The Rhode Island 39 Club
Visit all 39 cities and towns in the smallest state in the union, collect a stamp in each one, and earn the Rhody Red patch.
Inspiration for the Club
Martin Podskoch modeled the Rhode Island 39 Club on Dr. Arthur Peach’s Vermont Life idea for a 251 Club, an informal challenge to seek out “the secret and lovely places that main roads do not reveal.” After completing similar passport guides for Connecticut and the Adirondacks, Rhode Island, the nation’s smallest state with the biggest name, was a natural next stop.
Even in the smallest state, every one of the 39 cities and towns has its own harbor, mill village, common, or coastline worth the detour. The club exists to send travelers to all of them, not just the handful along Route 1.
There is no fee and no registration. Pick up the passport, visit a town, get it stamped or signed by a local resident or business, and move on to the next.
What’s Inside the Book
Just like the Connecticut and Adirondack guides, the Rhode Island 39 Club gives every city and town its own entry: a short history, notable places to visit, and a checklist box to stamp once you’ve been.
Podskoch reached out to town historians, libraries, chambers of commerce, and municipal offices across the state to gather accurate, locally sourced write-ups for each stop.
There are no rules and no forms to turn in, just a passport, a stamp from a local at each stop, and a desire to see the whole state.
Five Counties, Thirty-Nine Stops
Rhode Island packs its 39 cities and towns into just five counties, from the mill cities of the north to the beaches of the south coast.
Providence County
The state’s capital and industrial heart, dense with mill villages and historic neighborhoods.
Kent County
Suburban towns wrapped around Narragansett Bay’s western shore.
Newport County
Gilded Age mansions and island towns reached by bridge and ferry.
Washington County
South County’s beaches, salt ponds, and farmland along the coast.
Bristol County
Rhode Island’s smallest county, three towns of colonial waterfront on the eastern bay.
All 39 Cities & Towns
Every stop on the Rhode Island 39 Club checklist, grouped by county.
Providence (16)
Burrillville, Central Falls, Cranston, Cumberland, East Providence, Foster, Glocester, Johnston, Lincoln, North Providence, North Smithfield, Pawtucket, Providence, Scituate, Smithfield, Woonsocket
Washington (9)
Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, New Shoreham, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, Westerly
Newport (6)
Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton
Kent (5)
Coventry, East Greenwich, Warwick, West Greenwich, West Warwick
Bristol (3)
Barrington, Bristol, Warren
The Rhody Red Award
Members who visit and get their passport stamped in every one of the 39 Rhode Island cities and towns earn the Rhody Red patch, named for the state’s official bird, the Rhode Island Red chicken.
The Rhode Island Red was developed in Little Compton in the 1850s and became one of the most popular dual-purpose chicken breeds in the world, a point of genuine state pride that gives the club’s award its name and color.
Collect the Other Passport Guides
Rhode Island 39 Club FAQ
How many towns are in the Rhode Island 39 Club?
The club covers all 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island, grouped across the state’s five counties: Providence, Kent, Newport, Washington, and Bristol.
How do I join the Rhode Island 39 Club?
Pick up the Rhode Island 39 Club passport book, visit each of the 39 cities and towns, and get your book stamped or signed by a local resident or business at each stop. There is no fee and no registration required.
What do you get for visiting all 39 towns?
Members who complete all 39 stops earn the Rhody Red patch, named for the Rhode Island Red chicken, the state’s official bird, developed in Little Compton in the 1850s.
What are the five counties of Rhode Island?
Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns sit across Providence County, Kent County, Newport County, Washington County (South County), and Bristol County.
Who wrote the Rhode Island 39 Club guidebook?
Martin “Marty” Podskoch, a Connecticut author and historian, wrote the guide after completing similar passport books for Connecticut and the Adirondacks, drawing on research from town historians and local officials across Rhode Island.