Coasters Harbor Island-view from east 3000 ft

Coasters Harbor Island is a island in

Narragansett Bay Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. S ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

. The island is home to the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associa ...

(NWC), an education and research institution of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

that specializes in developing ideas for

naval warfare Naval warfare is combat in and on the sea, the ocean, or any other battlespace involving a major body of water such as a large lake or wide river. The Military, armed forces branch designated for naval warfare is a navy. Naval operations can be ...

and passing them along to officers of the Navy.

History

The Native Americans called the island Woonachaset. Colonists purchased Coasters Island from the Indians in 1654. The City built the Newport Asylum for the Poor in 1822. The Newport

Poor House A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run (usually by a county or municipality) facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy. Workhouses In England, Wales and Ireland (but not in Scotland), "workhouse" has been the more ...

and Farm was located on the island until the City and State donated the island to the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

for the Naval War College in 1882. The Navy still uses the island as a training center, and it is home to the

Naval War College Museum The Naval War College Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, is one of 10 official American museums operated by the United States Navy, under the direction of the Naval History & Heritage Command and in co-operation with the Naval War College. It is l ...

References and external links

Islands of Narragansett Bay
*Frederic Denlson, ''Narragansett Sea and Shore'', (J.A. & R.A. Reid, Providence, RI., 1879) *George L. Seavey, ''Rhode Island's Coastal Natural Areas.'' Islands of Newport County, Rhode Island Islands of Narragansett Bay Islands of Rhode Island {{RhodeIsland-geo-stub