It seemed appropriate this year to feature a theme that kept me close to home, so I give you my A to Z within the small acreage that is Rhode Island. I tried to be creative (you’ll see!) but I hope you learn something about Little Rhody, too. Whether you’ve lived here all your life, grew up within the boundaries, or have never set foot on one of our many beaches, come along for a virtual tour.
Misquamicut (Mis-SQUAM-eh-cut) is part of the town of Westerly, as close to Connecticut as you can get, and is a Narragansett word meaning “at the place of the red fish,” or “at the salmon place.” The land was purchased from Chief Sosoa of the Montauks in 1661, and the name was changed from Pleasant View (which it does have) to Misquamicut in the 1920s.
For residents of Connecticut, Misquamicut is a popular destination, as it’s the first beach on open water (the Atlantic Ocean) you come to when driving east to Rhode Island from Connecticut. Connecticut’s coastline is on Long Island Sound, and the relative calmness of the water compared to what can sometimes be wild ocean in Misquamicut is a draw for many. Misquamicut also has a lively night life, which is an attraction for some and a deterrent for others.
It was a cold day when I took these photos at Misquamicut Beach! So cold I didn’t venture down to the shoreline. Desolate in winter, too, but on a hot summer day, the beach is packed.
There’s over a half-mile of beachfront here, and lots of activities for kids. The waves are usually pretty big, too, so take care!
My homeland! Father’s family settled in Westerly when they immigrated. His parent retired to Misquamicut, as did my parents. They, and many other family members, including my husband, are burried in Riverbend Cemetary. We spent so many summers at my grandparent’s Misquamicut home, just a mile walk down to the beach. Best beach in RI. Can’t believe how built up it has gotten since my grandparent’s retired there in the early 60s! ❤
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Lovely beach. More and more I am adoring the names for places – really gives them a sense of character!
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Stopped by for the first time from the A to Z master list. What a fun theme! Love finding out about little gems in other places. It pays to poke around for the fun little known stuff.
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I appreciate your trying to show me how to pronounce the names! I am terrible at it, and remembering. I still can’t remember how to say Pawtucket, where my son and his wife live! I just know how NOT to say it!
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In India the British had changed the names of some of the towns and cities to sound more English like during their rule …kozhikode became Calicut … that was where I spent my childhood and this name seems to rhyme with that ….
https://pagesfromjayashree.blogspot.com/2021/04/m-for-muggle.html
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Martha, you could write a Travel Brochure. I’m doing a virtual travel with my cup of coffee;).
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Hari Om
I am enjoying all the names with descriptive meanings – are there ever salmon there though? YAM xx
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Looks cold but hopefully the weather is warming up for you now. Our days are warm and our nights are cool at the moment but the good weather can only last for so long.
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I think your state wins the prize for most unpronounceable and unspellable city names. And here we thought Cheboygan was hard.
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