Do you yearn for those balmy nights at the old McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket? Join us on Tuesday, October 15th when author Andrew Tuetken takes us out to the ballpark to revisit the 96 larger-than-life player murals that lined the concourse leading out to the field. Andrew’s latest book is Murals of McCoy. He’s a life-long Pawsox fan who has written about the murals, how they came about, the artist who created them and what the players thought of them. Here’s a chance to share your memories of happy nights at Rhode Island’s beloved McCoy. It begins at 7 pm in the community room of the East Greenwich police station on First Avenue. Signed copies of Andrew’s book will be available for sale.

 

Come to an ice cream social on the spacious veranda of Clouds Hill Museum on Tuesday, June 18th, 2024 at 7:00 pm. Anne Holst, curator and fourth-generation owner, will give an illustrated talk on Granite and Grist; a history of Rhode Island’s obscure and long-forgotten granite quarries. You’ll be surprised at how many of them are located in the most unexpected places. Enjoy a scoop and tour the house museum during your visit. Clouds Hill Museum, 4157 Post Road, Warwick, RI. 

 

East Greenwich Veteran Fireman’s Museum Tour on Saturday, April 27th at 10:00 am - 1:00 pm at 80 Queen St., East Greenwich. 5 beautifully restored vintage East Greenwich Firetrucks, fire memorabilia and a continuously running video will be on display. Kids can have their photos taken from the inside the trucks (but they must be accompanied by an adult). Author Joe Coduri will be on hand with copies of his new book about Rhode Island Fire Departments. Free and open to the public.

Marian Gagnon, Ph.D., has been making documentaries for more than two decades. She founded Goodnight Irene Productions, an indie-documentary film company, in honor of her mother, Irene. While she is passionate about this genre, Marian’s true love is producing docs about lost, forgotten, or untold women’s stories. Her background and 15 years experience as an award-winning journalist have paved the way for her avocation as a documentarian. 

​As Writer, Director, and Producer, she collaborates with videographers, animators, archivists, film editors, and composers to produce award-winning documentaries.

​She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism, a Master of Arts degree in Teaching, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Media Studies and the Documentary Genre.

​Gagnon recently retired as a full-time professor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. where she taught writing skills, newswriting, visual literacy, and film studies at Johnson & Wales University for more than 20 years.

​Marian was born and raised in Manchester, N.H. but has lived the majority of her adult life in southern Rhode Island.

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83485080134?pwd=75W02RfHFVbF3ZcpP95hxlVBdy1ovw.1

You’ll have a chance to find the true value of those silver candlesticks or your Aunt Betty’s Chinese bowl at our second Antiques Appraisal on Sunday, February 4th. Kevin Bruneau from Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, of Cranston, will be on hand to appraise your family treasures from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the tap room of Linesider Brewery, 1485 South County Trail. An appraisal for one item is $5 and 3 items for $10.00. And before you leave you can raise a glass to your newly discovered wealth.

 

Kevin Bruneau is the owner and president of Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers having established the company in 2015. Outside of managerial duties, Kevin works as an auctioneer and specialist in antiques, fine art, and Asian arts overseeing all inventory and photography throughout the company. When not at the gallery Kevin actively works on the road managing house calls and visiting clients on a daily basis. Kevin’s twenty-five plus years of experience in antique management and antiquarian expertise is what formed the foundation for Bruneau & Co. to be Rhode Island’s auction destination.

 

Know any trick or treaters?

Encourage them to visit our historic signs during our event Trick or Treat Through East Greenwich History. In conjunction with the town of East Greenwich’s Halloween parade and Main Street merchant trick or treating, student volunteers for the EGHPS will hand out candy at each of the seven signs on Peirce and Main Streets.  In addition, children will be provide with “passports” to get a stamp at each sign to redeem for a prize from our booth near Town Hall. We hope this inaugural event if fun for our trick or treaters and encourages appreciation of our historic interpretive signs. Saturday, October 28th from 10-12:30 pm.

