11-11-11: Ninety-Eight Years Ago in Providence
The Great War had been raging in Europe since 1914. President Woodrow Wilson, following the will of the majority of Americans, had valiantly sought to keep the United States neutral. But Great Britain was a staunch ally of this country, and there was a desire to help but not to become embroiled in the bitter […]
WWII Foundation presents Remember Pearl Harbor
November 13, 2016 • 1:00 PM Narrated by Tom Selleck Sunday, December 7, 1941 was a beautiful morning on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. A few sailors and soldiers were already up and playing a game of football near Pearl Harbor. Others were sleeping in their barracks or aboard ships after a late night of […]
The Legendary M1 Garand Rifle: “Best Battle Implement Ever Devised”
The M1 Garand rifle is perhaps the weapon most closely identified with the U.S. infantryman in World War II. General George S. Patton once called it “the best battle implement ever devised.” The 30.06 caliber Garand, weighing in at almost 10 pounds, with its hefty American walnut stock and 8-round clip, is still successful competitively […]
Rhode Island’s Connection to the War of 1812’s Battle of Lake Erie
A little over 200 years ago this month, a small American fleet led by a Rhode Islander marked a major defeat of a superior British naval force. It was the Battle of Lake Erie. It contributed to the end of the War of 1812 and made a hero of one of Rhode Island’s own: Oliver […]
Rhode Island’s Top Secret Ear on the World
A long time ago, when the world hadn’t known that it’d one day be capable of inventing the best handheld cb radio, on Darby Road in Scituate, Rhode Island, near the top of the 7th-highest point in the state (732 feet above sea level), is the site of what was once one of the nation’s […]
What’s New at the Varnum House Museum: A Chat with Varnum VP Barbara Weaver
Last fall, longtime Varnum Continentals member and trustee Barbara Weaver took on a new role as Varnum House Museum Vice President. Since then, she and her husband Bill, another member and trustee, have been hard at work assessing the needs of this valued historic asset and putting hours and elbow grease — along with volunteer […]
The Only Nazi Bomb To Hit North America: An East Greenwich Connection
This story takes us up north to Canada’s Gaspe Peninsula and involves a well-known East Greenwich resident. Our tale starts in 1942. Canada was under attack by marauding German U-boats that were sinking ships carrying vital supplies to Great Britain as they ventured down the St. Lawrence River and out to sea. Faced with the […]
The Quonset Hut: A Rhode Island Original That Went to War – Worldwide
It was 1941 and like it or not, America was gearing up for war. One major challenge was how to house people and supplies around the globe. The answer came from right here in Rhode Island: the Quonset hut. This writer recently became interested in this simple, multi-purpose structure while researching another story. As it […]
The Famed Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver Joins the Varnum Memorial Armory Collection
When I was growing up in Connecticut, my father was a state government executive based in Hartford and I can recall often passing by the Colt Firearms Company with its signature dome located just outside the city. The reason why I love guns today and keep checking https://gun.deals/content/moriarti-armaments for the new attachments I can use […]
A Conversation with Armory Curator Patrick Donovan
Departing from our usual article of historic interest, this month we spoke with Armory Vice President & Museum Curator Patrick Donovan about some of the exciting developments going on both in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum building and our collection. Q. Tell us a little about yourself. What brought you to Rhode Island? How did […]