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Join author & reporter Kelly Sullivan Pezza as she investigates and recounts the murder of 5-year old Maggie Sheffield.

On a summer day in 1893, little Maggie Sheffield was murdered. Maggie's own father did the unthinkable against a backdrop of laughter and barrel organ music at Rocky Point Amusement Park. The tragedy aroused a strange reaction from the peaceable community of Warwick, Rhode Island. Many seemed to be more concerned for the murderer, Frank Sheffield, than for his young victim. Frank was rumored to be insane or addicted to drugs, and after a trial, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. The murder did not tarnish Rocky Point's reputation as a premier destination, and the park operated until 1995. Investigating official records and newspaper archives, author Kelly Sullivan Pezza uncovers the facts and oddities behind a grim crime in Rhode Island's summer paradise.

Providence College Basketball: Take a journey with the small school from the country's smallest state that became New England's college hoops powerhouse.

Providence basketball's journey from a realtive unknown to national brand has captured the attention of sports fans in Rhode Island and throughout New England for over 45 years. Friar hoops historian Richard Coren sets the scene of how the small Dominican school on Smith Hill started from humble beginnings and has produced a story reminiscent of David and Goliath. The legend persists: tiny Providence College taking on and beating the big boys of college basketball. Run on a shoestring budget in the 1950s and 1960s, the program rose up out of nowhere to pull upset after upset. The school went on to dominate college basketball in New England, recording more postseason tournament games and victories, more 20-win seasons, more All-Americans, and more players in the pros than any school in the region. Providence College Basketball: The Friar Legacy examines the 75-year history of Friar hoops and celebrates the great players, coaches, games, and moments that have made Providence College basketball so unforgettable. Relive the annual trips to the National Invitation Tournament and the two Final Fours and discover how Rhode Island became hooked on the Friars.

The visual history of the navy in Newport from mercantile trade to world war and the Naval War College.

Known throughout the world as ""The City by the Sea,"" Newport, Rhode Island, has a long history of maritime activity. Since the Colonial period, Newport has been recognized as both an important seaport for the mercantile trade and a harbor of inestimable value for naval vessels. I n 1869, the U. S. Navy opened its pioneer site in the region, the Naval Torpedo station on Goat Island in Newport harbor. The Naval War College on Coasters Harbor Island and the Naval Training Station soon followed. The navy's presence expanded through two world wars; and in the 1940s the U. S. Naval Operating Base with headquarters in Newport, included extensive naval facilities on both sides of Narragansett Bay. Today, Newport remains an integral site of naval training, research, and development. The prestigious Naval War College, the Naval Education and Training Center, and other navy command schools, in addition to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center with its Division Newport, have kept this branch of the armed services a leading employer in Rhode Island and southeastern New England.

This marvelous selection of photographs, which chronicles the history of Burrillville from the 1890s through the 1940s, is the first photographic history of the town and its people ever published.

Since the development of photography in the mid-nineteenth century, the camera has come to serve as a powerful and exciting tool in the preservation and documentation of American history. As time passes by, photographs from the past remind us of the way things used to be, calling to mind fond memories and amusing stories. Including images of Burrillville's mills, railroads, lakes, and schools, this fascinating new book brings to life the town's rich heritage. Burrillville, incorporated in 1806, grew and prospered as a result of several prominent mill industries. Saw and grist mills were followed by great producers of cotton and wool--together these industries profoundly affected the community's character for decades to come. Residents of such villages as Bridgeton, Pascoag, Harrisville, Glendale, Oakland, Mapleville, and Nasonville all worked in the mills, achieving renown for their skilled production of fabric for use in the military uniforms of three wars.

The opulent facades of the City by the Sea concealed the scintillating scandals, eccentric characters and unsolved mysteries of its wealthiest families.

Newport, Rhode Island, is renowned for its stunning cliff-side vistas and the luxurious summer homes of the Gilded Age elite. Learn how Cornelius Vanderbilt III was cut out of the family's fortune for his unapproved marriage to Grace Wilson and how John F. Kennedy's marriage to a Newport debutante helped to secure his presidency. Travel to the White Horse Tavern, where a vengeful specter still waits for his supposed murderer to return to the scene, and discover the mysterious voyage of the "Sea Bird" and its missing crew. Historian Larry Stanford searches the dark corners of Newport's past to expose these scandalous tales and more.

