Narragansett

Narragansett is a name used for several related entities associated with Rhode Island and its coastal region. It derives from the Narragansett people, an Indigenous Algonquian-speaking group historically living around Narragansett Bay and southern Rhode Island. The Narragansett language, once spoken by the tribe, belongs to the Eastern Algonquian branch and is now extinct as a spoken language, though scholarly materials exist and revival efforts are undertaken by descendants.

Narragansett Bay is a major estuary on the Rhode Island coast, receiving water from rivers and draining into the Atlantic Ocean. It supports fisheries, recreation, and urban water supply, and is bordered by several towns and the state’s capital area near Providence.

Narragansett is also the name of a coastal town in Washington County, Rhode Island, known for its beaches, tourism, and maritime heritage. The Narragansett Indian Tribe is a state-recognized tribe based in Rhode Island; it maintains the Narragansett Indian Reservation in Charlestown and engages in cultural preservation and economic development. It is not federally recognized.

In the commercial sphere, Narragansett is the name of the Narragansett Brewing Company, a Rhode Island brewer known for its lager brands and strong regional association with New England identity, with a revival that has extended its presence beyond the original era of prominence.