Roger Williams National Memorial (Providence)
Roger Williams National Memorial commemorates the life of the founder of Rhode Island and a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Williams, banished from Massachusetts for his beliefs, founded Providence in 1636. This colony served as a refuge where all could come to worship as their conscience dictated without interference from the state. The Memorial is located on a common lot of the original settlement of Providence and includes 4.5 acres of landscaped park.
Block Island National Wildlife Refuge (Charlestown)
Located approximately 12 miles offshore on picturesque Block Island, this small refuge provides important habitat for wildlife, and a place for people to appreciate the natural environment of the island. The refuge was established in 1973 with the transfer of 28 acres from the U.S. Coast Guard, and has grown to it's current size of 127 acres today.
Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge (Charlestown)
Named after one of the original chiefs of the Narragansett Indians, the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Southern Coast of Rhode Island in the Town of Charlestown, Washington County. Perched on the shoreline of the largest saltpond in the State, the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge sits upon the glacial outwash plain of the Charlestown moraine, providing the refuge with its unique character. The wildlife present is as diverse as the vegetation which occupies the land.
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge (Charlestown)
Occupying a peninsula between the Sakonnet River and Rhode Island sound, the 242 acre Sachuest Point National Wildlife refuge is a very popular site for the over 65, 000 annual visitors each year. The refuge sports a newly renovated visitor center, over 2.5 miles of nature trails, viewing platforms, and a number of Refuge volunteers present to help visitors and to help in management of the refuge.
Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge (Charlestown)
Picturesque, peaceful, yet thriving with wildlife. Thats how many of the more than 50, 000 annual visitors describe the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge. Spanning 800 acres on the Southern Coast of Rhode Island, the refuge protects the only undeveloped Salt Pond in the State. From upland forests to a 1.5 mile barrier beach, the varied habitats in Trustom Pond support over 300 bird, 40 mammal, and 20 reptile and amphibian species.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Prudence Island)
The reserve encompasses 2, 353 acres of land on Prudence, Patience and Hope islands and 1, 591 acres of water adjoining the islands out to a depth of 18 feet. All three islands were used as farmland during the Colonial area. By the 20th century, farming declined and Prudence Island began to attract summer residence. The U.S. military established a presence on the island during World War II and remained until the land was turned over to the state of Rhode Island in 1972.
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (Woonsocket)
To go directly to the Blackstone River Valley website click the IN DEPTH button. The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a special type of national park. It is a region of nearly 400, 000 acres located within Worcester County in central Massachusetts and Providence County in northern Rhode Island.
John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge (Charlestown)
Located within the picturesque Narrow River on the Southern Coast of Rhode Island, this Refuge is comparatively small in size, but big in protecting the unique features of this area. At 317 acres, the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for the largest black duck population in Rhode Island, and is recognized under international agreements as a critically important area for this species.