Did You Know? Rhode Island State House: Ten Surprising Facts

If you are visiting New England, don’t miss the Rhode Island State House. When we visited during our Capitols Quest, we learned many interesting and fun facts. Located in Providence, this building is one of the grandest state houses in the U.S. Let’s find out more about this state (house).

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Top Ten Fun and Surprising Rhode Island State House Facts

How many of these facts did you know? I have to admit I really enjoyed diving in the history of Rhode Island, I hope you will too. Enjoy these curated fun facts!

Fourth Largest Dome in the World! (What are the other 3?)

The dome of the State House is the fourth-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world. Begging the question which ones are the top 3. And they are, in descending order: St. Peter’s Basilica, the Minnesota State Capitol, and the Taj Mahal. Have you been to any of these?

When you look up at the ceiling, you will be blown away by all the decorations and the chandelier. On the four corners surrounding the dome, the rotunda shows four personified values with their Latin names:

• Latin Name – Meaning
• Educatio – education
• Iustitia – justice
• Commercia – commerce
• Litera – literature

In addition murals up high in the dome tell the story of Roger Williams’ settling of Providence. Amazing how many different decorations they managed to get in.

Dutch or Italian name? And what is the Full Name?

During the 1610s, the Dutch privateer Adriaen Block passed by the island during his expeditions. When he noticed the island, he described as “an island of reddish appearance,” In 17th-century Dutch this was “een rodlich Eylande”. Therefore one popular notion is that this Dutch phrase inspired the name Rhode Island. (“Rood eiland” in contemporary Dutch)

An alternative theory is that the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano thought the island looked like the island of Rhodes (Greece). Later, the Pilgrims who colonized the area assumed that it was this island.

Now I will leave it to you to decide which of these two theories you believe. I like the Dutch “het rode eiland” the best (I might be slightly biased, having been born in the Netherlands). Of course, our Italian family prefers the Italian explanation.

Additionally, I promised to tell you about Rhode Island’s full name. When they established this colony, they actually combined four settlements and named it “the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” —its full name to this day. Somehow it seems to be too long to put on maps, but it is still always visible in the state seal.

A Liberty Bell You Can Touch

Unlike the original one in Indepence Hall in Pennsylvania, you actually can TOUCH this liberty bell. In 1950, the United States Treasury Department donated this replica to the people of Rhode Island. It looks just like the original one. The last time they rang the Pennsylvania Liberty Bell was in 1835 when it cracked at the funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall. If you look closely, you will see that this Liberty Bell replica has a painted crack to simulate the original Liberty Bell. The words on this famous bell read:

PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF BY ORDER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE PROVINCE OF PENSYLVANIA FOR THE STATE HOUSE IN PENSYLVANIA PASS AND STOW PHILAD a MDCCLIII

When we found out at the New Hampshire state house that every state has a liberty bell replica, it didn’t take us long to decide to visit all of them. We were successful in some states, but not in Boston, where they locked up their liberty bell. What a contradiction!

Trendsetters! Separation of Church and State and Freedom of Religion

– – Roger Williams’ Early Years in England

Long before James Madison wrote the United States Bill of Rights in 1791, Roger Williams established freedom of religion and separation of church and state in the Rhode Island colony.

Circa 1603, Roger Williams was born around in London, UK. When he came of age, he took holy orders in the Church of England. During his studies in Cambridge, he became dissatisfied with the Anglican Church and became a Puritan. Regarding the Church of England as corrupt and false, he decided to emigrate to the New World.

– – Massachusetts Bay Colony

When he arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it didn’t take him long to get into trouble with the church. They banished him for what they considered “new and dangerous opinions.” For example his views about land rights and about observance of religion. He believed that the king had no legal rights in America and that only direct purchase from the Indians gave a just title to the land. He also believed, unlike the local Puritans, that people should be able to practice whatever religion they wanted.

The authorities didn’t like any of this and planned to put him on a ship back to England, but he escaped them. Leaving the colony behind, he traveled during a long and hard winter to Narragansett bay.

– – Rhode Island’s Freedom of Religion and Separation of Church and State

Maybe partly because he was persecuted so bitterly for his beliefs, Roger felt strongly that anyone’s belief was one’s own choice. Similarly, he declared that church and state should be separated. At that time, this principle was a totally new concept for Europeans.

Being ahead of his time, he worked hard to implement these principles. First he convinced the Rhode Island residents. Secondly he traveled to England where he convinced King Charles II in England that this should be the law in their colony.

As a result, the king provided him with a charter for their new colony, in which he granted freedom of religion and separation of church and state. You can still see this original royal charter in the Rhode Island State House. An additional interesting fact: As usual in those times, it was written on sheep skin. Because sheep skin naturally contracts and expands, this royal chapter is in a special, climate controlled case.

