Charlestown in Washington County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
Cross' Mills
Welcomes You
| — | Est. 1709 | Charlestown, RI. | — |
Settled in the late 1600's by brothers John & Ralph Cross who came to this colony from Scotland, the village acquired its name by 1709, when John's son Joseph purchased the existing gristmill from Joseph Davill (just 200' east of this spot). For the next 150 years, Cross' Mills remained the only village in the area along the King's Highway (later, the Old Post Road), also serving as the seat of the town's government. The Cross Family played a major role in village life and government for over 300 years.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1709.
Location. 41° 23.017′ N, 71° 38.556′ W. Marker is in Charlestown, Rhode Island, in Washington County. It is at the intersection of Old Post Road (Rhode Island Route 1A) and Cross Mills Road when traveling west on Old Post Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4459 Old Post Rd, Charlestown RI 02813, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Narragansett Bay and in South County. It
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Fort Ninigret (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Fort Ninigret (approx. 0.3 miles away); Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Memorial (approx. 1.4 miles away); Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat Crash (approx. 1.4 miles away); Liberty Tree Memorial (approx. 1.4 miles away); Ninigret Park History (approx. 1.4 miles away); Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge (approx. 1.9 miles away); Samuel E. Perry Grist Mill (approx. 3˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charlestown.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 20, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 20, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
