Tides & Towns
Narragansett Bay · RI

Bristol

America's oldest Fourth of July, and a harbor of America's Cup builders.

Population
22,493 (2020 census)
Incorporated
October 28, 1681
July 4 parade
Over 200,000 people

Then

  1. 1676

    Metacomet, King Philip, is killed on August 12 near his base at Mount Hope, ending the war that bears his name.

  2. 1680

    English colonists settle Bristol.

  3. 1769–1820

    The DeWolf family traffics more than 10,000 enslaved Africans. James DeWolf later serves in the U.S. Senate.

  4. 1785

    Official yearly Independence Day celebrations begin, the oldest continuous ones in the country.

  5. 1893–1920

    Herreshoff yachts built in Bristol win five straight America's Cup defenses.

Now

Bristol is a deep-water harbor town where boatbuilding and marine trades are still big business. Roger Williams University is here.

3 tide stations around Bristol

Sources