The Little Bird© A Twice-Weekly Newsletter For Curious Seniors Nancy A. Franks, Editor Topic: Armchair Traveler: A Visit To Rhode Island “Where’d you hear that?” “The Little Bird© told me!” Block Island Wind Farm Automatic Sprinkler Block Island .com) .com) scsv theday (Photo Source: Source: (Photo (Photo Source: Source: (Photo Rhode Island is home to the Block (Photo Source: oonlyinyourstate.com) Have you visited Block Island? Island Wind Farm, the first This popular summer tourist commercial offshore wind farm in You can thank Rhode Islander, destination has a year round the United States. The five turbines Frederick Grinnel for keeping you population of just over 1,000 began operating in December safe. He patented the automatic residents. Forty percent of the 9.73 2016. Block Island now receives sprinkler. In 1892, he organized the acres is set aside for conservation. It power via undersea cables from the General Fire Extinguisher is the perfect spot to hike, bike, sail, wind farm. Company in Providence. fish, and enjoy the beach. The Breakers Gilbert Stuart’s Coffee Syrup Birthplace (Photo Source: Source: oamazon.com) (Photo (Photo Source: onlyinyourstate.com) Source: (Photo (Photo Source: lostnewengland.org Let’s travel back to 1895 and visit America’s foremost portraitist, Rhode Island’s coffee milk craze Cornelius Vanderbilt II at The Gilbert Stuart, was born on began in the late 1930s. It is Breakers in Newport. He’s named December 3, 1755 in believed that a soda fountain his 70-room mansion after the Saunderstown, Rhode Island. His worker developed coffee syrup by waves crashing on the cliffs below. father owned and operated the sweetening leftover coffee grounds Let’s stroll the 14-acres and view country’s first snuff mill in the with milk and sugar, then added the spectacular gardens. It’s hard to the syrup to cold milk. Soon people basement of the home. At the believe that Cornelius considers wanted the convenience of making this Italian Renaissance-style age of six, the Stuart family coffee milk at home. Eclipse palazzo his “summer cottage”. The moved to Newport. It was there opened in Warwick, then Autocrat Great Hall has 45-foot ceilings. that young Gilbert began producing coffee syrup in Thirty-three of the rooms are for the demonstrated his talent for Lincoln. In 1993, coffee milk was family’s hired help. Such luxury! painting. named Rhode Island’s state drink. Washington’s 4th Visit Mr. Potato Head Clam Fritter .com) biography Source: worldstrides.com) (Photo (Photo Source:(Photo worldstrides.com) (Photo Source: Source: (Photo Our country’s 1st President visited Have you met one of Rhode Island’s Have you tried a Rhode Island clam Rhode Island four times. most popular residents, Mr. Potato fritter? According to local legend, Head? The loveable spud was, they were invented at Aunt In May 1790, Rhode Island became invented in 1949 by George Lerner. Carrie’s, a seafood restaurant in the final colony to ratify the Mr. Potato was manufactured by Narragansett, Rhode Island. Carrie Constitution. When the good news Hassenfeld Brothers’, a toy Cooper, who owned the restaurant reached the President, he began company located in Providence, with her husband Ulysses, decided planning his fourth visit. Rhode Island. This was the first toy to add fresh clams to her corn fritter On Sunday, August 12th, advertised on television. recipe. The results were a hit! The Washington and a small entourage Hassenfeld Brothers’ became golden brown balls are crispy on cruised from New York to Newport, Hasbro, Inc. Mr. Potato Head the outside. The light inside Rhode Island. Thomas Jefferson remains in production today. features chewy minced clams.. was part of the group. The people of Newport welcomed their President Hammersmith Farm Federal Hill with enthusiasm. Washington .com) made an address on the importance .com) of freedom of religion. The day tripadvisor wrapped up with a festive dinner at tripadvisor the State House. On Monday, the President and his (Photo Source: Source: (Photo (Photo Source: Source: (Photo party took a seven-hour cruise to Providence. The ship docked in the Hammersmith Farm in Newport Providence’s Federal Hill is said to late afternoon. For the next two was the childhood summer home of be the “Little Italy” of Rhode Island. days, the President attended a Jaqueline Lee Bouvier. The In the early 1900s, the area was variety of meetings and parties. oceanfront Victorian mansion was settled by Italian-American One evening, a tired Washington built in 1887. On September 12, immigrants. 