Thus thanks to Roger Williams, with help of King Charles II, the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, was the first colony to grant religious freedom to all its citizens. Very fitting for a colony founded by religious dissenters.

More Fun Facts, including the first Amerindian language book

After the Massachusetts Bay Colony kicked out Roger Williams, he had to survive off the land for fourteen weeks during a bitterly cold winter. During that time, the indigenous people of the area helped him.

Algonquian dictionary

Roger always had a knack for languages, so it didn’t take him long to learn the Algonquian language, which was spoken by the Narragansett and the Wampanoag. The book is the first study of an Amerindian language in English.

In 1643, he wrote a book “A Key into the Language of America” on the Algoquian language, the first study of an Amerindian language in English. In addition to the dictionary entries, it also tells us about the culture of the original South Eastern New England inhabitants.

– – Do you know these Algoquian words?

Surprisingly enough, his book helped to introduce numerous native American words into the English language. Some examples: moccasin, moose, squash and papoose. Did you know all of these are Algoquian words?

Gettysburg Gun: An Explosion narrowly Avoided

In 1863, battery B of the Rhode Island Light Artillery was in the battle of Gettysburg. Sadly, it was hit by enemy fire, killing two soldiers and getting the cannonball stuck in its muzzle.

The description reads:

U.S. BATTERY B R.I. LIGHT ARTILLERY
This gun was disabled during the cannonade at GETTYSBURG July 3, 863.
At the point where PICKETT’S DIVISION made the charge upon the Union lines. WILLIAM JONES and ALFRED G. GARDINER were killed by a rebel shell while placing the shot in its muzzle.

For many years, this gun was in the state house to remember the brave men who fought in the civil war. Until, in 1962, they realized that nobody ever had removed gunpowder from the cannon so there was a risk of spontaneous explosion. A day later, the Rhode Island National Guard removed the cannon from the State House to the National Guard Maintenance shop and successfully removed the black powder after submersing it in water. After the removal, they returned it safely to the State House.

The Independent Man AKA “Hope”

Another Rhode Island State House interesting fact. Many people have wondered who is standing on top of the state house? Is it Roger Williams? Is it a proud warrior? Neither of these. this guy is called the Independent Man.

Please meet this gold-covered bronze statue of the Independent Man, originally named “Hope”. He represents freedom and independence and it fits with the independent spirit which led Roger Williams to settle and establish Providence and later Rhode Island.

Honoring Nurses

Because we have a daughter who is a nurse in addition to a son who served in the army as a medic, this plaque really spoke to me. It reads

This plaque is dedicated to the nurses of Rhode Island who served their country in all wars, campaigns, & engagements throughout the world.

U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Medical Corps

Elaborately Decorated Library

Walking in, we were overwhelmed by the size of the library and the ornate ceiling. The ceiling is embellished with gold-leaf and plaster reproductions of printer’s marks.

These are copies of printer marks from European printers from 500 years ago. That was an unexpected and curious European connection for us.

George Washington

When you enter the state reception room, your eyes will be drawn to the famous Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington in a beautifully gilded frame. Painted in 1802, by Stuart, a Rhode Islander, who was the leading portrait artist in America during Revolutionary times.

Rhode Island State House Facts: Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading about these interesting Rhode Island State House fun facts. Have you been to this state house? Have you been to any other state houses or capitols? What is your favorite so far?

Further Reading on Rhode Island State House Facts

• Rhode Island State House On Line Tour. If you aren’t able to visit in person, check out this on line tour;
• Visitors info, including visitors with disabilities. Check this out for available accommodations;
• Official web site of Rhode Island Department of State. Learn about the state’s fascinating and rich history;
• Wikipedia Page about the Rhode Island State House. Here you can find more facts;
• Wikipedia page for Roger Williams. Many interesting facts about his life and his legacy;
• God, Government and Roger Williams’ Big Idea. Smithsonian Magazine: The Puritan minister originated a principle that remains contentious to this day—separation of church and state;
• Explore Providence. Best places to stay, other things to do, where to eat.

Check out interesting facts about other statehouses:

• Ten Surprising New Hampshire State House Facts New Hampshire people are cheapskates!
• Ten Surprising Vermont State House Facts Discover ancient fossils;
• The Maine State House With bells on;
• The Massachusetts State House Where the Boston Italian North End was born;
• The Old State House in Boston, site of the Boston Massacre. Do you know how many people died?
• Connecticut Capitol Fun Facts Home of the so-called “Black Law”;
• Rhode Island State House: Ten Surprising Facts Discover its Dutch history;
• New York State Capitol. An expensive boondoggle;
• Alaska Capitol. Which animal guards it?
• Washington State Capitol. Women’s suffrage for the win!
• Breaking news: why Puerto Rico has a State House of its own!
• The US Virgin Islands have a Capitol Building in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. Voted the state Capitol building with the best view!
• So we annexed this state, against the Queen’s will, go visit Hawai’i and her State Capitol;
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