Monkeytown, Rhode Island

Q: I heard that Knightsville, a village in Cranston, was once called Monkeytown. What was the reason for it being called Monkeytown?

A: Most sources that we checked say that the reason for the name is not known. We did find one source that said, “One legend has it that a local lad joined a seafaring voyage, and when he returned he brought back a most unusual creature with him – a monkey in a cage. People traveled from all over to see the animal.”

Source: Cranston by Lydia L. Rapoza and Bette Miller

Click here to request this book from our library catalog.

Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant