[FEATURE EXHIBIT] 17th Century Fowler Birding Gun Restored by the Varnum Continentals
This ancient Fowler was purportedly carried by Thomas Gould of North Kingstown as he patrolled the beaches of Quidnesset watching for Tory and British ships during the American Revolutionary War. It is a conglomeration of early European parts and some crude American-made parts. This old flintlock birding gun dates from the late 1600s to early […]
Thomas W. Chace’s certificate of appreciation for service in the United Train of Artillery militia
This is East Greenwich resident Thomas W. Chace’s certificate of appreciation for his service in the United Train of Artillery militia as he took command of the 4th Brigade of the Rhode Island Militia in September 1872. The intricacy and workmanship is amazing! This item is on display at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum.
Second Tintype of Rhode Island American Civil War Veteran
Amazingly, a second tintype of Lyman Aylesworth (1st Rhode Island Cavalry in the US Civil War) has been found; this time on horseback in the field with his saber drawn. This is a fantastic image even without the ID of Aylesworth. The frame is identical to the other tintype in our possession. A dealer had […]
[APR. 8 DINNER MEETING] Guest Speaker: Brian Wallin on “Dutch Island Then and Now”
From its earliest inhabitants (possibly as far back as 12,000 years ago) up to modern times, 55-acre Dutch Island in the center of the Narragansett Bay’s west passage, has played an interesting role. From Italian explorer Giovanni deVerrazano‘s first visit to the bay in 1524, to the arrival of the Dutch in the early 17th […]
Motorcycles on Main Fundraiser (April 27-28, 2019)
CLICK HERE TO BUY ADVANCED TICKETS! On Saturday (10AM to 4PM) and Sunday (12PM to 4PM), April 27 and 28, the Varnum Continentals will host “Motorcycles on Main” motorcycle show fundraising event at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, 6 Main Street, East Greenwich, RI. Tickets are $10 and children (age 12 and under) enter for […]
[MAR. 11 DINNER MEETING] Guest Speaker: Roy R. Manstan on U-boat Hunters During World War I
Soon after America declared war on Germany in April 1917, the Secretary of the Navy established the Naval Experimental Station in New London, CT, on the grounds of Fort Trumbull. The mission was to create technologies to counter the U-boats that prowled the Atlantic and Mediterranean. In a coordinated effort to exploit a submarine’s vulnerability […]
General George Patton: Master of the Sword
There are few military exercises as thrilling as the charge of a cavalry unit, sabers flashing as they face off against the enemy. Of course, with today’s advanced military weaponry, the saber has been relegated to ceremonial use. However, as recently as the early days of World War II, you could have witnessed a cavalry […]
[FEB. 11 DINNER MEETING] Guest Speaker: P. DiMaria and R. Pedro on RI Civil War soldier Private Alfred G. Gardner
The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum exhibit that features the battle-scarred Bible and other artifacts belonging to Rhode Island Civil War soldier Private Alfred G. Gardner (Battery B First Rhode Island Light Artillery) tells a story of sacrifice and devotion to a higher cause. The Bible served as Gardner’s private journal, in which he made observations […]
Young Charley Baker of Wickford: North Kingstown’s First American Civil War Killed in Action
In August 2015, we shared the story of the first North Kingstowner to fall in combat in the American Civil War during the March 14, 1862 Battle of New Bern (also spelled as New Berne) in North Carolina. With the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s recent acquisition of artifacts relating to that battle, it seems like […]
[JAN. 14 DINNER MEETING] Guest Speaker: John McNiff on the 1772 Gaspee Affair
The Varnum Continentals welcome John McNiff as our guest speaker at the January Varnum Members Meeting on Monday, January 11, 2016. This dinner is open to Varnum Members and their guests, and is held at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum at 6 Main St, East Greenwich, RI. McNiff has created and presented numerous programs and […]