The Newport Historical Society is a historical society in Newport, Rhode Island that was chartered in 1854 to collect and preserve books, manuscripts, and objects pertaining to Newport's history.
8-485: Although the society was chartered in 1854, its collections originated thirty years earlier as the "Southern Cabinet" of the Rhode Island Historical Society , which was founded in 1822. By 1853, several prominent Newporters, including William Shepard Wetmore , recognized the need for a separate organization specifically devoted to preserving the history of Newport County, and the collections of
16-707: Is a privately endowed membership organization, founded in 1822, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Rhode Island . Its offices are located in Providence, Rhode Island . Founded in 1822, the Society is the fourth oldest state historical society in the United States (after the Massachusetts Historical Society , New-York Historical Society , and Maine Historical Society ). The Rhode Island Historical Society
24-577: The Society has been very active in teacher-training programs seeking to improve the quality of history teaching in Rhode Island. The Society also presents exhibits, films, concerts, and many other community activities and programs. The Society publishes its journal Rhode Island History in either two or three issues annually covering various aspects of Rhode Island history from pre-colonial to recent. The Society’s most noteworthy recent advances include its first on-line collection access catalog and
32-639: The Southern Cabinet were reorganized under the auspices of the Newport Historical Society. Ground was broken in 1902 for a brick library building at 82 Touro Street, which would be attached to the Sabbatarian Meeting House (previously acquired from Seventh Day Baptists by the society). The new building provided office space for the society, a fireproof vault for historic documents, and a library. In 1915,
40-554: The earliest town records, merchant account books, church records, etc. The library contains the second largest genealogical collection in Rhode Island. Walking tours leave from the Museum of Newport History . The major categories of library special collections at the Newport Historical Society are: 41°29′21″N 71°18′42″W / 41.489295°N 71.311749°W / 41.489295; -71.311749 Rhode Island Historical Society The Rhode Island Historical Society
48-550: The largest and most important historical Rhode Island collection within its main library and two museums. The Society's collections include some 25,000 objects, 5,000 manuscripts, 100,000 books and printed items, 400,000 photographs and maps, and 9 million feet of motion-picture film. Through the Newell D. Goff Center for Education and Public Programs, the Society offers a variety of educational programs including workshops, lectures, films, and walking tours of Providence. In recent years
56-654: The meeting house was detached from the library and moved to the rear of the lot. A three-story brick building was constructed between the library and the meeting house. Brick veneer, a slate roof, and steel shutters were added to the exterior of the meeting house to make its exterior covering consistent with the adjoining structures, and to provide added protection from the weather and the threat of fire. The society features changing exhibits and has extensive holdings of colonial, silver, china, portraits, ship models, and over two hundred thousand historic photographs. Research facilities include archives with manuscript materials including
64-569: Was founded and funded by many of Providence's early Yankee philanthropists, including Moses Brown and Henry J. Steere . In 1854 the "Southern Cabinet" of the Rhode Island Historical Society became reorganized as the Newport Historical Society . As of October 2022, the organization’s executive director is C. Morgan Grefe, Ph.D., and the board chair is Robert H. Sloan, Jr. The Society has
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