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tribe members , where everything from a cleansing of the circle to traditional songs and dances are observed .
◆ The famous “ Obey ” stickers , which sparked a national phenomenon and became a subculture gem , were created by former Rhode Island School of Design student Frank Shepard Fairey in 1989 .
◆ Baseball ’ s longest game was played in Pawtucket , at Rhode Island ’ s former McCoy Stadium , then home of the Pawtucket Red Sox .
◆ Rhode Island ’ s official state nickname is the Ocean State . The state is just thirty-seven miles wide and forty-eight miles long but boasts nearly 400 miles of shoreline .
◆ The portrait of George Washington that appears on the U . S . one dollar bill was painted by Saunderstown ’ s very own Gilbert Stuart in 1796 .
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RHODE ISLAND BY REGION
Blackstone Valley
Providence County
Kent County
Washington County
Block Island
Bristol County
Newport County
JUST THE STATS : Population : 1,095,610 ( as of 2021 ); Land Area : 1,045 sq . miles ; Length of Coastline : 37 miles ; Shoreline : 384 miles ; Counties : 5 ; Municipalities : 39 ( 8 cities , 31 towns ); Area Code : 401
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INSIDER ’ S TIPS The do ’ s and don ’ ts of Rhody living .
◆ Never put a straw in your Del ’ s ; only use the squish and sip method .
◆ Accept the fact that most Rhode Islanders won ’ t drive more than twenty minutes to meet you . If by some miracle they do , act normal when they show up with a packed lunch .
K ◆ Know the state ’ s area code , 401 , by heart — locals will never bother to include it when exchanging numbers .
◆ Get used to receiving directions based on old landmarks or where businesses used to be .
◆ For “ Family Guy ” fans , understand that Quahog is not a real town .
◆ Memorize all the words to the Block Island Ferry and Warwick Mall theme songs .
◆ Don ’ t bring up the fact that you once thought Rhode Island was part of New York .
◆ Have a favorite beach . Be prepared to defend that opinion at all costs .
◆ Also , while you ’ re at it , don ’ t ask too many questions about the state ’ s old mafia ties . ( Just kidding ! Mostly .)
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ALL GRAPHICS : GETTY IMAGES ; STATE SYMBOLS : RHODE ISLAND TOURISM OFFICE . |
1675 – 1677 Tensions between local Colonists and Native Americans lead to King Philip ’ s War , a conflict in which thousands of Indigenous peoples were killed or captured . |
1772 In the country ’ s first act of armed rebellion against England , Rhode Islanders board and burn the HMS Gaspee , a British revenue schooner , in Narragansett Bay . |
1778 The General Assembly authorizes the 1 st Rhode Island Regiment , the first U . S . regiment of Black and Native American soldiers . |
1785 Bristol ’ s annual Fourth of July Parade kicks off . Today , it remains the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the U . S . |