Believing that knowledge of the past can inform the future, a group of like-minded Rhode Island women got together in 1892 to form the National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of Rhode Island
Their families settled in the colony before the American Revolution . Through this lineage society they sought to sought to honor them through a mission of preservation, education and service .
The Colonial Dames preserve the cultural and physical artifacts that relate to the colonial period in Rhode Island through two historic properties: Whitehall, located in Middletown, RI, and the Stephen Hopkins House located in Providence. Both museum houses are open to the public.
We educate to promote a clear-eyed and accurate understanding of our nation’s early history as it applies to Rhode Island. Our efforts are guided by the belief that a knowledge and understanding of history, in all of its elaborate and often difficult permutations, enables a fuller understanding of how our country has emerged. It is the backbone of civics education which, in turn, supports active and informed citizenship.
Through patriotic service, the Dames promote a love of country, pride in the accomplishments of this democratic experiment, and support for those men and women, past and present, who have given so much to so many
