “Please let me rest in peace”. Whether this was Mercy’s ghost or not, I think we can all agree that the poor young woman has been through enough in life and death and should be left to rest in peace.

7. The Ladd School - Exeter, RI

The Ladd School, formerly known as the Rhode Island School for the Feeble Minded, was founded in 1908 . Over the years it came to be home to criminals and other people society felt would be best removed from the general population. This included everyone from the mentally ill to promiscuous women. The school became known for horrible and often immoral acts against those who were being cared for.

Those acts included but are not limited to forced sterilizations, lobotomys, and other barbaric treatments including murder of disabled children. In addition to staff harming the patients, many of them committed crimes against each other as well.

This abandoned building is now known to be one of the most haunted abandoned places in the united States. It is common for electronic items to be drained of power and many locals report hearing moaning, footsteps or shuffling feet and crying throughout the main building and other surrounding buildings. Witnesses have also claimed to hear disembodied voices murmuring, whispering or crying out. Doors have been seen opening or closing without explanation. These same doors also seem to lock at times even if there is no lock on the door itself.  Eerie growling sounds have been heard in patients' former rooms, when no animals are present. Some visitors here have also claimed they were touched, shoved, or they've had items knocked out of their hands by some unseen force. 

Outside, visitors have claimed to see human shaped shadows moving across the field and into the woods. Voices have been heard out there as well and many have photographed glowing orbs. Car radios are said to go haywire or stop working all together and a few people have claimed that their car alarms or horns have gone off for no reason. Best to leave the roaming of these grounds to the spirits and stay away.

8. Providence Athenaeum - Providence, RI

Dating back to 1836, The Providence Athenaeum first opened as a member run library out of the Providence Arcade in downtown. Eventually, the library moved to its current location at 251 Benefit Street in Providence, RI. It is this location that has been the site of reported paranormal activity. The library was loved by both H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe. Poe in particular has left a significant impression.

The well documented romance between Edgar Allan Poe and poet Sarah Helen Whitman highlights many a visit to this famous library. It's said the ghost of Poe himself haunts the top floor. Poe died not long after he and Whitman ended their engagement in the Athenaeum and Whitman is said to have summoned his spirit in the library. If you believe this then it may not surprise you that years later a man was found sleeping on the Athenaeum steps. When asked to move, he proceeded to yell out Poe’s poem The Conqueror Worm before vanishing into thin air.

There is also a cursed fountain on the premises. Legend has it if you drink from the fountain outside the Providence Athenaeum you may leave Rhode Island but are guaranteed to always return. Since the fountain is from 1873, it is not in the best condition and is recommend by the staff that you don't test this legend out or you may never return to life itself.

9. Cumberland Public Library - Cumberland, RI

Another haunted library on our list is the Cumberland Public Library. The most infamous haunting in the town of Cumberland, settled in 1635 is on the grounds of a former monastery and current library. Common reports of paranormal activity include disembodied screams, a phantom monk on the grounds as well as moving from one place to another on their own. Many of the people who live locally actually believe that it is not just the building itself that is haunted, but the entire surrounding area.

Locals believe that it is haunted by the spirits of nine militiamen who are said to have been flayed there. Too little is known about the event to be certain but flaying does seem violent enough to warrant a few screams now and then. I have been on the grounds before and though I haven’t seen monks or moving books or heard screams, I can say that there is a lovely wooded path to walk along. And though beautiful, my husband and I did keep turning around because we felt like we were being followed. Weird!

10. THE BILTMORE HOTEL - PROVIDENCE, RI

Since opening in 1922, this haunted hotel has been the inspiration for not one but two horror hits! It Both the Bates Motel in Robert Bloch’s horror novel “Psycho” and the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King’s book “The Shining.” were inspired by stays at The Biltmore.

In October 2017, the iconic hotel in downtown Providence became the Graduate Providence, but the ghosts have stayed checked in. The Biltmore Hotel was named as America’s most haunted hotel in 2000. When you look into the hotel’s history it is easy to see why

When it was built, The Biltmore was financially backed by rumored Satanist Johan Leisse Weisskopf. It has been said that he oversaw rituals in the building and there were even rumors of human sacrifices having taken place. The hotel also became a hot spot during Prohibition and a number of high profile murders took place amidst the rowdy parties involving police officers and even the mayor. All of this has led to a range of paranormal activity. Guests often report the sounds of rowdy parties coming from empty rooms long after the hotel bars have closed. There have also been instances of guests vanishing from the halls as recently as 2008. I don’t know about you but I think this seems like a great place to attend a party or take a tour but maybe not where I want to spend the night.

11. Slater Mill - Pawtucket, RI

Dating back to 1793, this historic Mill is located on the banks of the Blackstone River in Pawtucket and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. This historic textile mill complex was modeled after cotton spinning mills first established in England.Now operating as a history museum, the site is recognized as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. It's also said to be pretty haunted by those who died at the factory while working on dangerous machines.

During the time period that the factory was in operation, children were allowed to be employed as workers and because of their size, they would sometimes be forced to clean out the machines when they were jammed. Haunting reports here include dark figures as well as the sounds of children running around and child’s screams.

12. Governor Sprague Mansion - Cranston, RI.

Located at 1351 Cranston Street, the historic Governor Sprague Mansion is a stunning former mansion and current museum. Birthplace of two Rhode Island governors, this mansion has seen a lot of history but also its share of violence. The mansion is said to be haunted by a former resident after his mysterious murder in the 1800s.

Amasa Sprague, successful textile merchant and brother of governor and US senator William Sprague, was found beaten to death outside the mansion in December 1843. John Gordon was accused and found guilty of the murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Gordon would be the last person executed in Rhode Island. In 2011, the case was researched and Gordon was pardoned postmortem based on the lack of evidence supporting his conviction. It seems that when reviewing historical documents, there is much more evidence for a clear anti-Catholic and anti-Irish bias than there was Gordon having anything to do with the murder. But Gordon’s ghost might be holding a grudge stronger than a pardon given too late. Sprague Mansion is said to be under the power of a poltergeist ever since the hanging.

Witness reports run the gamut from the mysterious unmaking of beds, flickering lights and shuffling footsteps to actual ghost sightings, disembodied whispers and objects moving on their own.

13. The Perron House (The Conjuring House) - Burrillville, RI

Last on our list is the internationally famous Perron House. In the 1970s, a family called the Perrons moved to a beautiful house on the border of Harrisville and Burrillville to raise their family. They might have not picked the best place to bring their children however. According to the legend, the property belonged to a deceased Satanist named Bathsheba who killed her own daughter to appease the Devil.

The Perron House has become a worldwide sensation thanks to the movie based on true events that occurred in the home of Roger and Carolyn Perron. It’s a pretty solid choice if you’re looking for something spooky to watch this Halloween.

As the story goes, it wasn’t long after the couple and their daughters moved into the home that they started seeing terrifying things. Mrs. Perron once woke to find an old woman in a gray dress with her head hanging at an awkward angle standing over her bed. Famed paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren were brought in to help and quickly concluded that this was the spirit of Bathsheba Sherman who hanged herself after murdering her daughter in a ritual to bind her soul to the property. The Perrons went through some insane happenings in this house but it is believed that the Warrens did manage to separate the ghosts of the past from the property. So, though this used to be a major haunting hotspot, it seems to be a peaceful place to live today.

Readers be warned. This is not a tourist spot to go and explore. This is a private residence and ever since the release of the 2013 film the family residing there have been besieged, not by spirits but by trespassers. Do not disturb this family. It isn’t fair to them, they did not profit from the film at all and you would not want strangers in your yard looking through your windows at all hours.

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