Christian McBurney will tell us about “Machine Guns on Narraganset Bay: The Coast Guard’s War on Rum Runners.” It’s the title of the local historian’s new book. During Prohibition the USCG fired machine guns at rum runners, killing at least four and severely wounding others. Most were local fishermen trying to earn little extra money by supplying bootleg liquor to a market that openly flouted the law. Anne Holst of Cloud’s Hill House Museum on Post Road will add stories of her mother’s adventures and encounters with these same run-runners. The book-signing program will be at Finn’s Harborside restaurant on Water Street at 6 pm.

 

The Explore East Greenwich signs program will be officially unveiled during a ceremony on Sunday, September 17, 2023. It will be held at 4:00 p.m. on the grounds of the Kentish Guards Armory at 1774 Armory Street on the corner of Peirce and Armory Streets in East Greenwich. Light refreshments Will Be Available! All are invited to Attend!

 

Join us for a presentation on identifying and caring for your family papers and photographs. Phoebe Bean and Dana Signe K. Munroe from the Rhode Island Historical Society (RIHS) will share their twenty plus years of experience in archives and museums and give practical advice about caring for your family’s letters, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, and more. 

 

Phoebe Bean, MLIS, is the Associate Director of the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center (RRC) at the RIHS where she oversees the preservation and access of the RIHS Collections. Her specialties include: book and paper restoration, colonial printing history, and the extensive manuscript and printed collections at the RRC.

Dana Signe K. Munroe, BFA, BA, is the Cabinet Keeper & Library Collections Manager at the RIHS. Her specialties include: care and preservation of photographs and textiles, collections management, and the visual and three-dimensional collections at the RRC.

 

Founded in 1822, the RIHS is the fourth oldest state historical society in the nation. The vast and varied historic collections of the RIHS span its two museums, research center and two historic houses. The RRC is home to manuscript collections that fill nearly two miles of shelving and over 725,000 photographic prints, negatives and slides. The RIHS also acts as a steward of three land parcels related to King Philip’s war.

 

If you wish to attend this Zoom presentation please email us at info@eghps.org and we will send you the Zoom llink. Remember to add info@eghps.org to your contact list or check your spam folder.

J. Hogue has been documenting the changing architectural landscape of northern Rhode Island for over 20 years. In 2002, ArtInRuins started as a documentary project focused mainly on mill buildings and industrial architecture, as the real estate boom of the early-to-mid 2000s saw the demolition and redevelopment of many mills in the area. Since then, ArtInRuins has increased in scope to include information about the way Providence has been built and rebuilt over time, including houses, places of worship, and infrastructure such as the Jamestown Bridge. 

 

J’s presentation will cover some of the history and more notable demolitions that he and others helped capture. We will review a highlight reel of the most spectacular transformations as well. And finally, we will cover what we have been focused on lately; the degradation of the College Hill Historic District within the blocks bounded by Brook, Waterman, Thayer, and Cushing Streets. 

 

ArtInRuins has been featured in 10 interviews and articles, has been a contributing author to essays and exhibition catalogs, and has even curated an art show based on the theme of transformation. The site has become an effective way to collect memories and aural histories, gathering over 1800 anecdotes from people who lived near and worked within many of these structures. J. has personally taken his love of old buildings and tried his hand at being an owner and developer of a mixed-use commercial space in Pawtucket for 10 years. He lives in Providence with his partner and two children and works as a web designer. 

 

 

If you wish to attend this Zoom presentation please email us at info@eghps.org and we will send you the Zoom llink. Remember to add info@eghps.org to your contact list or check your spam folder.

 

George E. Matteson’s wonderful maps are beautifully illustrated with local landmarks, legends, and folklore. His maps hang in pictorial map collections locally and abroad, bringing us all twinges of nostalgia. George Matteson was from Scituate and Coventry. He was a forest ranger for over 40 years and served as a search and rescue specialist taking part in thousands of rescues of lost hunters and hikers, 100 plane crash rescue missions and myriad forest fire patrols. He would fly over forest fires, drawing quick maps of the terrain, landmarks, trails and roads, which were dropped by parachute to ground crews to aid them in reaching the heart of a fire. Did you know his father drove a hitch of a dozen or more horses for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus? In collaboration with George Matteson’s grandson, Paul St. Amand, conscientious custodian of his grandfather’s extraordinary collection, the Scituate Preservation Society will present a program to reveal more about this mapmaker who spent a lifetime surveying the backwoods, digging into local legends, and preserving our rich history. Join us for a great program, and view Matteson’s myriad maps-some rarely displayed.

