View from highway City of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. North to community of Bristol Ferry, Rhode Island. -Portsmouth is one of three communities on Aquidneck Island, Rhode Island. Established in 1638 by Anne Hutchinson, Portsmouth is the first town in the nation to be established by a woman. Attractions in and around Portsmouth - Butts Hill Fort, Founder's Brook, Memorial to Black Soldiers, The Old School House, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Heritage Foundation of Rhode Island Park, Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Sanctuary, Greenvale Vineyards. Compact Rhode Island boasts sandy beaches, quaint seaside resorts, and 2,300 acres of magnificent parks. Rhode Island's distinctive vacation regions range from the historic Blackstone River Valley and Greater Providence to world-renowned Newport and the coastal resorts of South County and Block Island.