Queen's Fort (Exeter, Rhode Island)
Exeter · Rhode Island · King Philip's War
History & Significance
On December 14, 1675, troops from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island raided Queen Quaiapen's nearby village, burning it and killing 50 people; the Queen and approximately 200 followers escaped to the stone fort. The fortification was constructed by Stonewall John, a Narragansett skilled in masonry, providing shelter atop a glacially formed hill defended by natural boulders and a winding path to the summit.
Within the fort a chamber—six square feet with a seven-foot ceiling and a sand floor—was perhaps built for Queen Quaiapen, who allegedly hid there during King Philip's War before relocating. In late summer 1676, Quaiapen and her people left the fort and traveled north; on July 2, 1676, they were attacked by a force of Connecticut mounted infantry and Mohegan and Pequot allies led by Major John Talcott.
The site was not discovered by the English until after the war, when Quaiapen's band had moved to Connecticut. The fort represents a remarkable example of indigenous engineering, designed to exploit natural terrain and resources in response to colonial military pressure during the devastating conflict that ended Narragansett independence.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- 17th-century Native American fortification with naturally integrated boulders and stone walls
- Eastern bastion and enclosed defensive chamber built by Narragansett Tribe under Queen Quaiapen
- Rocky hillock setting with archaeological significance from King Philip's War era
- National Register site managed by Rhode Island Historical Society since 1931
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen%27s_Fort
- https://smallstatebighistory.com/queens-fort-stone-refuge-for-quaiapen-1675-1676/
- https://smallstatebighistory.com/indian-forts-in-early-rhode-island/
- https://navigator.rihs.org/rhode-island-a-bibliography-of-its-history/queens-fort-2/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Swamp_Fight
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