The Island
By Josephine Cardin
Prudence Island, at seven miles long and two miles wide, is the third largest island in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. In colonial times, the island was used mainly for farming. During the American Revolution, the British forces under Captain James Wallace raided Prudence Island for livestock. In the 20th century, farming began to decline and the island began to attract summer residences. In World War II, the U.S. Navy established an ammunition depot on the island. In 1972, the Navy turned the base over to the State of Rhode Island, leaving bunkers, roads, and a large deep-water pier.
Present day it is inhabited by about 150 year-round Islanders, though most commute to work via a ferry to Bristol, RI. There is a one room schoolhouse limited to grades kindergarten to fourth grade. And besides a small market by the dock, you wont find a restaurant, bar, theater, or shopping mall. Though it is slowly being discovered, and real estate is growing, there remains a quiet simplicity that when you step foot onto Prudence you truly feel like you are in place of its own where one can forget the worries of the everyday and simply relax surrounded by its untamed beauty.
Thank You!
