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Rhode Island Roads
The online magazine of travel, life, dining, and entertainment for people who love Rhode Island |
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Rum and Revolution Tour Focuses on History of Drinking in Newport
When the colonies were first established, the waters of Europe were so polluted that no sane person would consider drinking it. European colonists, including the upright Puritans, young children, and Baptist ministers drank prodigous amounts of hard apple cider and liquor. Soon, with the "triangle trade" bringing molasses from the Indies to be distilled into rum, Newport became a center for shipping. And, as England began clamping down on the free-spirited Rhode Islanders, Newport became a center of smuggling.
Many Rhode Island merchantmen went beyond simply smuggling. Many turned to piracy.
Some were "privateers", sanctioned by the government to raid enemy shipping. Others turned
to preying on non-aligned and sometimes friendly ships, rightfully earning the title
"pirate". Newport's White Horse Tavern, the oldest tavern in the US, was established by
one of these pirates.
In the 1920's, Newport relived it smuggling heritage. But rum's cheapness made it
a low-profit item for the rum-runners, and they soon moved from Carribian rum to
smuggling Canadian whiskey, French champagne and English gin to major cities like
New York and Boston, where prices ran high. It was said that some ships carried
$200,000 in contraband in a single run — at a time when $50 a week was considered
a good wage for an honest worker.
On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition, and with it the rum-running
business. Most of the rum ships were sold or scrapped, and their crews either went
into the merchant marine or the U.S. Navy, which was gearing up for World War II.
Surprisingly, the Navy welcomed the ex–rum-runners as skilled and experienced seamen
(some with battle experience), often giving them non-commissioned officer ranks.
“Newport’s historic neighborhoods are a wonderful backdrop for this tour because
here the history of drinking in America plays itself out, yet with Rhode Island’s
own particular twist,” says Lisa Dady, education director for the Newport
Restoration Foundation. “We are delighted to add the Rum and Revolution Tour to
our offerings because this is such a significant part of Newport’s past and we
are eager to bring it to life.”
There are other walking tours exploring Newport's heritage.
A daylight tour of Newport’s
historic streets also runs through the fall. This tour, "Discover
Colonial Newport Inside & Out" shares the remarkable story of colonial life on a walk
through the charming Historic Hill neighborhood. The tour includes discussion of
early struggles for religious freedom with a visit inside the Great Friends Meeting
House, Rhode Island’s oldest remaining house of worship built in 1699.
Offered from September 7 to October 7 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the tour
departs the Gateway Visitors Center at 10:45 am and the Museum of Newport History at 11:00 am.
The Hidden Treasures of Colonial Newport tour visits two historically significant
buildings in Newport: the Newport Colony House, built in 1739 for Rhode Island
government meetings, and the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House circa 1697. The tour
departs from the Museum of Newport History and is offered Thursdays and Saturdays
at 1:30 pm between September 7 and October 7, 2006.
Tickets are sold at the Museum of Newport History, located at Washington Square,
127 Thames Street in Newport. The Museum is open daily from 10:00 am -4:00 pm
through Labor Day and then Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm and
Sunday from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm through December 23, 2006. Tickets for the Discover
Colonial Newport tour are also sold at the Gateway Visitors Center at 23 America’s
Cup Avenue. Tickets for all tours are $12 for adults and $8 for children 8-18 or
NHS Members. All tours are 90-minutes in length. For more information, visit
www.newporthistorytours.org.
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