On Tuesday, January 17th at 7:30 pm Annalisa Heppner will present via Zoom: History, landscape, and big personalities-why exploring a cemetery can be one of the best ways to “meet” history. This presentation will feature a brief history of North Burial Ground, show historic and contemporary photos of our landscape, and introduce you to some of the folks from our “Dared to Live Different” tour, which highlights North Burial Ground “residents” who defied the norms of their time. Learn about some of the tools North Burial Ground has for historians and genealogists and what we have planned to make exploring NBG even more fun and productive.

Annalisa Heppner, M.A. is the City Cemetery Director for the City of Providence. She comes to the cemetery industry from a career in archaeology where she worked in private, state, and federal capacities. She is passionate about the way cemeteries can tell the stories of every day people, and provide a tangible connection to the past.

 

If you wish to attend this Zoom presentation please email us at info@eghps.org and we will send you the Zoom llink. Remember to add info@eghps.org to your contact list or check your spam folder.

John Dower has spent the previous two years researching the enslaved and free men of color (African and/or Indigenous ancestry) that made up the so-called Black Regiment of Rhode Island during the American Revolution. The many hours of reading thousands of primary documents, which include muster rolls, pension records, and correspondence between military and political leaders, will culminate in a book some time next year. East Greenwich is at the heart of this unique story, and it is very likely that if not for the people of East Greenwich and its surrounding communities, there would not have been a Black Regiment at all. 

 

John, a resident of North Kingstown, is a historian, board member, and Chairman of the Adult Education Committee at Smith’s Castle. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Empire State College and the University at Albany, and also earned a master’s degree in American history from Stonybrook University. Much of John’s focus in history over the years has been on slavery, colonial law, and early civil rights; so, he finds recounting the history of the Black Regiment truly gratifying.  

 

During his presentation, John will share how this remarkable fighting unit came into existence, along the way explaining the several unique connections between the Black Regiment and East Greenwich. John will also display images of many primary source documents to help weave the intriguing tales (many of them never heard) about the Black and Indigenous soldiers from East Greenwich who served in the only unit of its kind that fought for the Patriot cause. Questions will be gladly taken after the presentation.

 

If you wish to attend this Zoom presentation please email us at info@eghps.org and we will send you the Zoom llink. Remember to add info@eghps.org to your contact list or check your spam folder.

 

 

 

                                                               

Amanda Quay Blount is a new Rhode Island author, making her publishing debut with Meet Me At The Biltmore, a chronological history of the storied Biltmore Hotel in Providence. Amanda hails from New Jersey but came to Rhode Island in 2018 and was instantly enthralled by the historic allure of the Ocean State. Amanda holds a degree in History from Rutgers University and a masters in Social Work and Community Development from Washington University in St. Louis. Meet Me At The Biltmore was researched over the course of two years and with the help of dozens of people who are interested in the historic and social relevance of the hotel. Amanda compiled thousands of primary source articles and interviews to write this book, including archives from the hotel itself. It is the only comprehensive history of the Providence Biltmore ever written.

Join Amanda for a presentation of her research about the provocative history of the Providence Biltmore Hotel. Hear some of the interesting and unexpected tales from the hotel’s century-long history, including its famous (and infamous!) guests, as well as some of the fascinating details about the hotel’s inception, rise to fame, and its downfall. We’ll cap the evening by talking about how the hotel was saved from total ruin and what the future holds for this iconic landmark. A Q&A will follow this guided presentation.

If you wish to attend this Zoom presentation please email us at info@eghps.org and we will send you the Zoom llink. Remember to add info@eghps.org to your contact list or check your spam folder.

Join Us For A Panel Discussion And Sneak Peek Of Some Of Our Signs As Well As Light Refreshments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cherry Fletcher Bamberg, editor of Rhode Island Roots will present: Beloved Elder: John Gorton

I first came across Elder John Gorton in the cramped pages of Samuel Tillinghast’s diary, 1757–1766. Tillinghast often gave details of his daily life in Warwick—boat trips, shopkeeping, gardening, making soap, and so—but he would note only that he had “gone to meeting,” without describing the services. Who was this Elder Gorton who led the East Greenwich church from 1753 to his death in 1792? What were the services like?  

