WaterFire: Gaspee Project

Join WaterFire June 13th, 2015, 243 years after the burning of the Gaspee, as we retell and relive the story of that historic night through a variety of artistic mediums, events, and experiences.

The attack on British customs schooner Gaspee by the citizens of Providence on June 9th, 1772 was the first act of war against the British Crown. The raid’s success and the colony’s complicit resistance to civil sanction marked the start of the American fight for independence a year and a half before the Boston Tea Party. The attack on the Gaspee motivated further communication between the colonies in the form of the Committees of Correspondence and inspired the colonies to join together to seek their independence, ultimately leading to the founding of the United States of America.

Sunset: 8:21 p.m.
Lighting time: 8:46 p.m.
The fires will remain lit until 12:30 a.m.