Facts and folklore

Biographies

Stories of the folks behind the history.

aaRussillo vs. aRusso
by Christopher Martin
That which we call a Russo, by any other name would smell... as sweet?

Tristam Burges
by Wilfred H. Munro
Rhode Island's "bald eagle" of oratory.

Elizabeth Buffum Chace and Lillie Chace Wyman
by Elizabeth C. Stevens
Unstoppable mother and daughter activists.

Esek
by Glenn Laxton
From Peace Dale to a Confederate Prison.

The Execution of Joshua Tefft
by A. Craig Anthony
He had guts.

Knights of the Sea
by Frank Pritchard
One was our own.

Kevin Lima
by Michelle Houle
From Pawtucket to Hollywood!

Notable Rhode Islanders
From the Amazing Royal Crowns to Eddie Zack, Rhode Islanders flavor the world!

The Pocket Diary of Eileen Harris of Smithfield
transcribed and annotated by Christopher Martin
138 days in a life.

Lucy Wall Reynolds
by Tim Cranston
A young girl's sewing project reveals a woman's life.

Rhode Island Portraits (in Text)
by Florence Markoff
Brief stories of famous and not-so-famous Rhode Islanders.

The Ring Cycle
by Paul Kandarian
Think boxer Vinny Paz is a tough guy? You haven't met his dad, Angelo the Barber.

Cultural brouhaha

The people, customs, arts, and events that make Rhode Island Rhode Island.

Ask Stuffie
Curiosity killed the cat; mail-order coffee syrup brought her back.

Big Hair
by Tracey Minkin
On the trail of a Rhode Island fashion phenomenon.

Chicken Family-Style
The signature dish of Rhode Island's Blackstone River Valley.

Coffee Milk
Rhode Island's official state drink. Really, it's true!

From Bullrakes to Clambakes
by Michael Bell
The folklife of the Narragansett Bay quahogging industry.

Myths and legends of Smith's Castle
by Christine Kalina
What phantoms linger within these old walls?

Nineteenth Century Clamcake Humor
by David Norton Stone
Frittering away.

Quahog.org Guide to Rhode Island Language Stuff
Whatchoo lookin' at?

Recipes
Do-it-yourself Rhode Island cuisine.

Rhode Island Beaches
by Laury Coleman
Life-giving sun. Pounding surf. Sand in your butt crack.

Rhode Island Folklore
by Michael Bell
The Devil's footprints, shift marriages, May breakfasts, and more!

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Film
Exporting Rhode Island culchuh to the world!

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Literature
Curl up with the Ocean State.

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Television
Which city was described as a pit? Where did Agent Mulder's family spend their summers?

Rhode Island Treasures
The Ocean State showcases the coolest stuff from its attic.

The Road Less Traveled: Exeter
by Rona Mann
An invitation to explore.

A Second Shot at a Second Life for the Lemoyne Diner
by Christopher Martin
A Pennsylvania diner comes to Rhode Island.

The Settlement of Rhode Island
Introduced and annotated by David Norton Stone and Christopher Martin
An illustrated account of dubious veracity.

Shellfishing Information
Cold and clammy.

White Horse Tavern Ghost Stories
as told by Anita Rafael
More than one kind of spirit at one of America's oldest taverns.

Wine Tasting in Rhode Island
with contributions by Cynthia Parzych and John Turner
When coffee milk isn't enough.

You Might Be a Littleneck If...
by Doug Norris
A collection of cultural signposts.

Zeppole and Saint Joseph's Day
by Nikki Batsford
What would March 19 be without these Italian pastries?

History

Learn something, you whippersnappers!

Amazing PTs of World War II
by Constance Beck
Marauders from Melville.

The Beginnings of Labor Day in Rhode Island
by D. Scott Molloy
It wasn't always just another day off.

Book Notes, Volume 1
by Sidney S. Rider
Literary gossip, criticisms of books, and local historical matters connected with Rhode Island.

Chopmist Hill and the United Nations
by Barbara Sarkesian
More proof that Rhode Island is often mistaken for the center of the world.

Early Rhode Island Ferries
When there actually was a reason to pack a lunch when traveling from one side of the bay to the other.

...For Fear We Should Be Caught Asleep
by Anita Rafael
Excerpts from the diary of Mary Gould Almy, August 1778.

The Gravelly Point Pirates
by Gloria Merchant
Bound by the tide.

