South County Heroes & Settlers

South County is abundant in history. Buildings from the seventeenth century and beyond still stand and tell the stories of South County’s Narragansett Indians, war heroes, America’s founding fathers and many others.  

Our first stop is the General Natanael Greene Homstead in Coventry. A Revoulutionary War hero, Greene lived here from 1770 to 1776. Greene was the youngest and one of the most trusted generals of the Revolutionary army and a friend and comrade-in-arms of George Washington. Explore the yard and eight display rooms, filled with period furnishings and Greene family memorabilia.  For more information, contact 401.821.8630.

Next, we visit the Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum, located in Arcadia Village, Exeter.  For more information about the museum call 401.539.7213. Through this guided tour, learn the culture and tradition of local Native American Indians, with a musical presentation by students from Nuweetooun School. Sample Native American food and browse the many significant exhibits showcasing their history. Enjoy the scenic drive through the Arcadia Management Area, Rhode Island's largest management area.  Covering 13,814 acres of forests, ponds and hiking trails, it also provides beautiful picnic areas en route to our next stop, Kenyon's Grist Mill.

In the heart of the quaint village of Usquepaugh, the Queens River provides a picturesque setting for the historic Kenyon's Grist Mill that dates back to the early 1700s. As a supplier of a variety of meals, flours, mixes and baking items, you will be able to sample their johnny cakes, one of Rhode Island's best known staples. Drink locally roasted coffee, learn about single pass stone grinding and the traditional techniques passed down from the Native Americans.

Located in Wickford, surrounded by Mill Cove and the Cocumscussoc Brook, is the last stop on our tour, Smith's Castle.  Call 401.294.3521 for more information. Providing an up-close look at four centuries of Rhode Island history. Take a guided tour of the castle lead by a docent in colonial dress, see a trading post owned by Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, and one of the great plantations of 18th century New England.