11-11-11: One Hundred Years Ago in Providence, RI
The Great War had raged 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 battles […]
Revisiting Rhode Island’s Top-Secret Ear on the World
The story of one of Rhode Island’s best-kept World War II wartime secrets is briefly recounted in our book “World War Two Rhode Island” (The History Press; 2017). The material was drawn from a story written for these pages back in 2016. Now and then, I’ve been asked for more details about this tale, so […]
Rhode Island’s Albert Martin, A Hero of the Alamo
Three years ago, we shared this story about Albert Martin at the Alamo with you in Varnum News. Now, there is a new piece of information that may have come about as a result of Rhode Island calling the attention of our friends in Texas to an error in their memorial to the fallen heroes […]
John Browning’s Remarkable Automatic Rifle: the BAR
Sitting on a display case in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s “World Wars Room” is a Model M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). Introduced late in World War I and now known by infantrymen around the globe, the “BAR” was the product of the fertile mind of John Moses Browning. He is considered to be one […]
A Fowler Musket With a Rhode Island Connection
As we have come to discover, the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum archives are a genuine treasure trove. Armory Museum Curator Patrick Donovan and the rest of his team continue to sift through decades of acquisitions, and have come up with some surprising pieces. Recently, an item was discovered that carries an interesting history of its […]
The Aleutians Campaign of World War II and a Varnum Continentals Connection
In February of 1942, by order of Chief of Staff General George Marshall, the cumbersome reporting mechanisms of the Army were reorganized into three components: Ground Forces, Air Forces, and Services of Supply (later to be simply known as the Service Force that also included the Army’s Technical Services). Among the latter was the Quartermaster […]
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 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 […]