Rhode Island: Facts & Field Trips

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States and many of its attributes are similar to other New England States, so we decided to remember great family field trips we’ve enjoyed in the past year that relate to facts about Rhode Island!

1. The Flying Horse Carousel (in Rhode Island) is the nation’s oldest carousel. It is located in the resort town of Watch Hill. Last summer, my family toured the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum in Leavenworth, Kansas. We watched an artist at work carving horses and another worker restoring antique carousel horses. We also saw a variety of merry-go-rounds including the oldest operating primitive wooden carousel and even miniature carousel music boxes. Best of all, we rode a 1919 carousel (photo below)! 
2. The first circus in the United States was in Newport in 1774. In August, my family went to the Missouri State Fair where we watched a real Big Top Circus. Trapeze artists, clowns, jugglers, and a dog act were part of the show! Then, in September we went to the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus (we go every year). My favorite act is when the trapeze artists swing back and forth performing “ballet in the sky.” 
3. Rhode Island Red Monument in Adamsville pays homage to the world-famous poultry breed, Rhode Island’s state bird the Rhode Island Red Chicken. We live near the Agricultural Hall of Fame, and we visited it when they opened the National Poultry Museum. Outside the museum we took a photo with a giant cast iron chicken. Then, we saw exhibits on the history of poultry and egg processing. 
4. WaterFire originated in Providence, Rhode Island and now offers shows across the nation, including every October in Kansas City. My family attended this festival in the fall (photo shown below). Waterfire is “an award-winning sculpture by Barnaby Evans installed on the three rivers of downtown Providence,” according to http://www.waterfire.org. Also, “WaterFire’s over eighty sparkling bonfires, the fragrant scent of aromatic wood smoke, the flickering firelight on the arched bridges, the silhouettes of the firetenders passing by the flames, the torch-lit vessels traveling down the river, and the enchanting music from around the world engage all the senses and emotions of those who stroll the paths of Waterplace Park. WaterFire has captured the imagination of over ten million visitors, bringing life to downtown, and revitalizingRhode Island’s capital city.” 

The Rhode Island Menu

There are many foods famous to Rhode Island, but I really like to have “breakfast for dinner” (or lunch) so I chose to make Jonnycakes for our Rhode Island meal. Early settlers learned to grow corn from the Native Americans and found many ways to use corn to make meals, jonnycakes are still popular in Rhode Island.

According to Wikipedia, “Jonnycake (also johnnycake, johnny cake, journey cake, and johnny bread) is a cornmeal flatbread that was an early American staple food and is prepared on the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Jamaica.  The modern jonnycake is a staple in the cuisine of New England and is often said to have originated in Rhode Island. A modern jonnycake is fried gruel made from yellow or white cornmeal that is mixed with salt and hot water or milk, and sometimes sweetened.”

With mom, I made cheesy scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, and jonnycakes for lunch.

This is the Jonnycake Recipe we followed:

Ingredients: 1/2 cup flour; 1 cup cornmeal; 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 1 cup hot milk; 1 tablespoon shortening

Preparation: Mix the dry ingredients, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop or pour on the hot, greased griddle or drop in iron skillet and fry to golden brown on both sides. Serve with butter and syrup as for pancakes, or serve as a bread with butter.

Our Family Reviews of Jonnycakes:

• My sister Kayla, “It is very yummy and I hope we make them again!”
• My mom, “I think it was fun to try them, but I do prefer pancakes.”
• My opinion, “I thought they were okay, but they weren’t my favorite…. too corny.”

Rhode Island: Facts & Fun

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States! Even though it is small, all the people in the world could fit in Rhode Island…. if they were standing up!

Rhode Island

Facts about Rhode Island:

• Capital: Providence
• Nickname: The Ocean State
• Statehood: May 29, 1790  (13th)
• Motto: Hope
• Bird: Rhode Island Red
• Highest Point: Jerimoth Hill

Children’s Books by Rhode Island authors that we read:

• Never Smile at a Monkey by Steve Jenkins is a book with funny, but true advice about animals.
• R is for Rhode Island Red by Mark R. Allio and Mary Jane Begin. This is a Rhode Island alphabet book that tells about the history of Rhode Island.
• Finding Providence: The Story of Roger Williams by Avi. This is a true story about Roger Williams, one of America’s first colonists. He believed in separation of church and state, so the Bay Colony banished him and he found a home among the Narrangansett Tribe. They invited his family to live with them as friends, and there he founded what is now Providence, Rhode Island.
• Rhode Island in Words and Pictures by Dennis B. Fradin. I learned about the history and the sites of Rhode Island in this book.

Fun things I learned about Rhode Island:

• Hasbro Toys is located in Rhode Island and they make Mr. Potato Head… my FAVORITE guy from Rhode Island! I like to play with Mr. Potato Head with my sisters (see below) and learned that his statue has appeared around Rhode Island… one of the photos is also below!
• Hasbro also makes Monopoly, one of our favorite family night games!
• Rhode Island is the first location for “Waterfire” a festival on water that is now held in other locations, like Kansas City, in the fall.
• Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 Colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution (become an official state).
• The first circus in the United States was in Newport in 1774.

Mr. Potato Head

Mr. Potato Head Statue in front of Hasbro HQ in Rhode Island