This remarkable photographic history of Federal Hill features images of the community from the late 1800s to the mid-1960s, chronicling the arrival of immigrants from many countries over the years.

During the thirty-four year period from 1898 to 1932, more than fifty thousand Italian immigrants arrived at the port of Providence. The majority of them settled on Federal Hill, the three-hundred-acre land mass that stands high above Rhode Island's capital city. Federal Hill is a rich community in many ways. Its hard working and tenacious settlers started out with a deep and abiding faith in God. Their numerous accomplishments are evidenced today in the many thriving family-owned businesses and stunning architectural achievements so prevalent in the downtown area. Many people from around the state enter Federal Hill through the welcoming pine-cone arch for seasonal festivals or a night on the town. The vitality and hospitality of this historic area are truly cherished by many in the modern era.

After the college became the University of Rhode Island in 1951, the traditions of basketball excitement and excellence continued. Conference championships, postseason bids, and All-Americans have enriched the history of Rhode Island Rams basketball, as has the introduction of full varsity status for women's basketball. Along with highlighting the teams, players, and coaches, Runnin' Rams: University of Rhode Island Basketball also portrays the exciting environment in which the games have been played.

Hidden History of Rhode Island delivers the best Ocean State stories you've never heard before.

Surprising tales and unexpected anecdotes color Rhode Island's legacy, from the accounts of its three brave Titanic survivors to the whirlwind Revolutionary War romance between a Smithfield girl and a French viscount. Rhode Island historian Glenn Laxton uncovers the exceptional citizens whom history has forgotten, like Robert the Hermit, a man who endured three escapes from slavery before finding liberty and peace in Rumford; the illustrious Lippitt family, who spearheaded advancements in deaf education; and Christiana Bannister, a Narragansett tribe member, nineteenth-century entrepreneur and wife to the most successful African American artist of the time. With moments of tragedy, as in the Lexington steamboat disaster, as well as triumph, as in the case of small-town boy turned baseball hero Joe Connolly, Laxton reveals Rhode Island beneath the surface.

From the time it was separated from Providence in 1759, Johnston has grown from a sleepy, rural town into a busy urban center.

Much of the growth took place between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries, and it is this period that Louis McGowan and the Johnston Historical Society chronicle in this delight collection. Assembling more than 200 images from historical archives and the private collection of many Johnston residents, the result is a multi-faceted portrait of the town's citizens, landmarks, and historical figures. Some of the famous figures discussed include Charles Fletcher, who built or managed the three largest textile mills in Johnston; the Reverend Samuel Winsor, founder of the Six Principle Baptist congregation; James F. Simmons, the sole U. S. senator from the town, who was later forced to resign his position in disgrace; and Zenas R. Bliss, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor and a distinguished U. S. Army officer.

Westerly is a stunning coastal community located in Rhode Island's southwest corner. It is rich in history, being the first town incorporated in the King's Province and the fifth town in the colony. These pages offer a glimpse of everyday life in old Westerly as well as amusing mishaps and historical events that have been hidden until now. Many colonial patriots, such as Benjamin Franklin, left their footprints upon the sandy soil of this tranquil place. Westerly also abounds with commercial heritage, such as the shipbuilding industry on the banks of the Pawcatuck River and the granite industry, which made Westerly famous. In addition this volume 

From pre-colonial times through World War II, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, has served as a stage for the dramatic evolution of American history.

Dispossessed citizens from the Massachusetts Bay Colony came to Portsmouth in the spirit of religious and political tolerance, paving the way for the establishment of a large Quaker settlement in town.

Revolutionary leaders such as George Washington, Lafayette, and Rochambeau visited the summer residences of wealthy Newport merchants in Portsmouth, including the home of Tory, Metcalf Bowler. During the Civil War, the Melville area of Portsmouth was the site of a hospital for wounded Union soldiers and Confederate prisoners, and was an active stop on the Underground Railroad. Prior to World War II, John F. Kennedy received his PT boat training in Portsmouth, and Raytheon has kept many employed in the defense industry ever since.

Authors Nancy Jensen Devin and Richard V. Simpson are area historians who have combined the photograph collections of the Portsmouth Historical Society with many previously unpublished images from local families' albums to produce this remarkable new photographic history of the town. Mr. Simpson is the author of Bristol in the Images of America series, and Ms. Devin is the creator of a popular multimedia presentation called The Story of the Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The authors' affection for the area and knowledge of its history are evident in this exciting tribute to the town and the people of Portsmouth.