[SEPTEMBER 12 DINNER MEETING] Howard Vernon Allen, Community Leader and Legend
This month, as we approach the 110th anniversary year of the founding of the Varnum Continentals, trustee Brian Wallin takes us back in time to meet one of the founders of our organization and its longtime commander, H.V. Allen. Howard Vernon Allen was descended from one of Rhode Island’s founding families, and Brian will share […]
New Flagpoles at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum!
At last our new flagpoles are going up at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum! Thanks to David VanderPyl, Mark Trimmer, and Andrew Barkley, along with Brian Wallin, Patrick Donovan, and Tim Jackson.
1st Rhode Island Cavalry Artifacts & Guidon Flag
In direct relation to our 1st Rhode Island Cavalry Company L guidon flag, the Varnum Memorial Armory also has on exhibit the uniform belonging to North Kingstown’s Lyman Aylesworth, one the few cavalrymen to escape the Battle of Middleburg on June 18, 1863. Click here to book a tour!
Company L Guidon Flag from the First Rhode Island Cavalry in the US Civil War
June 18, 2016 was the 153rd anniversary of the First Rhode Island Cavalry‘s demise at the Battle of Middleburg during the U.S. Civil War. Nearly surrounded by overwhelming numbers from Jeb Stuart‘s Confederate cavalry, Col. Duffie ordered every man to try to get away. Out of roughly 280 soldiers, only 27 made it out. In […]
1st Rhode Island Cavalry Guidon Flag at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum
The 1st Rhode Island Cavalry Regiment (Company L) guidon flag is now on loan to the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum! This stunning piece of American Civil War history is on display at the armory through a generous loan from the Rhode Island National Guard (RING). Book a tour at the armory to view this exciting […]
Renovations Continue at the Varnum Armory Museum!
Armory Curator Patrick Donovan and Varnum Continentals Treasurer Tim Jackson (along with other volunteers) have made great progress toward the renovation of the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s exhibit spaces. There’s be demolition, new LED lighting for display cases, lining of display cases with unbleached linen, and overall painting. Once that’s done, we will put down […]
[APRIL 11 DINNER MEETING] Guest Speaker David Trimmer: Exploring the Titanic
The sinking of the steamship RMS Titanic has mesmerized and fascinated people for generations. What is it about this tragedy that has caught our collective imagination and interest from among the thousands of other tragedies that happened throughout history? Everyone knows the basics of the story of the Titanic, but how many know the many […]
[FEATURE EXHIBIT] Artillery Sponge/Rammer, and Worm for Civil War James Canon
We had a great time at the Baltimore Antique Arms Show! Our collection now has a fantastic artillery sponge/rammer and worm for the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum‘s Civil War James gun. This set has its original paint and appears to have been actually used in the field to load and swab the bore of a […]
[MARCH 14 DINNER MEETING] Guest Speaker Jim Egan: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Newport Tower Museum
Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Especially one that involves espionage, secret symbols, code words, significant ties to early Colonial history … and is located right in our back yard. At the March Varnum Continentals Member Dinner meeting, we’ll get an insider’s look at the mysterious Newport Tower, the 28-foot high remains of a round […]
“New Armory is Opened at East Greenwich” — Jan. 2, 1915
So, one of our members was doing some deep Google-fu and found this fun and interesting news clip about the opening of the Varmum Memorial Armory Museum. It comes from the January 2, 1915 edition of “The Evening News” out of Providence, RI. It was front-page news back in the day! Click the image in […]