What Is the Rhode Island State Arsenal?
This was the headquarters of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery, America’s first volunteer artillery battery!
What Makes It Historical?
Designed in 1839 by Russell Warren, and built by the firm of Tallman & Bucklin, this Gothic Revival arsenal has primarily been a meeting hall that only saw action once! This was during the Dorr Rebellion of 1842, a mini civil war kicked off by Thomas Dorr, who demanded that Rhode Island abandon its colonial charter and remove land ownership as a prerequisite for voting! His supporters elected him governor at the same time the regular election declared Samuel Ward King governor! This escalated to violence, and the Dorrites attacked the State Arsenal, but were defeated twice without a single death. The state government got the hint anyway and revised the state constitution to give voting rights to any US-born white male who could pay a $1 poll tax. Notably, in the state born from Narragansett aid, members of that tribe were not allowed to vote!
Apart from this skirmish, the arsenal supplied no fewer than ten batteries during the Civil War! It played host to such organizations as the Grand Army of the Republic, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and United Spanish War Veterans. The KKK met here illegally in 1924, earning condemnation from the governor, who forbade the group from meeting on state property ever again! Today, the State Arsenal is home to the 103rd Field Artillery veterans association and serves as the venue where members are annually awarded with the Order of St. Barbara!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the Providence Preservation Society!
- Become a member of the Providence Preservation Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
176 Benefit St
Providence, RI 02903
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
View the exterior any time you like, but there are no regular tour hours at this historic site!