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I love Traveling Tuesdays! My personal 50-week States of the Union challenge takes me - virtually - to a different state each week (in the order they attained statehood). I do some research of the state and then find some fact about it to use as inspiration for a card.
This week's state is...
Rhode Island
Date of Statehood: May 29, 1790
Rhode Island is the smallest state in size in the United States. Over 400 Rhode Islands can fit inside of Alaska, and almost 4,000 can fit in America.
It has a lot of oceanfront property. It is only 37 miles across at its widest, but it has 384 miles of shoreline (including its 35 islands). Narragansett Bay juts 28 miles inland from the sea, and about 14 percent of the state’s area is taken up by bays, inlets, and other water.
Rhode Island shores are publically owned.
Newport may be home to the oldest standing building in America, the Viking Tower in Truro Park, with some estimates pulling its construction at 1120 AD.
The first circus in the United States was in Newport in 1774.
It’s home to America’s first indoor shopping mall. The Westminster Arcade was built in 1828 and was the first enclosed shopping experience in the U.S., almost 130 years before the first modern (climate-controlled) suburban shopping mall opened in Minnesota. It’s a historic landmark, and now contains 48 tiny apartments.
The only nuclear explosion to ever happen in the U.S. outside of a controlled environment happened in Wood River, R.I. in 1964 when a worker at United Nuclear Corporation Recovery Systems mistakenly put too much uranium solution in a tank, resulting in an explosion. The worker was the only causality.
Mr. Potato Head was named as the official “family-travel ambassador” of Rhode Island in 2000. It makes sense with the Hasbro headquarters located in Pawtucket. He was also the first toy to be advertised on television.
It has its own variety of clam chowder. Whereas New England clam chowder is creamy and Manhattan chowder is tomato-y, Rhode Island clam chowder has a clear broth.
Coffee milk is its official state drink. It’s made with coffee syrup mixed into milk, the same way you would make chocolate milk. The Rhode Island-based company Autocrat is one of the only businesses in the country that makes the syrup, and Autocrat’s product is the “preferred syrup” for the state beverage according to the Rhode Island government’s website.
Both the first Baptist church and the first synagogue to be built in America were built in Rhode Island.
Jacqueline Bouvier and John Fitzgerald Kennedy got married in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island never approved the 18th Amendment, otherwise known as prohibition. It was only one of two states who didn't approve it.
Some studies show that there are more doughnut shops per capita in the Providence metro area than anywhere else.
The first traffic law was created in 1678, when authorities banned galloping horses on local streets in Newport. In 1904, the first speeding ticket was also given in Newport.
You’ll get fined if you throw pickle juice on a trolley in Rhode Island.
In Newport, it’s illegal to smoke a pipe after sunset.
Think twice before you take your favorite horse out on 95. They’ll pull you over and ticket you if they think you’re preparing for a race.
For some odd reason, it’s illegal to sell both toothpaste and a toothbrush to the same Providence resident on Sundays.
Apparently Providence has had a problem with risqué outfits in the past, as now it’s against the law to wear see-through clothing.
Having more than 11 permanent vehicles in front of your house is a misdemeanor.
Rhode Island Judge Darius Baker became the first judge (in August 1904) to sentence a driver to jail for driving too quickly.
It has a lot of oceanfront property. It is only 37 miles across at its widest, but it has 384 miles of shoreline (including its 35 islands). Narragansett Bay juts 28 miles inland from the sea, and about 14 percent of the state’s area is taken up by bays, inlets, and other water.
Rhode Island shores are publically owned.
The first circus in the United States was in Newport in 1774.
It’s home to America’s first indoor shopping mall. The Westminster Arcade was built in 1828 and was the first enclosed shopping experience in the U.S., almost 130 years before the first modern (climate-controlled) suburban shopping mall opened in Minnesota. It’s a historic landmark, and now contains 48 tiny apartments.
The only nuclear explosion to ever happen in the U.S. outside of a controlled environment happened in Wood River, R.I. in 1964 when a worker at United Nuclear Corporation Recovery Systems mistakenly put too much uranium solution in a tank, resulting in an explosion. The worker was the only causality.
It has its own variety of clam chowder. Whereas New England clam chowder is creamy and Manhattan chowder is tomato-y, Rhode Island clam chowder has a clear broth.
Coffee milk is its official state drink. It’s made with coffee syrup mixed into milk, the same way you would make chocolate milk. The Rhode Island-based company Autocrat is one of the only businesses in the country that makes the syrup, and Autocrat’s product is the “preferred syrup” for the state beverage according to the Rhode Island government’s website.
Both the first Baptist church and the first synagogue to be built in America were built in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island never approved the 18th Amendment, otherwise known as prohibition. It was only one of two states who didn't approve it.
The first traffic law was created in 1678, when authorities banned galloping horses on local streets in Newport. In 1904, the first speeding ticket was also given in Newport.
You’ll get fined if you throw pickle juice on a trolley in Rhode Island.
In Newport, it’s illegal to smoke a pipe after sunset.
Think twice before you take your favorite horse out on 95. They’ll pull you over and ticket you if they think you’re preparing for a race.
For some odd reason, it’s illegal to sell both toothpaste and a toothbrush to the same Providence resident on Sundays.
Apparently Providence has had a problem with risqué outfits in the past, as now it’s against the law to wear see-through clothing.
Having more than 11 permanent vehicles in front of your house is a misdemeanor.
Rhode Island Judge Darius Baker became the first judge (in August 1904) to sentence a driver to jail for driving too quickly.
I've decided to go with this bit of Rhode Island information for my card's inspiration... Rhode Islanders are great at growing pumpkins, setting and resetting the world record for the largest pumpkin several times in the last decade. 
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Supplies Used
Stamp Set: Kraftin Kimmie Happy Fall Y'All stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored With Copic Markers and an Amazapen Gel Pen
Papers: Recollections White and SU Night of Navy and True Thyme CS and DP from my scrap file
Embellishments: Brads from an unknown vendor
4 comments:
Cute card and a lot of fun facts! Love reading all about your states. Love how you framed the card both inside and out. Great color combination, especially for the fall which is when I assume the pumpkins are harvested in Rhode Island. LOL!
What a fascinating state and history Jeanette - love your card, the colours are so autumnal, which is how I am feeling at the moment!
Blessings
Maxine
Another state I need to visit!! Your pumpkin card is precious!! I bet they need something much larger than her wagon to move their record breaking pumpkins!!
Beautiful card and fun fact. I would have never thought about Rhode Island as a pumpkin growing State. I sure am learning a lot about the States from your project.
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