Blogs & News

  • All
  • Conservation Lab
  • Feature Article
  • Historic Preservation
  • House Museum
  • Main Blog Post
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Regiment Blog
  • Speaking Program
  • Uncategorized
  • Varnum Continentals Marching Militia
  • Varnum Fundraisers
  • Varnum House Museum
  • Varnum Memorial Armory
  • Varnum Volunteers
All
  • All
  • Conservation Lab
  • Feature Article
  • Historic Preservation
  • House Museum
  • Main Blog Post
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Regiment Blog
  • Speaking Program
  • Uncategorized
  • Varnum Continentals Marching Militia
  • Varnum Fundraisers
  • Varnum House Museum
  • Varnum Memorial Armory
  • Varnum Volunteers

An Amazing Addition to the Jesse Whaley Collection!

Late in 2018, the family of East Greenwich, RI, native and World War I hero, Pvt. Jesse Whaley, chose the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum to ...
Read More →

Rhode Island Society of Colonial Wars Donates $9,000 to Varnum Armory

Irving C. Sheldon Jr. (President of the Rhode Island Chapter of the Society of Colonial Wars (SCW)) presented the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum with $9,000 ...
Read More →

American Revolutionary War Pay Voucher signed by Hopkins, Greene, and Ward

At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have an interesting American Revolutionary War period document featuring the autographs of three prominent Rhode Islanders including Esek ...
Read More →

What Happened to Submarine S-51 Off Block Island?

Submarines carry both a unique danger and special mystique to their volunteer crews. Although there have been instances of submariners escaping or rescued from their ...
Read More →

An Army in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum

Growing up, how many of us played with toy soldiers? Some were metal. Many were green plastic. But all gave us hours of enjoyment as ...
Read More →

Varnum Continentals’ COVID-19 Precautions

In response to the national emergency and recommendations from the CDC, the Varnum Continentals are not offering tours of our two museums until further notice. ...
Read More →

VERY RARE 39-Star American Flag

At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we now have a rare 39-star American flag, which was in use for … zero days.
Read More →

Cold War Memorabilia: Signature of Soviet Spy John A. Walker

The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum has acquired a rare piece of Cold War memorabilia. Here's the signature of the Soviet spy, John A. Walker, who ...
Read More →

[CANCELLED] Naval War College Museum and Varnum Armory Special Lecture, “The Lucky Few: The Story of the USS Kirk” with Commander Hugh J. Doyle, USN

On Sunday, March 29, the Naval War College Museum and Varnum Memorial Armory Museum will hold a special program in honor of 2020 Vietnam War ...
Read More →

[MAR. 9 DINNER MEETING] Historian Robert Grandchamp Chronicles Rhode Island’s U.S. Civil War Dead

At out March meeting, Mr. Grandchamp will talk about his research and findings and tell the story of three Rhode Island men killed in action ...
Read More →
British Grenadier Carbine

Who Carried the British Grenadier Sergeant’s Carbine in our Varnum Armory Collection?

In a rack atop the 19th-century, glass-front bookcase in the Varnum Commander’s Office is a rare English Carbine, a scaled-down version of the British Land ...
Read More →

Burnside Memorial Flags Update: Findings of National Interest

Here's the update you've been waiting for! Several weeks ago, we moved six historic, hand-painted silk flags from the Burnside Building (Bristol, RI), to the ...
Read More →

[FEB. 10 DINNER MEETING] Guest Speaker: Stanley Carpenter on “Crushing the Reich: Normandy to Berlin”

This year, 2020, marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Our February speaker, Stanley Carpenter, will focus on the key last ...
Read More →

Another Look at Varnum’s 1st Rhode Island Regiment

February is Black History Month, an opportunity to take a brief look at an important aspect of General James Mitchell Varnum’s illustrious career: the inclusion ...
Read More →

American Civil War Flag Restoration Project

We now have six historic, hand-painted silk flags from the Burnside Memorial Building in Bristol, RI, that have been transferred to the Varnum Memorial Armory ...
Read More →

Large-Caliber Sporting Rifle (circa 1800)

At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have a beautiful large-caliber sporting rifle. This rifle was made circa 1800 and used to bring down North ...
Read More →

Model 1816 flintlock in .69 caliber

Here's a close-up look at the lock from an 1833-dated Model 1816 flintlock in .69 caliber.
Read More →

Frank Quagan’s rendition of “Varnum’s Black Regiment”

At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have artist Frank Quagan's rendition of "Varnum's Black Regiment", the integrated 1st Rhode Island Regiment formed during the ...
Read More →