    Fortunately, John Gorton kept his own records, now at Rhode Island Historical Society in Providence. Soon I found myself down the rabbit hole, deep in baptisms, marriages, and funerals, fascinated by his notes for extemporaneous sermons, trying to imagine the meeting house and local landmarks that Gorton mentions casually. The people to whom he preached included both pious and indifferent citizens, whites and people of color, some poor and some prosperous, even a reformed counterfeiter. While Baptists were only one of many different denominations (even “nothings”) in the town, the story of this minister reveals much about East Greenwich and its people in the eighteenth century. Listen in, and meet the “beloved elder,” John Gorton!

— Cherry Fletcher Bamberg 

 

Cherry Fletcher Bamberg grew up in Newport and never quite got over it. She is a graduate of Brown University (BA 1965) and Linacre College, Oxon. (M.Phil. 1967) where she learned to cherish historical and biographical writing. She was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists in 2007. She has edited Rhode Island Roots, the journal of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society, since 2002 and edited or assisted with many of the books published by that organization. Cherry is author of several books, most recently co-author with Judith C. Harbold of John Clarke’s World. While public speaking used to terrify her, she now enjoys any opportunity to persuade audiences of the delights of Rhode Island research.

 

If you wish to attend this Zoom presentation please email us at info@eghps.org and we will send you the Zoom log in details on Sunday, January 17th.

Russell J. DeSimone will cover events relating to women's suffrage from the early 19th century right up to 1920 and the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

Russell J. DeSimone is a bibliophile and independent scholar. He is the co-compiler of Broadsides of the Dorr Rebellion (1992), and author of The Dorr Rebellion Chronicled in Ballads and Poetry (1993), A Survey of Nineteenth Century Rhode Island Billheads (2002), Rhode Island Election Tickets: a Survey (2007), Rhode Island’s Rebellion (2009) and co-author of Remarkable Women of Rhode Island (2014). He is also editor of Mister Providence College – The Selected Writings of Rev. Joseph L. Lennon, O.P. (2019) and “Fighting Bob” Quinn – Political Reformer and the People’s Advocate (2020). As a native Rhode Islander, he has been a lifelong student of its history. He is now retired from both the defense industry and as an adjunct professor at the University of Rhode Island library where he curated numerous exhibitions drawn mainly from his collections including “A Survey of 19th Century Rhode Island Billheads”, “Rhode Island Lotteries – Three Centuries of History”, “Voting and the Spirit of Democracy”, “Picturesque Rhode Island” and in 2005 “Thomas Wilson Dorr – A Bicentennial Birthday Tribute.”

 

Note: EGHPS members will receive the Zoom meeting information via email the day before the meeting; members of the public please email us at info@eghps.org to register for the event and to receive the Zoom meeting information.

Enjoy a bit of elegance and lots of family fun at a Victorian Holiday Tea on Saturday, December 14th at the Old Jail, 110 King Street in East Greenwich. Sponsored by the East Greenwich Historic Preservation Society, this is a festive tea with sweets and savories, hot chocolate, mulled cider and tea - all served on real china. Photos with Santa, a Rhode Island keepsake for each child, crafting a holiday ornament, a lesson on Victorian tea etiquette, and a story and a raffle are all part of this festive event. Youngsters up to age 12 must be accompanied by an adult. They are encouraged to dress up and bring along a favorite doll or plush toy. The party runs from 2 to 4 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults; $15.00 for children. Admission for members of the Historic Preservation Society is $15.00 for adults; $12.50 for children (log in to member page then go to events to receive discount). Tickets are available online at www.eghps.org store page. This is a fund-raiser to help the Society preserve the circa 1796 Old Jail building on East Greenwich’s historic waterfront.  Note:  Event is held upstairs and facility is not handicapped accessible.  Email eghps1677@gmail.com for other questions.

