That name was later shortened to "quahog." Quahoggers have held a quintessential place in Rhode Island culture, as their catches were used to make chowders and stuffies. Quahogs: What's a quahog?

Editor's note: This is the second story in a three-part series on the decline of Rhode Island's quahogs WARWICK ... time to come out digging before the real cold winter comes in,” he texts.