1953, over 1,200 invited guests climbed the hill to Rhode Island The iconic Gateway Arch greets joined newlyweds, Mr. & Mrs. John College (now Brown University) visitors to Atwells Avenue. F. Kennedy, on the terrace of where the students had placed Hanging from the arch’s center is a Hammersmith Farm. The couple’s candles in windows, illuminating sculpture of a pinecone. La pigna is wedding had taken place that the campus buildings. a traditional Italian welcome morning at St. Mary’s Church. The symbol. Visitors often mistake the Washington ended his Rhode 300 acre estate was the perfect pinecone for a pineapple. A Island visit with a farewell dinner backdrop for the couple’s 4-foot quarter mile of Atwells Avenue has for 200. After the meal, the wedding cake. While staying at over twenty restaurants. Nearby President and his entourage Hammersmith Farm in September Johnson & Wales University has a boarded the boat for their return 1961, President Kennedy signed the dormitory on Federal Hill. trip to New York. Peace Corps Act Of 1961. Oliver Hazzard Perry Metacom Hurricane Bob com) thoughtco. (Photo Source:(Photo (Photo Source:(Photo boston25news.com) (Image Source: Britanica.com) “We have met the enemy Born in 1638, Metacom was the second Where were you on August 19th, and they are ours – two son of Massasoit. Seeing the 1991? At approximately 1:30 PM, harmonious relationship that his ships, two brigs, one the eye of Hurricane Bob passed father had with the Mayflower schooner, and one sloop.” over Block Island. It made landfall Pilgrims, Metaom chose to change his over Newport just before 2:00 PM. - Oliver Hazzard Perry name to Phillip. Following Massasoit’s September 10, 1813 Block Island reported sustained death in 1661, Phillip was elected the Oliver Hazzard Perry was born in leader of the Wampanoag tribe and winds of 90 MPH and gusts that Kingston, Rhode Island in 1785. He the relationship worsened. Phillip let exceeded 105 MPH. Wind gusts of became a national hero during the native tribes in the area in an armed 100 MPH were also reported in War Of 1812. On September 10, conflict with English colonists who had Newport. Over 7 inches of rain fell 1813, Perry commanded a fleet of taken their land without paying for it in northern Rhode Island. Power ships that defeated the British in and had reduced their wildlife supply. outages lasted for days. There were Lake Erie. The conflict, called King Phillip’s War, downed trees, street flooding, and lasted from June 1675 to April 1678. extensive damage to buildings. Talk Like A Rhode Phillip did not live to see the end of the Most beaches were closed for the Islander war. He was fatally shot by a native remainder of the season. who remained loyal to the colonists. cabinet: For over 20 years, Phillip’s head was Don’t miss the next issue of When Rhode Islanders say, “Let’s go displayed at the top of a pole at the entrance to the Plimoth Colony. The The Little Bird©! get a cabinet”, they probably don’t mean a cupboard with shelves and native American that shot Phillip was XXX The Little Bird given his hand as a trophy. drawers. Instead, they may be Sources: inviting you to get a milkshake. In http://www.quahog.org/factsfolklore/index.php?i d=157, www.onlyinyourstate.com/rhode- the Ocean State, a beverage made island/words-only-in-ri, with ice-cream, flavored syrup, and kids.britannica.com/students/article/Oliver- Hazard-Perry, www.gettysburgflag.com/flags- milk is called a cabinet. banners/rhode-island-state-flags, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacomet, jimmies: kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Metacom, What do you call the tiny candies www.thenewportbuzz.com/hurricane-bob-newport- rhode-island, that are used as decorations for ice- www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digit cream, cupcakes, or doughnuts? al-encyclopedia/article/rhode-island, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammersmith_Farm, You may call them sprinkles, but in www.rd.com/list/facts-about-wedding-jfk-and- Rhode Island, they’re known as jackie, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam_cake#:~:text=Loca, jimmies. Rhode Island Flag en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Hill,_Providence,_ Rhode_Island, newengland.com/today/food/new- grinder Adopted: March 30, 1877 england-made/coffee-milk, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_milk, Don’t order an Italian sub in Rhode The 13 stars represent the 13 original www.providencejournal.com/photogallery, Island. Ask for an Italian grinder colonies. www.golocalprov.com/lifestyle/20-awesome- things-that-come-from-rhode-island, instead. A submarine sandwich or “Hope” is Rhode Island’s state motto. www.newport-discovery-guide.com/breakers- sub is known as a grinder The anchor represents the important mansion.html, www.gilbertstuartmuseum.org/gilbert-stuart, throughout the state. role the ocean plays in the state. www.providencejournal.com/photogallery/PJ/201 90912/NEWS/912009995/PH/1 .