Rhode Island

Resident historians Thomas E. and Barbara A. Greene present a comprehensive look at the development and growth of their North Providence from 1765 to 1995.

As this volume is the first history of any sort to ever be published on the town, numerous vintage photographs--many rare and previously unpublished-- have been carefully selected to create a fascinating portrait of the town and its villages through the years. North Providence, which from 1765 to 1874 contained the old village of Pawtucket, today consists of 5. 8 square miles of land in northern Rhode Island. The villages of North Providence are home to a variety of cultural and ethnic groups; each one maintains its own character and distinct identity. The authors' presentation includes a concise textual history of each village and incorporates significant original research on the history of North Providence schools in each district.

Bristol: Montaup to Poppasquash takes readers on a unique journey through the community's past, beginning with the voyages of early Norse explorers and detailing major events that shaped the town's history, including the King Philip's War, the Revolutionary War, and a variety of other military conflicts that took local men and women away from their homes. Not only evoking memories of yesteryear, this compelling illustrated history explores the evolving personality of Bristol over the passing decades, from its days as a small fishing village and a haven for privateers to its present status as a premier boat-building center.

The town of Warren, Rhode Island, began life as a maritime community in the late 1700s.

It continued to base its economy on the sea until the mid-1800s when the construction of a mill shifted the town's economic base to textiles. This exciting photographic history of Warren chronicles the town's development from about 1870 to 1970--to this day, Warren includes a number of 18th and 19th century homes, wharves, and warehouses, and many of the earlier incarnations of these structures are still recognizable in today's landscape. The view from the steeple of the Methodist church is substantially unchanged from that which appears in a photograph taken in the 1870s, and only the stately elm trees--since victims to arboreal disease--are missing today from the 19th century streetscapes. This marvelous collection portrays the living history of a charming New England seaport town.

Captivating and entertaining, this new collection of rare images brings to life the past of the historic Lower Blackstone River Valley.

With insightful captions and hundreds of breathtaking photographs, author Charles Edouard Savoie introduces us to many of the early residents who shaped the future of the five communities in this area. We are transported back in time to see early homes and places of work, play, worship, and education. Covering the towns of Lincoln, Cumberland, Central Falls, Woonsocket, and Pawtucket, this new volume sheds light on how the communities of the lower valley evolved from primitive agricultural settlements coexisting with Native American tribes to sprawling industrial mill villages, towns, and cities. Valley residents are profiled, including a descendant of the Indian warrior-king Philip-Metacomet, local military heroes, industrial movers and shakers, working-class people, farmers, and merchants. The people in the valley's communities are shown true to form--working,playing, and pulling together in times of crisis.

The history of Wakefield developed from a rural mill town in the nineteenth century to South County's mercantile center in the twentieth.

Using images from the Pettaquamscutt Historical Society, the Peace Dale Library, and a number of private sources, local author Betty J. Cotter chronicles Wakefield's growth from the days of the horse and buggy, dairy farms, and fields to those of shopping centers and fast-food restaurants. Readers will marvel at the trees lining Main Street before a devastating hurricane and Dutch Elm disease changed the landscape forever. While much of downtown Wakefield has retained its historic character, certain locales--like Dale Carlia Corner--are barely recognizable in images from the first half of the twentieth century. Wakefield's growth is illustrated vividly in photographs of residents at work and at play: images depict grocery clerks showing off mounds of produce, the owners of one of the town's first car dealerships standing proudly in front of a new model, and the wealthy inhabitants of Shadow Farm pulling away from their home in a carriage.

Newport, Rhode Island, has been a city of innovation since its beginning nearly four centuries ago. Some of the claims on a national level are true, while some have been greatly distorted over the years.

The first law banning the importation of slaves in the colonies was enacted in the city, and the first Methodist church in the world with a steeple and bell is located here. But was the first female lighthouse keeper in America from here? Was Newport the first place where a medical lecture was given? Author and research historian Brian M. Stinson offers a chronological collection of vignettes detailing the city's many firsts.

A collection of archival images, Pawtucket brings to life the history of this city, including the people, places, landmarks, and events that shaped it.

Pawtucket is a thriving and proud community with a rich history that spans over one hundred years. This compelling visual history is a valuable contribution to the movement to preserve Pawtucket's heritage. For decades, the Pawtucket Public Library and the Spaulding House Research Library have built up two remarkable archives chronicling the vivid history of Pawtucket from the 1820s to the 1990s. Now, these institutions have published over two hundred of the most fascinating images from their archives, bringing to life over one hundred and seventy years of Pawtucket's history--the people, places, landmarks, and events that have shaped this vibrant city. Accompanied by the authors' lively and authoritative text, these images invite us to journey back into the past and meet legendary Pawtucket characters such as Peter Palagi, aviator Jack McGee, and Fanny the elephant; to experience the bustle of Main Street or Broad Street in the 1870s and 1920s; and to rediscover landmarks such as the Music Hall building and Shartenberg's department store. As we meander through these pages, we see how much has been lost and yet how a sense of community has endured across the decades. It will be a source of education and fascination for young and old, resident and visitor alike.

Pawtuxet Valley is an introduction to the people and places of the valley, from its heyday of industrial power to its suburban evolution in the late twentieth century. Even more, it is a tribute to the many thousands who settled here and their descendants who left a legacy now being rediscovered. In this book, you will visit the Paine House, a Colonial-era tavern in Washington Village; St. Mary's Church, the oldest Roman Catholic church in Rhode Island; the annual St. Patrick's Day parade; and the many factories and mills that helped shape this exciting community.

Rhode Island Amusement Parks brings back the memories of a time less complicated than the present, when a sense of family held communities together.

Rhode Islanders were once able to enjoy amusement parks without traveling far; the state was home to several ocean front parks as early as the mid-18th century, with some of them surviving into the late 19th century. Photographers Rob Lewis and Ryan Young have embarked on a journey to discover the amusement parks of the past in this delightful and unprecedented collection of images. View the parks that provided a recreational outlet for so many Rhode Island families and the visitors who frequented them. Scenes from several neighboring Massachusetts amusement parks are also pictured. The images in this collection are from two large private archives as well as treasured family collections. Special highlights include photographs of hand-operated rides of the 1800s and views of President Taft's plane, which landed at Sandy Beach in 1911. Also featured is Vanity Fair, an amusement park that lasted only five years during the first decade of this century. Residents of these communities will enjoy seeing Rhode Island as it once was and will witness the changes it has endured over the years.

The town of Bristol, Rhode Island, has been celebrating Independence Day in grand fashion since 1785.

Americans from near and far have long regarded the town as a center of patriotism and history. With this pictorial history, Bristol resident and ""Fourth of July Historian"" Richard V. Simpson presents a lively tribute to his town's heritage. Simpson has combined carefully selected images--many rare and previously unpublished--with informative and compelling text to take his readers on a journey through the history of this dynamic and diverse community. Readers are taken inside Hope Street's historic mansions and family-run shops, gaining valuable insight into the lifestyles of Bristolians in the early 1900s. By contrast, the growth and development of the town in the 20th century is revealed in aerial views taken over a period of 50 years.