Photo: Mlanni98, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Ninigret was a sachem, or leader, of the Eastern Niantic, whose land covered much of what is now Charlestown and Westerly. He was born around 1600 and was related by marriage and alliance to the Narragansett leaders to the north.
Dealing with the colonists
Ninigret dealt with the English colonies of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut for decades, sometimes in tension. He fought wars against other tribes, including the Montauketts on Long Island, and was suspected by the colonists of plotting with the Dutch.
When King Philip’s War broke out in 1675, Ninigret kept his people neutral. The Narragansett were devastated in the war, including at the Great Swamp Fight in South Kingstown. Ninigret’s people survived, and many Narragansett later joined with the Niantic in Charlestown.
Remembered in place names
The Narragansett Indian Tribe’s reservation lands are in Charlestown. Ninigret Pond, Ninigret Park and the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge carry his name.
A bronze statue of Ninigret, by sculptor Enid Yandell, has stood in Watch Hill since 1914, near the harbor.
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