Rhode Island Firsts . . .
1638: Rhode Island founder Roger Williams established the
first Baptist Church in America. The current meeting house featured above was erected in 1774.
Address: First Baptist Church, 75 N. Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903; 401-454-3418; Fax: 401-421-4095. Email:
info@fbcia.org.
Web: http://www.fbcia.org.
1638: Anne Hutchinson founded Portsmouth, Rhode Island. She was the first woman to found a town in America. The Portsmouth Compact of 1638 is the first authentic guarantee of civil and religious freedom in the new world.
1652: Rhode Island enacted the first law against slavery in North America on May 18, 1652.
1673: The White Horse Tavern, the oldest tavern in the U.S., was built in 1673.
It was a meeting house for the Rhode Island colony General Assembly, Criminal Court, and City Council.
Address: White Horse Tavern,
26 Malborough Street, Newport, Rhode Island 02840; 401-849-3600; Fax: 401-849-7317.
Email: thewhitehorse1@aol.com.
Web: http://www.whitehorsetavern.com.
