William Winsor

William Winsor was a direct descendant of Roger Williams. He was born in greenville in 1819 and worked for a short time as an educator. However he did not want to continue down an education oriented career path. Over the years William Winsor held a myriad of jobs. For fifty years he was a cashier at the NAtional exchange bank in greenville and also served as the town treasurer for over thirty years. On top of being town treasurer he was also treasurer for the smithfield savings bank from the time it opened in 1872 up until his dying day. When there was a new elementary school to be built in greenville in 1930 the townspeople decided that the most fitting name would be William Winsor since he was a person who gave so much to the town of Smithfield especially the greenville area. And although William WInsor was only an educator for a short time it is said that he always kept the issue of education close to his heart.

Something to do in Smithfield

Something you could do in a town such as Smithfield is to maybe spend a day at the hockey rink. For a small price you could ice skate and rent so that you could skate around for a little bit. There isn’t much to do in Smithfield so an activity such as this is perfect for someone to do in Smithfield. Many people bring their family there as well as there friends since it is such a popular spot in Smithfield for people of all ages to hang out and skate. https://goo.gl/images/wueIvh

History of Smith Appleby house.

The house was built in 1696 and is still standing today. Many feel the house is important because they are intrigued at the length of time the house has been around. For example in 1981 when a journalist visited the house after the wallpaper was stripped they found stencil writings in the wallpaper in which have been speculated to be the works of a previous owner named J. Gleason. It is facts like this that attract visitors.

 

Witch Tree

The Witch Tree Located at the intersection of Mann School Rd and Cowell Rd, Near what is believed to be the site of a witches house. There are many different myths about the tree, Some believe souls of the fatal accidents still haunt the tree and if you flash your high beams at it 3 times you will see there ghosts. Also it is believed if you circle the tree 13 times and drive off you well see the witch but if you circle the tree 3 times you will be chased by a car that appears out of nowhere. The tree is now a local landmark known throughout the town. Although the tree was cut down it was replaced with a new tre

Review of my favorite restaurant.

My favorite restaurant in Rhode Island is Trattoria Romana. They have the best italian food you could ever have and it is located only one town over in lincoln. The only downside to it is that it is very expensive so I would only recommend going on a special occasion. Although in recent years they have opened up restaurants in the same plaza owned by trattoria which have food just as good. Link: https://goo.gl/images/GCoZuq

Whipple Field

Whipple field is a complex that is used for baseball and softball for both youth, teens, and adults. There are five total fields. Whipple 1 is for the boys little league, Whipple 2 is the main girls softball field, same with Whipple 3 and 4. Whipple 5 is for the boys Jr league, senior league, and sometimes the high school team. the complex overall has meant so much for youth sports in Smithfield and has given so many memories for so many kids in our town.

Native Americans in RI

Another thing I learned about Rhode Island is the history of Native Americans. Not only did the conflict between them and the early settlers contribute to the establishment of boundary lines and geographical distribution of the state, but their culture is also very prevalent even today. I see that many names of attractions, areas, counties, and towns in Rhode Island bear Native American names. Historians work to preserve the history of the tribes that once inhabited this land since it was such a large part of Rhode Island culture.

Hanton City

Hanton City is a ghost town in Smithfield and even one of the most haunted ghost towns through New England. People believed that Hanton City was first used as a thriving community for settlement, shoemaking, tanners, and even used as hideouts/camps for the Underground Railroad and for the British during the Revolutionary War. There were no records for any residents who were in this village but with remained cellar holes, wells, stone walls, cemeteries and a trail. This ghost town was first abondoned since 1836, even with Tom Hanton and his sister being the last residents in Hanton City.

Battles of RI

One new thing I learned about Rhode Island as a whole are the various battles that took place in the early days of the state’s official establishment. Most of these took place between the colonists and the Native Americans. Looking back, I realize that these battles greatly shaped the boundaries and geographical distribution of Rhode Island.

Slacks Pond and Beach

Slacks Pond is located in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and is a private pond to Smithfield residents. Along the side of the pond, there are many houses and residential areas. There is a beach along Slacks that is maintained by the Town of Smithfield, but is closed because of staffing issues. Even though it is closed, it is still used Daily by the town.