A Conversation with the Keeper of the Rhode Island Judiciary’s Pre-1900 Records!
Thursday, September 19, 6:30 pm at the East Greenwich Free Library, 82 Peirce Street. We are pleased to host Andrew Smith from the Rhode Island Supreme Court Judical Records Center, in connection with EGHPS’ September Exhibit on Kent County Justice. What are the oldest records of the Kent County Courthouse?  What can we learn from the written record of what remains from the 1600s and 1700s and how early court matters were handled? How does one begin research on these kinds of records and what can be found?  Come ready with your questions as this interactive session is here to inspire hands on local history practitioners!

Roberta Humble: So You Think You Know Rhode Island?

Roberta Humble will present “The BIG Rhode Island Quiz.” A quiz with the audience to discover new things about RI including geography, famous people, foods, businesses, theaters, cities and towns, shopping, historic sites and more. Presented with stunning photographs. 

Roberta Humble taught English at CCRI for 47 years, is active in the Warwick Historical Society and Westerly Historic Society. She has published books on fun facts about RI and created RI trivia games. 

James Ricci, author of The Newport Bridge will tell the fascinating story of this engineering marvel and the 35-year struggle with the RI legislature and the US Navy to get it built. On the day it finally opened in June 1969, 15,000 vehicles crossed the two mile span. Jim is a local historian who will share all sorts of interesting details about the history of our iconic bridge. Jim will sign copies of his book at the meeting.

Tim Gray, Founder of The World War II Foundation, will be our speaker. Tim Gray is a national award-winning documentary film director, producer and writer based in Rhode Island. Tim has produced, written and directed 21 documentary films to date on the personal stories of the World War II generation. 

 

Fun afternoon with Santa, special doll guests and tea party treats. Age 12 and under. We encourage all attending to dress for the occasion and bring their favorite doll! The tea will feature sandwiches, tea breads, cookies, hot chocolate, tea and punch. There will be a reading from Santa, raffle and door-prizes.

Adults $10, Children $5 Limited Seating (All children must be accompanied by an adult). To register or for more information call Marlene at (401) 886-4493.

History of Spinning & Demonstration: Beth Fitzpatrick and Sandy Chatelle will discuss the history of spinning, focusing on spinning in the United States prior to the Industrial Revolution. They will also demonstrate the art of spinning on the wheels in our collection. Beth has graciously gotten our flax wheel running and Sandy has gotten our great wheel in working condition. The meeting begins with a pot luck supper at 6:30 pm at The Old Jail, 110 King Street. The program begins at 7:30. It is free and open to the public. Please email Susan Curado to reserve a seat.

Dr. Isaac Ginis is a professor at URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography and an authority on predicting the strength of hurricanes. He developed a computer model to predict the ferocity of these seasonal storms that is so successful it was adopted by the National Weather Service. Dr. Ginis proved that ocean temperature is the most important factor in hurricane power. His advice to students who want to study hurricanes; “Don’t get a pilot’s license to fly into the eye of a storm. Take courses in physics, math and computer science.”

 

On Saturday, September 15, Dr. Ginis will give a program on the ‘38 hurricane, his research on hurricane prediction and their impacts on coastal infrastructure and coastal communities. His program is in conjunction with a month-long photographic display at the library on the 80th anniversary of the Hurricane of 1938 and its effects on Rhode Island.

Opening Reception -  Exhibit featuring images of the 1938 Hurricane with extracts from the diary of Anne (Allen) Holst. In the Silverman Meeting Room. Coffee and light refreshments will be served. Exhibit will be on display throughout September.

Photo Exhibit -  Images of the 1938 Hurricane with extracts from the diary of Anne (Allen) Holst. On display are over 50 photographs and newspaper clippings from the historic storm that slammed into Rhode Island eighty years ago and left most of the state and much of New England in shambles. In the Silverman Meeting Room.

Week 4 (1.5 hour) – Advanced SEO, Site Statistics

Week 3 (2.5 to 3.5 hours) – Membership Management, Leadership Management, Groups Management, Permissions Management, Blast Email and Surnames Research (You will want your membership person in attendance for this session)

Week 2 (1.5 to 3.0 hours) – Events, Facts, Forums, Links, Download Areas, Newsletters and, if panned to be used, Area Deaths, Cemetery records, Library/Archive, Store

Week 1 (2.5 to 3 hours) – Setup, Menu/Page Maintenance and Page Editor Tool