1. In 1790, the first federal census was taken in Rhode Island. It revealed that the state had a population of 68,825 people.

2. On August 13, 1844, the city of Newport suffered a devastating fire that destroyed over 300 buildings and left 1,000 people homeless.

3. The USS Rhode Island (BB-17), a battleship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1906, was launched on August 13 of that year.

4. The Rhode Island State House, a prominent landmark in Providence, was dedicated on August 13, 1904.

5. In 1928, the Newport Jazz Festival – one of the most famous jazz festivals in the world – held its first edition in Newport, Rhode Island on August 13. The festival has featured legendary musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Miles Davis over the years.