About The New England Browncoats
New England is a group of six northeastern states, each with its own unique history and character and all within relatively short driving distance of each other; Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The New England Browncoats hail from all of these states and, in 2011 we are working our mojo together to bring you the next of the notorious Browncoat Balls.
The 2011 Browncoat Ball will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, RI about eight miles outside of the state’s capitol, Providence, on October 21st-23rd. Our theme for the October weekend: Call of the Ball, Halloween, Cthulhu and Fancy Dress in The ‘Verse.
The three tracks will be in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts and our site offers travel ideas throughout the region for those who want to extend their stay and visit other areas on their own during the beauty of New England’s autumn foliage season.
As New England Browncoats, we hope you plan to come visit us for the 2011 Ball and that you find New England as spectacular as we do…especially during this time of year.
We are all working together to bring you a fantastic Ball Weekend experience with many exciting inclusive options. You’ll find a great amount of information on our site including ideas for those Browncoats wanting to set out on their own during an extended stay. Our site also has a Discussion Forum for those who’d like to connect with other Browncoats beforehand to plan their trip together. As well as a blog and of course, our facebook page.
The Area’s History
Rhode Island has a rich history from the early Native Americans who fished off the shores and whose legacy can be seen in many of the areas’ location names through its colonization by Roger Williams in 1636 and beyond. Rhode Island was the first colony to declare its independence in 1776, a full two months before the Declaration of Independence; although it was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the United States Constitution. The first naval battle of the Revolution took place in Rhode Island waters. Boston and the surrounding areas are, of course, also known for participation in early colony settlement and for movements leading to the start of the Revolutionary War.
During the Industrial Revolution, the entire Southeastern New England area was rich with metropolitan textile mills and surrounding villages dedicated to whaling, fishing, and the digging of clams and quoahogs. The Turn of the Century’s Gilded Age can be seen as well within the opulent walls of the Newport Mansions.
Rhode Island’s biggest literary legend was H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937). Known as the “Poe of his time,” Lovecraft sussed out an area amongst his contemporaries that he called “cosmic horror.” He is probably best known for his Cthulhu mythos and his dark grimoire, the Necronomicon.
The New England area is also famous for other such literary greats as Mather, Emerson, Hawthorne, Thoreau, Longfellow, Whittier, Beecher-Stowe, Dickenson, Frost, Melville and King as well as artistic icons Winslow Homer, Norman Rockwell, and Thomas Kinkade.
The New England area is known for its historic figures as well, including the Kennedys, John Quincy Adams, Paul Revere, Christa McAuliffe, and the infamous Lizzie Borden. Along with its rich history, New England abounds with tales of the paranormal and many areas offer evening Ghost Tours not only in the chilling month of October, but all year long.
Through recent decades, the six states have produced such socially conscious companies as LL Bean, Eastern Mountain Sports, Stoneyfield Farms, Ben & Jerry’s, Burt’s Bees, and Tom’s of Maine. Many of which have outlet stores in the New England area and/or offer tours of their facilities.
It is also home to many lead-edge technology companies and cutting-edge biomedical research, plus some of the premier universities in the world. Not to mention many very fine micro-breweries.
Enough with the historical history, come see it all for yourself!