New Historic Marker Celebration Set For Saturday Morning

On Saturday, July 20th at 9AM at Updike Park (Corner of West Main St. and Brown St.) HistWick, The Historic Wickford organization, will celebrate the installation of the final three markers of the historic marker project.

These markers highlight important aspects of historic Wickford’s development.

The three markers focus on:

1 - Ten Rod Road as the principal highway for driving cattle, horses and sheep from eastern Connecticut and western Rhode Island to the port of Wickford in the late 17th and early 18th centuries for shipment to the other colonies and the Caribbean. The marker’s illustrations were done by Wickford resident and artist, Dan Urish. This marker is located on Phillips Street adjacent to the Wickford Elementary School building.

2 - Black Mariners in Wickford in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when slaves and freed Blacks sailed from Wickford on merchant and fishing vessels. This marker, located on Fowler Street, also focuses on the first house built for an African American in Rhode Island. The artist is Walter Scott.

3- Women in Wickford which can be found at the corner of West Main and Brown Streets. This marker describes the roles of Wickford women in business and society in the middle of the 19th century when Avis Ann Spink was the largest landlord in the village and builder of the Avis Block. The illustration for this marker was done by local artist Janelle Feigley. She is the owner of the boutique, Gossip, one of the many current businesses in Wickford owned and operated by women.

The brief ceremony will include remarks by project founder Tim Cranston, as well as North Kingstown resident Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea.