Today in RI History
Explore significant events from Rhode Island's rich history.
October
October 1
Brown University establishes Women's College for Rhode Island
Brown created a coordinate women's college, opening higher education to women in Rhode Island for the first time. The institution was renamed Pembroke College in 1928.
October 2
Theodore Francis Green born in Providence
Theodore Francis Green, later Rhode Island governor and U.S. senator, was born in Providence.
October 3
PBS carpenter and TV host Norm Abram born in Woonsocket
Norm Abram, who would become the beloved host of the PBS show "This Old House," was born in Woonsocket. He gained nationwide recognition as a carpenter and television personality.
October 4
Blues guitarist Duke Robillard born in Woonsocket
Duke Robillard, co-founder of the blues band Roomful of Blues, was born in Woonsocket. A Grammy-nominated musician and multiple W.C. Handy and Blues Music Award winner, he became foundational to the Rhode Island blues scene.
October 5
Nelson Aldrich begins powerful U.S. Senate career
Nelson Aldrich began his long and nationally powerful U.S. Senate career from Rhode Island.
October 6
Providence Performing Arts Center opens downtown
Loew's movie palace, now known as the Providence Performing Arts Center, opened in downtown Providence. The iconic venue remains a landmark that anchors the city's arts scene today.
October 7
British warships bombard Bristol after it refuses to surrender livestock
Captain James Wallace's British ships shelled Bristol for about 90 minutes after the town refused demands for its sheep and cattle. Townsman Simeon Potter negotiated a ceasefire, and Bristol ultimately paid tribute in sheep.
October 8
Brown University board votes against Israel-Palestine divestment
Brown University's governing board voted against divesting from companies named in a student-led Israel/Palestine divestment proposal.
October 9
Brown University rejects divestment demands from Corporation
Brown publicly announced the Corporation's decision rejecting divestment.
October 10
British military plans evacuation from Newport
British evacuation planning from Newport intensified.
October 11
Rhode Island fortifies Narragansett Bay against British
Rhode Island continued fortifying Narragansett Bay against British attack.
October 12
Rhode Island enters pivotal 1860 presidential election season
Rhode Island entered the final presidential-election season before the Civil War.
October 13
Providence dedicates First Unitarian Church
Providence's First Unitarian Church was dedicated.
October 14
Actor Harry Anderson born in Newport
Harry Anderson, who would star in the sitcom "Night Court," was born in Newport. Anderson became widely recognized as a television star during the 1980s and 1990s.
October 15
Tropical Storm Tammy flooding declares state of emergency
Remnants of Tropical Storm Tammy dropped 7-9 inches of rain over October 11-15, flooding the Pawtuxet, Pocasset, Woonasquatucket, and Blackstone rivers. Governor Carcieri declared a state of emergency.
October 16
Rhode Island troops fight in Saratoga campaign
Rhode Island troops and officers remained active in the Revolutionary campaigns surrounding Saratoga.
October 17
Abolitionist Julia Ward Howe dies in Portsmouth
Julia Ward Howe died in Portsmouth; she was a major abolitionist, suffragist, and author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."
October 18
White mob attacks Black neighborhood in Providence
The Hard Scrabble riot began in Providence, as a white mob attacked a Black neighborhood.
October 19
Yorktown surrender vindicates French-American alliance forged in Newport
The Yorktown surrender vindicated the French-American alliance staged in part from Newport.
October 20
Providence's first newspaper, the Providence Gazette, debuts
William Goddard, aided by his mother and sister, printed the first issue of the Providence Gazette, the city's first newspaper.
October 21
Restored Westminster Arcade reopens in Providence
The restored Westminster Arcade reopened in Providence, renewing attention to one of America's oldest indoor shopping arcades.
October 22
Future Governor John Chafee born in Providence
John Chafee, later Rhode Island governor and U.S. senator, was born in Providence.
October 23
Great Swamp Fight Monument land transferred to Narragansett Tribe
Land at the Great Swamp Fight monument site was transferred to the Narragansett Tribe to be held in perpetual trust.
October 24
U.S. Senator John Chafee dies
U.S. Sen. John Chafee died
Brown defeats Penn in highest-scoring Ivy League football game
Brown beat Penn 58-51 in the highest-scoring game in Ivy League football history, with 109 combined points. Brown won on a touchdown with 4 seconds remaining.
Lighthouse keeper and artist Ida Lewis dies
Ida Lewis died.
October 25
British forces evacuate Newport after three years
British forces evacuated Newport after nearly three years of occupation.
October 26
Newport begins recovering from British occupation
Newport began recovering from British occupation.
October 27
October nor'easter knocks out power across Rhode Island
A bomb-cyclone coastal nor'easter on October 27, 2021, left roughly 90,000-92,000 Rhode Islanders without power. The storm caused widespread outages across the state.
October 28
Governor Chafee declares emergency ahead of Superstorm Sandy
Gov. Lincoln Chafee declared a state of emergency on October 28, 2012, as Superstorm Sandy approached Rhode Island. The storm flooded Narragansett Bay and washed away parts of the Newport Cliff Walk the next day.
October 29
Roger Williams banishment leads to Providence founding
Massachusetts ordered Roger Williams banished, setting in motion the founding of Providence and Rhode Island.
October 30
Actress Ruth Hussey born in Providence
Actress Ruth Hussey was born in Providence.
October 31
The Perfect Storm batters Rhode Island coast
The Halloween Nor'easter of 1991—the storm that inspired the movie—lashed the Rhode Island coast on October 31. Newport recorded a gust of 63 mph during the nor'easter.