From pre-colonial times through World War II , the town

of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, has served as a stage for the

dramatic evolution of American history. Dispossessed citizens

from the Massachusetts Bay Colony came to Portsmouth in

the spirit of religious and political tolerance, paving the way

for the establishment of a large Quaker settlement in town.

Revolutionary leaders such as George Washington, Lafayette,

and Rochambeau visited the summer residences of wealthy

Newport merchants in Portsmouth, including the home of

Tory, Metcalf Bowler. During the Civil War, the Melville area

of Portsmouth was the site of a hospital for wounded Union

soldiers and Confederate prisoners, and was an active stop

on the Underground Railroad. Prior to World War II , John F.

Kennedy received his PT boat training in Portsmouth, and

Raytheon has kept many employed in the defense industry

ever since.