10/17/2026
A special opportunity to learn about Rose Island’s Revolutionary War history is coming up this month.
Join us “on the mainland” at the historic Redwood Library & Athenaeum for a free public lecture exploring Rose Island’s fascinating role in the 1778 Rhode Island Campaign.
From the British occupation of Newport and the construction of an island battery to the scuttling of the former HMS Endeavour and the first shots exchanged between British and French forces in the American Revolution, Rose Island has quite a story to tell.
Drawing on archaeological discoveries, historic maps, journals, and newly-interpreted primary sources, this evening led by historian Michael J. Simpson offers an opportunity to dig deeper into the island’s history and its place in the events leading up to the Battle of Rhode Island.
Whether you visited Rose Island once a week this season or have yet to make the trip across the bay, we hope you’ll join us for this unique event to exploring the island’s history from Bellevue Avenue.
Free and open to the public! Please RSVP at RedwoodLibrary.org/events as space is limited.
This event is made possible with funding from the Rhode Island 250 Commission.
