Varnum_House_Museum,_East_Greenwich_Rhode_Island

The Varnum Continentals are an active independent military organization of the

Rhode Island militia The Rhode Island Army National Guard (RIARNG) is the land force militia for the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It operates under Title 10 and Title 32 of the United States Code and operates under the command of the state governor while not in fede ...

that was founded in 1903 and currently serve primarily as a ceremonial

honor guard A guard of honour ( GB), also honor guard ( US), also ceremonial guard, is a group of people, usually military in nature, appointed to receive or guard a head of state or other dignitaries, the fallen in war, or to attend at state ceremonials, ...

and as historic educational organization in

East Greenwich, Rhode Island East Greenwich is a town and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island. The population was 14,312 at the 2020 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island. It is part of the Providence metropolitan st ...

. The Warren Varnum Continentals operate the historic Varnum Memorial Armory, an

armory Armory or armoury may mean: * An arsenal, a military or civilian location for the storage of arms and ammunition Places *National Guard Armory, in the United States and Canada, a training place for National Guard or other part-time or regular mili ...

museum at 6 Main Street in East Greenwich, which was built in 1913, and housed Rhode Island State and National Guard units from 1918 to 1996. The Varnum Continentals were named after Revolutionary War General

James Mitchell Varnum James Mitchell Varnum (December 17, 1748 – January 9, 1789) was an American legislator, lawyer, generalHeitman, ''Officers of the Continental Army'', 559. in the Continental Army, and a pioneer to the Ohio Country.Wilkins, ''Memoirs of the Rho ...

, a founder of the

Kentish Guards The Armory of the Kentish Guards is a historic armory at Armory and Peirce Streets in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and is currently home to the Kentish Guards, a historic Rhode Island Independent Military Organization. History The Kentish Guard ...

, and the Continentals are dedicated to preserving Varnum's memory. The Varnum Continentals were chartered in 1907 by a group of former

members to preserve the older traditions of the group, and the Continentals were reactivated in 1992 by Governor

Bruce Sundlun Bruce George Sundlun (January 19, 1920 – July 21, 2011) was an American businessman, politician and member of the United States Democratic Party, Democratic Party who served as List of governors of Rhode Island, 71st governor of Rhode Island ...

. The Varnum Continentals still remain part of the Rhode Island militia but serve a largely ceremonial role and educational role using period muskets and cannon for special events and maintain a large museum.http://varnumcontinentals.org/about-the-varnum-continenals/ (accessed 1/10/22)

References

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External links

Official website
Military in Rhode Island Historical reenactment groups