As you get to know South County, Rhode Island, before and during your vacation, you’ll start to pick up on some local slang and a few nicknames. For instance, you might hear Kingston referred to as Little Rest, and there are some interesting theories behind this name.
Kingston Village is a small community in South Kingstown. It’s best known as the home of the University of Rhode Island, but it was once a central hub on a major carriage trail connecting Boston and New York City. As a result, it’s a historically significant community with some stories to tell.
Before getting its current name, the area was called Little Rest. Here are some of the stories on how this village got that name.
Local Folklore
Although there’s no way to verify any of the stories regarding Little Rest, they’re interesting nonetheless.
For instance, some believe the name Little Rest originated because of a lack of hotel rooms in the community. Despite being on a major trail, the story is that there weren’t enough places for travelers to sleep, so they got little rest.
A similar story is that the noise from all the stagecoaches passing through at night kept visitors awake, so they got little rest when staying in the village.
Some believe Little Rest became a party spot because of all the traffic passing through between Boston and New York. This traffic led to an abundance of taverns opening their doors, so travelers would get little rest because they were up all night drinking.
There could also have been a bunch of practical jokers in the community, keeping travelers awake with their hi-jinx so they could get little rest.
All of these stories touch on the fact that Kingston was a bustling community that saw numerous visitors and, therefore, was a challenging spot to get any sleep. However, the official story is a little different and ties into the history of Rhode Island as a whole.
The Official Story
There could be some truth to the local folklore, but the official story is quite a bit darker.
According to the National Parks Service’s 1974 application, the name dates back to Colonial times and the Pettaquamscutt Purchase of 1658.
As the story goes, the Narragansett Tribe sold the land making up present-day Narragansett and South Kingstown to a group of seven men from Boston. These men looked to develop a new settlement to rival Providence.
In the following years, tensions between Native American tribes and European settlers grew throughout New England, culminating with King Philip’s War in 1675.
The first major conflict during King Philip’s War was the Great Swamp Massacre on December 19, 1675. This fight saw soldiers from Connecticut and Massachusetts cut through present-day Kingston and ambush members of the Narragansett and Wampanoag tribes by attacking an unfortified section of their settlement.
These soldiers were able to sneak up on the unsuspecting tribes by using the Pequot Indian Trail, part of which is now Main Street in Kingston. The soldiers had a little rest in the Kingston area on their way to the battle, giving the region its name.
Of course, there’s no way to know if this story is true or if the name comes from a combination of multiple stories that have accumulated over the years. What we do know is that locals still refer to Kingston as Little Rest of this day, and the community is full of history you can learn about as you spend a week or two nearby.
Kingston Today
As noted, Kingston is a small village in South Kingstown that is far less busy than it was in the past. No major highways run through the community, so you’ll have to go out of your way if you want to visit.
However, it might be worth your time because there’s a significant amount of living history to explore. The downtown historic district is home to numerous buildings where figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin spent time, and checking them out provides a break from the bustle of South County’s beachfront areas.
Kingston, Rhode Island, probably isn’t the reason you’re coming to South County, RI, for your vacation, but it’s worth a visit because of all the history Little Rest has for you to experience.