EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. - New commemorative pole banners honoring Revolutionary War soldiers and patriots buried in East Providence are being installed throughout the city as part of the community’s ongoing semiquincentennial celebrations.
The first 16 banners have been installed around City Hall. Additional banners will soon appear in Rumford along Newman Avenue, Pawtucket Avenue, Pleasant Street and Greenwood Avenue, as well as in Riverside along Willett Avenue and Forbes Street.
The banners feature the names of Revolutionary War soldiers and patriots buried in Newman Cemetery and Ancient Little Neck Cemetery, recognizing individuals who contributed to the nation’s founding.
Local history researcher, and East Providence 250 Commission Vice Chair, Sandra Turgeon compiled a list of 147 Revolutionary War soldiers connected to East Providence using the Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries database, Revolutionary War veteran monuments erected by the East Providence Bicentennial Commission, and research preserved in the collections of the East Providence Historical Society.
Residents interested in learning more about the soldiers featured on the banners will soon be able to access biographies and historical information through QR codes posted near gravesites, on the EP250.com website and during a special event planned for September 2026 at Newman Cemetery.
Community members interested in helping preserve these historic cemeteries are invited to participate in gravestone cleaning at Ancient Little Neck Cemetery on Saturday, May 16, from 9 to 11 a.m. Additional volunteer opportunities at Newman Cemetery will be announced this summer.
Both cemeteries will also be featured stops on the Discover Historic East Providence bus tours organized by the East Providence 250 Commission and planned for June and September. Visit EP250.com for dates and registration information.
The pole banner project was coordinated by the East Providence 250 Commission and the East Providence Historical Society. Michelle Perry of the East Providence Public Library assisted with banner design, and employees from the city’s Highway Division installed the banners.
Appointed by Mayor Bob DaSilva, the East Providence 250 Commission coordinates events and programs commemorating the nation’s semiquincentennial through projects related to the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Funding for the pole banner project was provided in part through a grant from the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial Commission (RI250).