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Newport Creamery Food Chain

The Newport Creamery Food Chain first started as a dairy delivery service in 1928, and was started by a single man. His door to door devilry service became well known for its customer service and quality.  After a few years, and with enough employees, he bought a building and made it into a “milk bar”, which served ice cream. In the late 40s, after World War 2, the company was expanded into multiple ice cream shops, with one starting to serve food in the 1950s in Providence. The franchise then expanded into 33 restaurants across Rhode Island. The Original Family sold the Franchise to another owner, who struggled with the company and filed for Bankruptcy. A new company bought the restaurants in 2001, and has run the remaining 12 locations ever since.

Smithfield Union Meeting House

The Smithfield Union Meeting House was first built before both the town’s town hall or the churches were built. It was first used as a town hall and a church. It also held auctions to help raise funds for the new town hall and church. After those buildings were built, it was used as a schoolhouse, a library, and a storage room. Today it is not used for anything, and is kept in-tact by a person who bought it decades earlier.

John O. Pastore

John Pastore served as a United States Senator from Rhode Island from 1950 to 1976. He previously served as the 61st Governor of Rhode Island from 1945 to 1950. He was the first Italian American to be elected as a senator. He is probably best remembered for taking part in a 1969 hearing involving a $20 million grant for the funding of PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was proposed by former President Lyndon Johnson. President Richard Nixon had wanted to cut the proposed funding to $10 million due to the demands of the Vietnam War, and Fred Rogers, host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, appeared before the committee to argue for the full $20 million. In about six minutes of testimony, Rogers spoke of the need for social and emotional education that public television provided. Pastore was not previously familiar with Rogers' work, and was sometimes described as gruff and impatient. However, he told Rogers that the testimony had given him goose bumps, and after Rogers recited the lyrics to "What Do You Do with the Mad that You Feel?", one of the songs from his show, Pastore finally declared: "I think it's wonderful. I think it's wonderful. Looks like you just earned the $20 million."[8] The following year's appropriation increased PBS funding from $9 million to $22 million.

Bryant college and Smithfield

Bryant University has been a fixture of the town of Smithfield for more than forty years, from when it moved from it’s providence location in the early 1970s. The land was donated by Earl Tupper the founder and creator of the Tupperware company. The land was originally used as private farmland by Earl T upper and his family members. Parts of the original Bryant college from the 60s still remain to this day.

Deerfield

Deerfield is a spot in Smithfield where there is something for everyone. There are playgrounds for younger children and soccer fields that stretch which seems like forever. You can also find a baseball field and basketball/tennis courts. A lot of families come here and walk around the whole area with the walking paths and sidewalks. Events are held here and sport games are held here as well. Deerfield is just a popular spot in Smithfield where everyone goes for sports or to just hangout with friends. It’s like the center of activity that occurs throughout the town of Smithfield, RI.

Wolf Hill Forest Preserve

The Wolf Hill Forest Preserve is a great spot for anyone who enjoys nature to utilize. There are many hiking trails throughout the preserve. In the preserve you can walk along the power lines, discover an old ice cabin, and even come across a memorial where a World War 2 fighter plane crashed. There are many scenic spots but the best is Mercer Lookout. At the lookout you can see all the way to and past Providence and the bay. All the hiking trails can span up to five miles if walked throughout. There are usually many hikers who attend daily and even bring their dogs with them.

View from Mercer Lookout

Smithfield High School

The school I currently attend is Smithfield High School. It was built in 1967. Many members of my family have attended this school in the past 50 years, including all of my uncles (one was part of the first graduating class of ’68), and my mom (’91). Currently, I attend Smithfield High School and it has been a great experience so far. There are so many different classes to choose and learn from. The teachers are always excited about learning. All of this meets the needs of making the perfect high school experience and I am able to live what parts of my family lived during their four years of attending this high school.

Sullivan Ballou

Sullivan Ballou penned one of the most famous letters of the civil war. As he saw the battle ahead of him he wrote home to his wife Sarah Ballou in Greenville Rhode Isalnd. He wrote about his love of country and the love that juxtaposed it which was his love of family. His two young sons and wife Sarah were what he knew he would lose as he headed into battle at bull run. The letter is beautiful and heartfelt which perhaps is why my father decided to name me after it’s recipient. Sullivan Ballou lost his life and never was able to return home to greenville but what was left behind was an intensely beautiful letter that is preserved in history.