From pre-colonial times through World War II, the town
of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, has served as a stage for the
dramatic evolution of American history. Dispossessed citizens
from the Massachusetts Bay Colony came to Portsmouth in
the spirit of religious and political tolerance, paving the way
for the establishment of a large Quaker settlement in town.
Revolutionary leaders such as George Washington, Lafayette,
and Rochambeau visited the summer residences of wealthy
Newport merchants in Portsmouth, including the home of
Tory, Metcalf Bowler. During the Civil War, the Melville area
of Portsmouth was the site of a hospital for wounded Union
soldiers and Confederate prisoners, and was an active stop
on the Underground Railroad. Prior to World War II, John F.
Kennedy received his PT boat training in Portsmouth, and
Raytheon has kept many employed in the defense industry
ever since.