The Narragansett Tribe is asking a federal judge to hold Rhode Island to an agreement to transfer three historic properties in Washington County to the tribe. The properties are meant to make up for the loss of a historic site in Providence.
A Providence transportation project will disturb an ancient Narragansett site. But since it’s too difficult to excavate, the tribe asked the state to offset the loss by transferring three other historic sites. The tribe signed an agreement with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation a few years ago. But Narragansett Tribal Historic Preservation Officer John Brown III says the state still hasn’t made good on the deal.
“When it came time to end up getting the property that was a different matter,” said Brown. “And that’s where we’re at now.”
Brown says the sites in Washington County are meaningful to Narragansett culture and history. He hopes a federal judge will compel the state to carry through on its agreement to hand the lands over.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation offered no comment.
