Since Samuel Gorton's first settlers on the Conimicut shore agreed to live without formal government, the villages of Warwick have been fiercely independent. Despite their individualism, however, their histories are inextricably bound. The ravages of King Philip's War left no village unscathed, as settlers lost their houses, livestock and even their lives. England's trade laws forced these seafaring people to smuggle rum out of Mill Cove, and the famous 1772 burning
of the British Gaspee near Pawtuxet ignited the flame of
protest across Rhode Island. Tracing the history of five
villages, Warwick's beloved historian Donald D'Amato
reveals how Rhode Island's second-largest city has retained the feel of a small, close-knit community.
Don D'Amato is the city historian for Warwick and a columnist for the Warwick Beacon and the Cranston Herald. He has a BA in History and Political Science from Northeastern University and an MA in History and English from the University of Rhode Island. He is a member of the Warwick Historical Society, the Rhode Island Historical Society, and the Apponaug Improvement Association. He has written a number of books on Warwick including: Warwick's 350 Year Heritage, Block Island (RI) (Images of America), Warwick: A City At the Crossroads (RI) (Making of America Series), Pawtuxet, RI (Images of America Series: New England), Warwick (RI) (Images of America), A Walking Tour of Historic Apponaug Village, Historic Warwick, Guide to Warwick's Historic Homes, and Warwick Firefighters.