East Greenwich, Rhode Island

East Greenwich is the county seat of Kent County in central Rhode Island. It covers 16.71 sq mi (43.3 sq mi) and has a population of 13,000 people (2011 estimate). It is renowned for being the birthplace of the navy. In fact when the Rhode Island General Assembly passed the resolution to form the navy on 12 June, 1775, it was the first in the Western Hemisphere.

East Greenwich, Rhode Island
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:East_Greenwich_Downtown.jpg
Author: Marcbela
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The city of East Greenwich dates back to 1677. As would be expected, it was named after the town of Greenwich (from 2012 the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London), England. The town was renamed to Dedford in 1686, but was again called Greenwich in 1689. Then in 1641 it was split into East Greenwich and West Greenwich. Both are still in existence today.

East Greenwich has the wealthiest municipality in Rhode Island. The city has a popular waterfront lined with shops, restaurants and entertainment outlets.

Visiting East Greenwich

Interstate 95 connects East Greenwich with the rest of Rhode Island and the rest of the country at large. To reach East Greenwich, turn off the I-95 at either Exit 7 or Exit 8 heading east.

Places of Interest in East Greenwich

Armory of the Kentish Guards
Historic Armory established in 1774. It contains a gallery featuring old photos of members of the Kentish Guard.
Clement Weaver-Daniel Howland House
Historic stone-ender timber-frame house built in 1679. It is the oldest documented dwelling in Kent County and the second oldest dwelling in Rhode Island. The house is today listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
Colonel Micah Whitmarsh House
House built in 1767 and now listed in the NRHP.
East Greenwich Historic District
Area where settlement dates back to 1677, and today listed in the NRHP.
Fry's Hamlet Historic District
District settled in 1735, and today listed in the NRHP.
General James Mitchell Varnum House
House of American Revolutionary War hero General James Mitchell Varnum. Built in 1773, it is now listed in the NRHP.
Kent County Courthouse
Historic court building erected in 1803 and today listed in the NRHP.
Massie Wireless Station
Wireless station at Point Judith. Built in 1907, it is the oldest surviving wireless station in the world.
Richard Briggs Farm
Historic farm built in 1735 and now listed in the NRHP.
Scallop Town Park
Public park named to commemorate Scallop Town, as the dockside waterfront was known.
Tillinghast Mill Site
Site of a former mill and its related structures, added to the NRHP in 1988.
Tillinghast Road Historic District
Historic site now listed in the NRHP.
Windmill Cottage
Historic house with an attached former windmill which inspired the poem The Windmill by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Built in 1790, it is now on the NRHP.

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