Create your special moment at the home of governors. A beautiful Victorian Mansion can be yours for a day for a fraction of the costs of other sites. |
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| As of March 30, 2009, The National Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route is now law. Congratulations to everyone who worked hard to see this historic moment in time! The Trail will include the Joy Homestead as an orginal house that is open to the public. |
Rich in history of Cranston, the Joy Homestead was the first home of the
Cranston Historical Society. No longer the headquarters the homestead serves a greater function for the Society, it is used as the background for teaching elementary school children life as it was in the 1770's. Volunteers from the Society and children participate in various domestic arts from the period. These crafts include spinning wool, weaving and braiding, cooking and games of the period.
For twenty three years the Cranston Historical Society has used the historic sites of the Sprague Mansion and Joy Homestead as background to address central themes and issues of American history, local history and government.
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Judging from the maps in the Rochambeau Collection and the early maps of Providence, the French army, on leaving the camp ground between Broad and Plane Streets, passed through the present Stewart Street to High Street, and west along this to the junction (Hoyle Tavern), where, leaving on their right the road to Hartford, they took the road to the left, then called the Monkey Town road, now Cranston Street, and followed this to Monkeytown, now Knightsville. The army here turned to the right following the old Scituate road over Dugaway hill by the late Pippin Orchard School house, over Apple House hill and Bald hill, crossing the Pawtuxet at the village of Kent and on to Waterman's Tavern, fifteen miles, the end of the first day's march and the first camp. Waterman's Tavern is still standing in good condition near Potterville on the old Scituate road a mile or so north of the new state highway. It is now the
home of Mr. Elmer A. Havens, who shows two wells of small diameter neatly stoned, that are said to have been dug by the French troops that camped here, both on the march to Yorktown and on the return march. The instructions for the march say : "The camp is in quite a good position although in the midst of woods, having a brook in front, and behind, the tavern and the main road from Providence to Watermans much better than that by Angells tavern. The accommodations for divisional headquarters are not aboundant but more than at Angell's tavern or Whipple house."
On June 19, the regiment of Royal DeuxPonts under the Baron de Viomenil, set out for the camp at Waterman's, followed on the 20th by the regiment of Soissonnais under the Count de Viomenil (brother of the Baron), and on the 21st by Saintonge, under the Marquis de Custine. With the departure of this last regiment, there were left in Providence a guard for the baggage and munitions stored in the Old Market House, and the surgeons and attendants at the hospital in University Hall. The American and French troops took a combination of strategic roads and waterways from Philipsburg through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the future District of Columbia, and Virginia, reaching Williamsburg in late September 1781. With a French fleet blocking the Chesapeake, barring British reinforcements from New York or a sea escape for Cornwallis' army, Washington and Rochambeau's three-week siege of Yorktown ended in Cornwallis' surrender to Washington on October 19, 1781. After their victory, Washington and the Continentals returned to defend northern posts while Rochambeau and his troops wintered in Williamsburg prior to marching north the following summer. Both armies were warmly celebrated by the towns and cities along their return routes.
In 1780, as part of the alliance with the 13 colonies seeking to overthrow British rule, France sent an army of 5028 soldiers of our ally His Most Christian Majesty, Louis XV to the aid of General George Washington as he prepared for a decisive campaign against General Charles Lord Cornwallis. General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de (Count) Rochambeau sailed into Newport, Rhode Island, at the head of the Expedition Particuliere, an army of 450 officers and 5,300 men. After wintering in Newport, Rochambeau's army marched through Rhode Island. On June 18th in the early hours of the morning as to avoid heat the first regiment broke camp.
Rochambeau and the French Troops in
Providence in 1780-81-82 Howard W. Preston. (Read before the Rhode Island Historical Society,March 12, 1922.)
House Report 110-736 - WASHINGTON-ROCHAMBEAU REVOLUTIONARY ROUTE NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL DESIGNATION ACT
Members receive discounts on the rental of the Mansion for functions and discounts on society events.
The Cranston Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization
HELP! Mystery Photos that maybe you can identify.
Cranston Print Works Village History
Our link for People and places of Cranston long ago.
Voices and Visions of Pawtuxet Village
| The Cranston Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and historic preservation organization. The Cranston Historical Society is categorized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and membership donations and other contributions are deductible for Federal income tax purposes to the extent permitted by law |
