The great and tiny State of Rhode Island was established 1n 1636, joined the union as the 13th state on May 29, 1790, and was the first to declare independence from Britain on May 4, 1774.
State Bird : RI Red Hen;
State Tree : Red Mapple;
State Flower : Violet;
State Motto : Hope;
Official Drink : Coffee Milk;
Size : 1240 sq. miles;
State Capital : Providence;
Home of the first circus, oldest penny arcade, world's largest big blue bug, first jazz festival, first Baptist Church, and the first Jewish synagogue. Rhode Island has more shipwrecks per mile than any other state.
Sent by Yiwei from Rhode Island, USA.
The Ocean State: (Official) This nickname was formulated to attract tourism to Rhode Island and appears on non-commercial license plates. "Ocean State" began appearing on Rhode Island license plates in 1972, replacing "Discover." The Rhode Island Tourism Division promotes over 400 miles of coastline. This is not all ocean frontage but includes Narragansett Bay extending inland from the Atlantic Ocean north to the center of the state. All Rhode Islanders live within a 30-minute drive to the Atlantic Ocean or Narragansett Bay (read more).
