Remembering Smithfield: Sketches of Apple Valley

The legend of John Noforce- whose puzzling death may have been the result of a Native American Romeo and Juliet saga- 1676’s bloody Nipsachuck massacre and the scandalous downfall of the poor farm and asylum are a few of the tales that linger among historic Smithfield’s fields and forests. Once home to ‘Apple King’ Thomas K. Winsor and Arthur C. Gould, frustrated inventor of Rhode Island’s first and only aircraft rest stop, this storied town has known both triumph and tragedy. Local author Jim Ignasher’s expertly woven collection of vignettes speaks to the ever-enduring spirit of Smithfield’s people. From illegal ice cream peddlers to a mysterious traveler killed by his own pet rattlesnake, the roots of this vibrant community extend far beyond its celebrated apple orchards