Oaklawn, Rhode Island
Encyclopedia
Oak Lawn is a historical village in south west Cranston, Rhode Island
. Prior to being named "Oak Lawn" in 1872 the area was known as "Searle's Corner". The Edward Searle House
, built in 1677, and one of the oldest standing structures in Rhode Island
, is located in Oak Lawn. The village is also well known for its annual May Breakfast. This New England tradition began in Oak Lawn in 1865 as a way for the members of the Oak Lawn Baptist Church to raise money for local American Civil War
veterans. The 1855 Herman Melville novel "Israel Potter" is based on the life and adventures of an American Revolutionary soldier who was raised on a farm near present day Oak Lawn. Oak Lawn was also the site of an important archeological excavation in the 1950s when archeologists discovered bowls and other Native American
artifacts dating over 10,000 years old which had been carved from soapstone. In the pre-colonial era the area was populated with bands of the Narragansett Indians known as the "Meshanticut" and "Natick" Indians. Today, much of the Village of Oak Lawn has been designated as a historic district
by the National Historical Society.
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
. Prior to being named "Oak Lawn" in 1872 the area was known as "Searle's Corner". The Edward Searle House
Edward Searle House
The Edward Searle House is an historic stone ender in Cranston, Rhode Island in the village of Oaklawn. The house is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the state....
, built in 1677, and one of the oldest standing structures in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, is located in Oak Lawn. The village is also well known for its annual May Breakfast. This New England tradition began in Oak Lawn in 1865 as a way for the members of the Oak Lawn Baptist Church to raise money for local American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veterans. The 1855 Herman Melville novel "Israel Potter" is based on the life and adventures of an American Revolutionary soldier who was raised on a farm near present day Oak Lawn. Oak Lawn was also the site of an important archeological excavation in the 1950s when archeologists discovered bowls and other Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
artifacts dating over 10,000 years old which had been carved from soapstone. In the pre-colonial era the area was populated with bands of the Narragansett Indians known as the "Meshanticut" and "Natick" Indians. Today, much of the Village of Oak Lawn has been designated as a historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
by the National Historical Society.