In the years following World War II, marching bands were much in demand. Drum and bugle corps competed against each other, and rivalry was keen. Jamestown had had a Men’s Drum & Bugle Corps in the 1930s, and it was revived early in 1947.
Sheep played a large part in the early days of the island of Conanicut. As early as 1637, when the Narragansett granted the right to the grasses of the island to the Newport settlers, sheep were grazed on the island.
In the 19th century – before the invention of the movie, television, and computer – most people, especially in tiny towns like Jamestown, had to make their own entertainment. Fraternal organizations that provided social activities as well as mutual support and/or intellectual stimulation flourished. Among these organizations were debating societies.
Our Spring 2021 Newsletter is now available for download. Don’t miss the committee reports of all the things that we’ve been working on while at home.
Many organizations – governmental, fraternal, and commercial – use patches sewn to uniforms, shirts, or hats to identify their membership.
Named for John T. Greble, the first U.S. Military Academy graduate to die in the Civil War, Fort Greble was established as an Endicott fortification in 1897 and was part of the RI Coastal Defense on Dutch Island which is part of the town of Jamestown, Rhode Island.
During World War II, Conanicut Island was home to three named forts, all of which are now parks – Fort Burnside at Beavertail, Fort Getty on the West Passage, and Fort Wetherill on the East Passage. Each of the forts was named for a U.S. Army officer who had seen active service in the second half of the 19th century.
April is the month when, under Rhode Island state law, all dogs over three months of age must be registered. This April the JHS mounted two exhibits about Jamestown dogs and their registration.
In the mid-19th century, the population of Jamestown was declining. The 1870 census counted only 378 people living here. Those remaining knew the town would die if nothing were done.
The Jamestown Historical Society monitors eBay and other auction websites for objects pertaining to Jamestown. Over the last six years, we have purchased several archives and objects to add to the JHS collection.
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The Jamestown
Historical Society
PO Box 156
Jamestown, RI
02835