{"id":35,"ordinal":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:57:31","content_modified":"2026-04-17 19:57:31","featured":1,"title":"First Peoples of Rhode Island","creator":"Katharine Kirakosian, PhD and Tomaquag Museum","description":"<p>The First Peoples of the area now referred to as Rhode Island have cared for these lands and, in turn, been cared for by them for thousands of years. When Europeans arrived, colonists were met by strong tribal nations with complex societies and vibrant cultures. Beginning in the early 17th century, colonization began to disrupt Native groups in Rhode Island and across New England on social, political, and cultural levels. In seeking a better life for themselves and their families, colonists changed the futures of the First Peoples as well. The changes that ensued often contradicted and frequently dismissed Indigenous worldviews and led to the persecution of Native communities.\r\n\r\nThrough difficult times, the First Peoples of Rhode Island have managed to both survive and thrive. Thanks to the strength and dignity of various Native leaders and tribal members from the 17th to the 21st centuries, the Narragansett Indian Tribe has maintained a vibrant cultural legacy in Rhode Island. Institutions like The Narragansett Indian Church, the Tomaquag Museum, and the Rhode Island Indian Council have been bastions of First Peoples' identity and community making. To date, The Narragansett Indian Tribe is the only federally recognized tribe in Rhode Island. However, the Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Niantic lived within Rhode Island's Eurocentric boundaries prior to, and during colonization.\r\n\r\nIn the development of this tour, many primary and secondary sources were consulted. This was done with a critical eye on these sources, considering the context within which they were created. Accordingly, many of the sources should not be viewed as innately factual documents, but as documents created by colonial powers to justify colonization. Some of the primary sources cited here are controversial, and even painful reminders to Native communities of what their ancestors endured and overcame.\r\n\r\nWhile there are countless places that are important to the First Peoples of Rhode Island, and many individuals that have worked for the betterment of their community, those involved in crafting this tour had the very difficult task of selecting just a handful of places and people to highlight. The individuals and locations selected are chosen to illustrate larger themes and topics relevant to the history of the First Peoples of Rhode Island.\r\n\r\nIn experiencing this tour, it is important to note that any group of people who have a shared cultural identity are diverse in their views and opinions on their heritage. The Narragansett Indian Tribe is no exception. Accordingly, the secondary sources informing this tour do not reflect the views of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, or necessarily, its tribal members. Our hope is that by sharing these sources, we inspire respectful dialogue between Native and non-Native groups about the history of the First Peoples of Rhode Island.</p>","postscript_text":"This tour was supported by generous grants from the Heritage Harbor Foundation and the Herman H. Rose Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation. \r\n\r\nTour developers would also like thank Anthony Belz, Archivist, Lorén Spears, Executive Director, and Dawn Dove, Tribal Elder, who helped support content from the Tomaquag Museum.","tour_img":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/f5e933d87f4a2b3ccdf20038b49b1555.jpg","items":[{"id":293,"title":"Canonicus and Miantonomi","latitude":41.81084460000000291302058030851185321807861328125,"longitude":-71.46249549999998862404027022421360015869140625,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/f5e933d87f4a2b3ccdf20038b49b1555.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/f5e933d87f4a2b3ccdf20038b49b1555.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"675 Plainfield St. Providence, RI 02909","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":294,"title":"Ninigret","latitude":41.3108902000000028920112526975572109222412109375,"longitude":-71.85717940000000680811353959143161773681640625,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/cf33dada9afb6641343f6a774acf6cb3.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/cf33dada9afb6641343f6a774acf6cb3.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"44 Bay Street., Westerly, RI 02891","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":295,"title":"Metacomet","latitude":41.674948000000000547515810467302799224853515625,"longitude":-71.246589999999997644408722408115863800048828125,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/b8f7a01df4ce764959b05e3f040261f7.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/b8f7a01df4ce764959b05e3f040261f7.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"250 Metacom Ave. Bristol, RI 02809","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":296,"title":"Quaiapen","latitude":41.957619041805997994742938317358493804931640625,"longitude":-71.579038246695972702582366764545440673828125,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/b51d137ff7b75093a3093cfc53592c09.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/b51d137ff7b75093a3093cfc53592c09.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"276 Douglas Pike, North Smithfield, RI 02896","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":297,"title":"Samuel Niles","latitude":41.40926739999999739438862889073789119720458984375,"longitude":-71.65978569999998626371962018311023712158203125,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/7a6ed1bf63eee4842eb1409fa8cb8888.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/7a6ed1bf63eee4842eb1409fa8cb8888.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"Indian Church Road (41°24'33.7\"N 71°39'34.7\"W)","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":298,"title":"Sarah Muckamug","latitude":41.96856100000000111549525172449648380279541015625,"longitude":-71.49647889999999961219145916402339935302734375,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/7d5dbe200e0d95fa4f67bfc8f60bd313.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/7d5dbe200e0d95fa4f67bfc8f60bd313.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"956 Old Smithfield Road, North Smithfield, RI 02896","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":300,"title":"Ellison Myers \"Tarzan\" Brown","latitude":41.830953399999998509883880615234375,"longitude":-71.4149965000000293002813123166561126708984375,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/f54c1092c76a6af31704e530b63f16f3.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/f54c1092c76a6af31704e530b63f16f3.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":null,"custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":299,"title":"Princess Red Wing","latitude":41.468526400000001785883796401321887969970703125,"longitude":-71.5955361000000038984580896794795989990234375,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/bbc9b742591fb2dec85f36d1a1b4a9b4.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/bbc9b742591fb2dec85f36d1a1b4a9b4.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"41 Great Swamp Monument Road, North Kingstown, RI 02892","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":301,"title":"Ferris Babcock Dove and Eleanor Dove","latitude":41.5573889852799993605003692209720611572265625,"longitude":-71.69845322702900602962472476065158843994140625,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/70dbf4f1353091517e3fb300997e72f8.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/70dbf4f1353091517e3fb300997e72f8.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"390 Summit Road, Exeter, RI 02822","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}},{"id":302,"title":"Narragansett Food Sovereignty Initiative (NFSI)","latitude":41.36567790000000144345904118381440639495849609375,"longitude":-71.78005009999998264902387745678424835205078125,"thumbnail":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/square_thumbnails/87e5ff6b0b2b7bf31a1aa6bae7366e22.jpg","fullsize":"https://www.rhodetour.org/files/fullsize/87e5ff6b0b2b7bf31a1aa6bae7366e22.jpg","subtitle":null,"address":"104 Pound Road, Westerly, RI 02891","custom":{"subtitle":null,"text":null}}]}