Historical and Genealogical Links and Resources
Discover Rhode Island! It's not just the old license plate slogan.

Knights of the Sea
by Frank Pritchard
One was our own.

A Living Museum
by Michael Bell
History, oral history, and folklore of the Looff Carousel at Crescent Park.

Mass Transit in Rhode Island
by D. Scott Molloy
The early turnpikes from Indian trails to tollgates.

The Narragansett Pacer
by Nancy Coggeshall
Where and how it evolved, flourished, and died out.

Newport's Portuguese Heritage
by Patricia O'Sullivan
More than just chouriço and linguiça.

Octagonal Houses of Rhode Island
by Louis McGowan
Eight walls to enfold you.

Old Stone Bank History of Rhode Island
Good old things.

Pearl Harbor Day 1941
transcribed and annotated by Jane Lancaster
As recorded in her diary by Helen Clarke Grimes, a not very typical Rhode Island housewife.

Personal Effects of Elisha Hunt Rhodes
An officer and a gentleman.

Polo, the Sport of Kings
by Nancy Coggeshall
in Narragansett and Newport, Yesterday and Today

Rain of Fish
by Edward Dalton
What, no loaves?

Rhode Island Facts and Trivia
Per square mile, Rhode Island has more shipwrecks than any other state, and other fascinating tidbits!

Rhode Island Folklore
by Michael Bell
The Devil's footprints, shift marriages, May breakfasts, and more!

Rhode Island Portraits (in Text)
by Florence Markoff
Brief stories of famous and not-so-famous Rhode Islanders.

Rhode Island Treasures
The Ocean State showcases the coolest stuff from its attic.

Rhode Island's Charms Appealed to a Long-ago Visitor
by Saul Ricklin
The first known written description of Rhode Island and its inhabitants.

Rhode Island's Invisible Landmarks
by Michael Bell
A rumination on things that Used to Be There.

Three Seventeenth-Century Houses
by Neil Dunay
An architectural comparison.

Tours
Ramble on!

Used to be There
You can get there from here, but you'll need to know your history.

Where Have All the Frontons Gone?
by Tim Lehnert
Once upon a time there was jai alai in Newport.

Reminiscences

The memories of real people, unfiltered by stodgy historians.

The Blizzard of 1978
The week the state stood still.

The Cotton Business in 1835 and Now
by Stephen A. Knight
A fond farewell to child labor and throstle frames.

Hi, Dad!
by Louise Lind
A family connection in bronze.

The Last Gibbet Cage
by Susan Taryn McVicar
A South County ghost story.

Old Stone Snowbound
The heart of the corporate machine beats with compassion.

Rocky Point Amusement Park
A summer day that never ends.

Salty Brine
A genuinely nice man.

The Station Fire
A horrifying tragedy.

Tales of La Principessa
by Meg, the Bogwitch from Greene
Odd characters, bygone places, and stealing a cop's hat.

Used to be There
You can get there from here, but you'll need to know your history.

Trivia

Nothing you need to know, but oddly compelling anyway.

Notable Rhode Islanders
From the Amazing Royal Crowns to Eddie Zack, Rhode Islanders flavor the world!

Quahog.org Guide to Rhode Island Language Stuff
Whatchoo lookin' at?

Quahog.org in the news
A page that only we look at, to remind ourselves how cool we are.

Quahogenstein
A compendium of odd facts, audacious anecdotes, goofy photos, and random flotsam.

Rhode Island as a Unit of Measure Updated
Bigger than a breadbox, smaller than the universe!

Rhode Island Facts and Trivia
Per square mile, Rhode Island has more shipwrecks than any other state, and other fascinating tidbits!

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Film
Exporting Rhode Island culchuh to the world!

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Literature
Curl up with the Ocean State.

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Music, A-M Updated
A small state of inspiration is a dangerous thing.

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Music, N-Q
A small state of inspiration is a dangerous thing.

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Music, R
A small state of inspiration is a dangerous thing.

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Music, S-Z
A small state of inspiration is a dangerous thing.

Rhode Island in the Limelight: Television
Which city was described as a pit? Where did Agent Mulder's family spend their summers?

The Road to Rhode Island
A Family Guy concordance.

There Once was a Man from Pawtucket
Who rhymed naughty words like "suck it!"

The World of Brotherhood
Where fiction and reality meet.