Tiogue facts for kids
Tiogue (say it like "tie-OAK" or "tie-OAG") is a small village. You can find it in Coventry, Rhode Island. It's close to another village called Washington. Tiogue used to have different names, like Barclay or Pleasant Vale.
Contents
Tiogue's Story: From Mills to Summer Fun
How Tiogue Began
A long time ago, a man named Fones Potter lived here. He was a veteran from the American Revolution. In the late 1700s, Fones Potter started a textile mill in this area. A textile mill is like a factory that makes cloth. At first, this place was called Pleasant Vale.
Later, the Potter family changed the name to "Barclay." They named it after a Scottish writer and minister from the 1700s named Robert Barclay.
The Rope Walk Business
Fones Potter eventually sold his mill. Two new owners, Jabez Anthony and Perez Peck, bought it. They started a new business called the "Rope Walk." This company made strong ropes, like those used for anchors on ships. They also made twine and cotton bands.
They built a very long building for twisting ropes. This building was next to a stream. The stream flowed from the Tiogue Reservoir. The area where they worked was near Holmes Road, Lydia Road, York Drive, and Arnold Road. Jabez Anthony's son and grandson kept the business going after he passed away.
Tiogue Today
By the late 1800s, the Rope Walk mill closed down. After that, Tiogue changed a lot. People started coming to Lake Tiogue for summer vacations. It became a popular spot for a summer colony.
Today, only two buildings from the 1800s are still standing. One is the William H. Anthony House on Holmes Road. The other is the Samuel Tarbox House on Arnold Road. These old houses remind us of Tiogue's past.
