Going off the beaten path sometimes results in the most amazing discoveries – a hidden gem restaurant, a little-known attraction, and maybe even a fascinating piece of history that leaves us in awe. No matter how long we’ve lived here, we never know what discoveries – like this secluded cemetery in East Providence, Rhode Island – we’ll make when we’re out and about.

As one of the oldest colonial cemeteries in Rhode Island, Little Neck Cemetery in East Providence dates back to 1655 and has a fascinating tale to tell, right down to its founding.

The secluded Rhode Island cemetery was initially established by the town of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, as the final resting place of some of the settlers of Wannamoisett, an area today that encompasses, among other areas, Riverside in East Providence.

A stroll through this historic cemetery will bring you to the gravesites of prominent figures in Rhode Island, including John Brown Jr. who was buried here in 1662. His is the first and oldest burial recorded in Little Neck Cemetery.

Brown Jr., a shipmaker whose father bought Wannamoisett from the Wampanoag Indians, immigrated to Massachusetts from Plymouth, England.

Look for the marker, too, that denotes the final resting place of Elizabeth Tilley Howland. She arrived on the Mayflower and became one of Plymouth’s original settlers. Upon her passing at her daughter’s farm in nearby Swansea, Massachusetts in 1687, she was buried in the historic cemetery.

Captain Thomas Willet, heralded as the most famous person buried at Little Neck Cemetery, served as the first English mayor of New York. He was also married to John Brown’s daughter, Mary, who died in 1669. Captain Willet passed away in 1674. Both are buried in this historic Rhode Island cemetery.

Little Neck Cemetery, which has expanded to cover 12 acres during its rich history, earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Learn more on the official website of the East Providence Historical Society. Or, stop by the Facebook page of this historical society in Rhode Island.

Have you been to Little Neck Cemetery, a secluded cemetery in East Providence, Rhode Island? What did you think? Share your experience in the comments! Next time you’re in the area and are craving a hearty helping of nostalgia, head over to Pazi’s Place, a retro diner in East Providence, Rhode Island. Or how about enjoying a scenic hike? Find all of the trails in Rhode Island on AllTrails.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/rhode-island/most-nostalgic-destination-ri/