Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
10 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
13 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
17 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
24 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Rhode Island Cumberland Nine Mens Misery
AO Edited

Nine Mens Misery

Constructed in 1676, this stone memorial is believed to be the oldest veteran's memorial in the United States.

Cumberland, Rhode Island

Added By
Matthew Doherty
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Nine Mens Misery  
Nine Mens Misery  
  bradshawbob19 / Atlas Obscura User
Nine Mens Misery  
Nine Mens Misery  
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Constructed in 1676, Nine Mens Misery is a stone pile that marks the spot where nine colonists were killed during King Phillip's War. It's thought to be the oldest veterans memorial in the United States.

The war was a last-ditch effort by Native Americans in the region to prevent English settlements on their native lands. The colonists were members of a force of 60 Plymouth colony troops and 20 Wampanoag who were led by Captain Michael Pierce. They were in pursuit of the Narragansett.

Pierce's troops found the band of Narragansett but were ambushed by a larger force. After fighting for several hours, the colonists were eventually overwhelmed. Nearly all were killed including Pierce. Ten of the men were taken prisoner and nine were eventually killed at the site that now contains the marker.

The site is located in Cumberland Rhode Island in the woods behind the old Cumberland Monastery. The woods themselves are part of the monastery property and contain an old quarry that was used by the monks, as well as miles of trails and carriage roads. The site is open to the public year-round.

Related Tags

War Memorial History War History

Know Before You Go

Parking for the trails is located behind the old monastery. There is a board with the trail map. The site is on the red dash trail which is appropriately named the Nine Men's Misery trail.

The easiest access to the trail is just north (to the right) of the Cumberland Senior Center at the back of the Monastery grounds. The Nine Men's misery trail heads north from this access. The marker is on the right side of the trail about 700 meters in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Contributors

Added By

mattd0401

Edited By

Ragnar of Ballard, bradshawbob19, jonathancarey, Ghostygirl

  • Ragnar of Ballard
  • bradshawbob19
  • jonathancarey
  • Ghostygirl

Published

September 14, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Wikipedia
Nine Mens Misery
1464 Diamond Hill Rd
Cumberland, Rhode Island, 02864
United States
41.939823, -71.406615
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Old Slater Mill

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

miles away

Modern Diner

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

miles away

H.P. Lovecraft’s Grave

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rhode Island

Rhode Island

United States

Places 75
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Old Slater Mill

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

miles away

Modern Diner

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

miles away

H.P. Lovecraft’s Grave

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rhode Island

Rhode Island

United States

Places 75
Stories 3

Related Places

  • Westminster, Vermont

    Grave of William French

    This man's death led (indirectly) to Vermont's independence in 1777.

  • The display case for Admiral Benbow’s Key and a plauqe commemorating the creation of the display in 2006.

    Shrewsbury, England

    Admiral Benbow’s Key

    A famed admiral left behind this 17th-century house key when he joined the British Navy.

  • Main gates

    Natzwiller, France

    Natzweiler-Struthof

    Today this former Nazi concentration camp stands as a poignant memorial to the victims of fascism, and a warning from history.

  • The Canadian National Vimy Ridge Memorial.

    Givenchy-en-Gohelle, France

    Canadian National Vimy Memorial

    A monument to the thousands of Canadian soldiers who died capturing the French ridge during World War I.

  • Qurain, Kuwait

    Al-Qurain Martyrs Museum

    The site of a bloody showdown between invading Iraqi forces and a cell of the popular resistance in Kuwait.

  • Singapore in use, pulling a passenger train.

    Rutland, England

    The Singapore

    A locomotive that was captured as a prisoner of war is now recognized as a WWII memorial.

  • Portuguese Fireplace.

    Hampshire, England

    Portuguese Fireplace

    This unlikely memorial honors the Canadian and Portuguese laborers who felled trees for the Allies in World War I.

  • British graves at the battle site of Abu Klea

    Al Matammah, Sudan

    Battle of Abu Klea Memorial

    A remote monument to one of the fiercest battles fought by the Victorian British Army.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.