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Newport Historical Society

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Coordinates: 41°29′21″N 71°18′42″W / 41.489295°N 71.311749°W / 41.489295; -71.311749
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Newport Historical Society
Founded1854
Typenon-profit
PurposeCollect, document and preserve Newport’s unique contribution to our national narrative over the course of five centuries.
HeadquartersNewport, Rhode Island
Websitenewporthistory.org

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.

History of the society

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Naval battle off Tatamagouche - Cannons from Captain Daniel Fones' ship Tartar, Newport Historical Society
Sabbatarian Meeting House, built in 1729 by Richard Munday (rear Newport Historical Society building today), now encased in brick
front Newport Historical Society library building today
The Old Brick Market building currently houses the society's Museum of Newport History

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 the Southern Cabinet were reorganized under the auspices of the Newport Historical Society.[1]

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, 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.[1]

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 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.[2]

Properties

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Image Name Year built
(*circa)		 Style Architect Location Refs
The Richard I. Burnham Resource Center c. 1902 82 Touro Street
Brick Market 1762 Georgian Peter Harrison 127 Thames Street [3]
Wanton–Lyman–Hazard House c. 1697 Colonial, Georgian 17 Broadway [4]
Great Friends Meeting House 1699 30 Farewell Street [5]
Old Colony House 1736-1739 Georgian Richard Munday Washington Square [6]

Collections

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  • Museum collection
  • Photographs and graphics collections
  • Library collections

Special library collections

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The major categories of library special collections at the Newport Historical Society are:

  • Business records
  • Maritime records
  • Church records [7]
  • Family papers
  • Diaries and journals
  • African-American history
  • Municipal records
  • Other collections

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About".
  2. ^ VisitRhodeIsland.com
  3. ^ "NHL Nomination for Old Brick Market". National Park Service. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House". Newport Historical Society. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Great Friends Meeting House". Newport Historical Society. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  6. ^ "The Colony House". Newport Historical Society. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  7. ^ Less Obvious Sources For Research In RI
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41°29′21″N 71°18′42″W / 41.489295°N 71.311749°W / 41.489295; -71.311749

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