If you've ever walked the harbor in Newport or crossed Narragansett Bay to Jamestown, you feel the sea air, the sound of gulls, the creak of old docks. What many people don’t realize is how deeply piracy, privateering, and lore are woven into the coastline’s history. These tales aren’t just ghost stories - they helped shape the early Rhode Island colonists, the economy, the very culture of maritime life. Today I want to share some of those stories, both the documented ones and some that are part folklore, and reflect on what they tell us about who we are, living in this beautiful coastal area.

Newport: A Pirate Hub

• Newport’s geography made it a natural center for seafaring activity, legal and not-so-legal. Its deep, protected harbors and its position on Atlantic shipping routes meant that pirates and privateers alike found opportunity here.
• Thomas Tew, known as the “Rhode Island Pirate,” is perhaps one of the more famous names. A privateer turned pirate in the late 17th century, Tew launched cruises from Newport, attacking ships along the Red Sea and Indian Ocean before returning. Wikipedia
• Thomas Wake, Joseph Faro, William Mayes, and others sailed alongside or in parallel with Tew, outfitting vessels from Rhode Island that sometimes skirted legality. Visit Newport RI+3Wikipedia+3Wikipedia+3
• Newport’s relationship with piracy was somewhat ambivalent. Pirates brought wealth—foreign coin, exotic goods, trade—and many colonists saw benefit. But increasing pressure from colonial governments and the mother country eventually forced a crackdown. The dramatic mass execution at Gravelly Point in 1723, for example, showed Newport drawing a firm line. Rhode Island Monthly

Jamestown & Folklore: Privateers, Treasure, and Legends

Just across the bay, Jamestown and Conanicut Island have their share of stories - some documented, some lore.

One of the oldest extant houses in Jamestown, Cajacet (also called the Thomas Paine House), was built in the 1690s by Captain Thomas Paine, a privateer who later settled here. It is said among local lore that he was associated with Captain Kidd and that treasure was buried here—though nothing has ever been verified. Antique Homes+2mansionsandmanors.com+2

There are stories of pirate caves in Jamestown and Newport - places where ships might have hidden, where treasures were buried. One such “Pirate Cave” is often mentioned in folklore; its exact location is debated, and some claim parts may even be underwater. Strange New England

Privateering and maritime trade were regular parts of daily life here. Jamestown’s historical society notes Captain Paine’s life, local Quaker farms, and taverns that may have served seafarers and pirates alike. Antique Homes+1

How Laws, Reputation, and Geography Intersected

Rhode Island in colonial times was often accused of being too tolerant of piracy or turning a blind eye - sometimes because local economies depended heavily on traders and sailors, some of whom might have had dubious cargo. Privateers (ship captains with government-issued letters of marque, allowing them to seize enemy vessels) blurred with outright pirates. The lines weren’t always clear. warwickhistory.com+1

Geography played a big role: Newport Harbor, Narragansett Bay, various inlets and islands provided sheltered moorings, places to repair ships, hide, or move cargo undetected. The proximity to trade routes meant there was always opportunity. Also, islands like Conanicut provided vantage points and cover.

Documented Events vs. Folklore

It’s important to distinguish what is well-documented from what’s part of local legend:

Well-Documented:

• Pirate trials, documented privateering commissions, and colonial records. For instance, George Peterson was a pirate active around 1686-1688 who resupplied in Newport. He was later seized and brought to trial. Wikipedia
  
• Thomas Tew’s documented voyages, and Newport’s acknowledgment of pirates and privateers living or hiding in Rhode Island. Wikipedia+2Rhode Island Monthly+2
  
  

Folklore/Lore:

• Lost pirate treasure buried in Jamestown (or somewhere on Conanicut Island) associated with Captain Kidd, Captain Paine, or others. These stories circulate in local history books, the Jamestown Historical Society, etc. Antique Homes+1
• Pirate caves whose precise locations are not firmly established. Strange New England

What This History Means for Us

Living here, in or near Watch Hill, Weekapaug, Charlestown, or Mystic, we are surrounded by these stories - even if the physical pirate hideouts or buried treasure are more myth than reality. The presence of pirate and privateer lore reminds us of our coastal heritage: that this region has long been a crossroads of maritime enterprise, adventure, trade, risk, and reward.

There’s something valuable in that: the idea that our homes, our docks, our preserved historic villages are part of a tapestry that includes not just the pretty postcards of beaches and sunsets, but also rugged histories of law, sea, intrigue, and boldness.

Sites & Landmarks You Can Visit

If you want to explore this history in person, here are some places you or your family might enjoy:

• Newport: Wander through the historic waterfront and learn more about Pirate Thomas Tew, the Gravelly Point site, Newport’s colonial architecture.
• Jamestown: Visit the Thomas Paine House (Cajacet), local historical society exhibits, and explore some of the shoreline where folklore holds pirate caves.
• Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown State Park also sits near passages that pirate ships or privateers may have used historically to access Narragansett Bay. While not a pirate stronghold, the lighthouse marks a navigational point in these same waters. Wikipedia

Why These Tales Still Matter

• Character of Place: They give depth. Knowing that Newport once hosted both outlaws and privateers, that Jamestown houses may have hidden whispers of Kidd or Paine, adds texture to our sense of place here.
• Cultural Tourism: These stories attract people (buyers, vacationers, historians) who appreciate heritage. The mystique adds to value - homes near historic districts, waterfronts, vistas, carry not just market value but legacy value.
• Perspective: Pirates remind us that risk, reward, uncertainty, and bold action are part of maritime and colonial life. In a world of shifting markets, rising seas, changing economies - these stories remind us that those who navigated risk sometimes ended up leaving lasting legacies.

Closing Thoughts

I don’t claim to be an expert, or have definitive proof of where every pirate dug treasure, or exactly how many ships were lost off our shores. What I do believe is that these stories - documented or legendary - are part of what makes living here special. They remind us that the sea has always been a place of both opportunity and peril, and that the people who dared to sail, explore, trade, or even plunder, shaped the culture and architecture and economy of this remarkable coastline.

So the next time you walk the Newport docks, ferry across to Jamestown, or scan the horizon from a Watch Hill beach, think of Captain Tew, Thomas Paine, crew-men who resupplied in hidden coves, and legends of buried gold. We live in a land shaped not just by calm bays and soft beaches, but by stories of daring and the wildness of the deep Atlantic.

If you’re curious and want to dive deeper into these histories - or interested in properties near historic harbors, exposed to this lore - reach out anytime. I’d be happy to share maps, house histories, unique properties that carry these stories in their beams and foundations.

Photo Credit: New England Historical Society