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Posted on October 20, 2007 | Category: Events, History, Places
Smith’s Castle had its Harvest festival exactly one week ago today. The annual festival has changed some from past years. For instance the festival is now a one day festival as opposed to w two day festival, during which many reenactors spent the night, at the castle. In years past Boy Scout Troop 152 from North Kingstown used to work the event, handling: parking, trash, and assisting with setup and take down. Although, it seems Troop 152 is no longer participates I did notice a couple of Girl Scouts, and the event is still a large and well handled event. The festival offers a look into period life from the revolutionary era, with many well educated reenactors ready and quite happy to answer questions. One thing I learned was that Francis Hopkinson designed the first American Flag, and not Betsy Rose. Apparently, the Betsy Rose story was started by her grandchildren and is now considered unlikely at best.
The castle is located in an area of North Kingstown known as Cocumscussoc, a Narragansett name. Although you will be hard pressed to find many who are familiar with the name, a state park not far down stony lane does bear its name. The castle is most often associated with the village of Wickford now. The location of the current house was originally a trading post established by Roger Williams, which was burnt by the Narragansett Indians in retaliation for the great swamp battle during King Phillips War, in which the castle served as a trading post. It is though that the original house may had been fortified, which is why it is called a castle; however there are no obvious remnants of at fortification.
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