Rhode Island Historical Society facts for kids
The Rhode Island Historical Society is a special group that helps collect, save, and share the history of Rhode Island. It was started in 1822 and has its main offices in Providence, Rhode Island. It's like a treasure chest for everything about Rhode Island's past!
Contents
History of the Society
The Rhode Island Historical Society began in 1822. This makes it the fourth oldest state historical society in the United States. Only the Massachusetts Historical Society, New-York Historical Society, and Maine Historical Society are older.
Who Started It?
Many kind people from Providence helped start and fund the Society. These included important figures like Moses Brown and Henry J. Steere. They wanted to make sure Rhode Island's history was remembered.
Other Historical Groups
In 1854, a part of the Rhode Island Historical Society became its own group. This new group is now known as the Newport Historical Society.
Current Leaders
As of October 2022, the person in charge of the organization is C. Morgan Grefe, Ph.D. The head of the board is Robert H. Sloan, Jr.
What the Society Does
The Society has the biggest and most important collection of Rhode Island history. You can find this collection in its main library and two museums.
Amazing Collections
The Society's collections are huge! They include about 25,000 objects, 5,000 old handwritten papers, and 100,000 books. There are also 400,000 photos and maps, plus 9 million feet of old movies.
Learning and Fun Programs
Through its Newell D. Goff Center, the Society offers many ways to learn. They have workshops, talks, and films. You can even go on walking tours to explore Providence's history. The Society also helps teachers learn new ways to teach history in Rhode Island schools. They put on exhibits, concerts, and other fun community events too.
Sharing History
The Society publishes a journal called Rhode Island History. This journal comes out a few times a year. It shares stories about different parts of Rhode Island's history, from very old times to more recent days.
New Improvements
The Society has made some great updates recently. They now have an online catalog where you can search their collections. Also, they finished a big project in 2010 to fix up the historic John Brown House. This project cost $2.5 million!
Places the Society Owns
The Society owns and takes care of several important buildings and museums:
- The Robinson Research Center (library): This is where you can find many books and papers. It is located at 121 Hope Street, Providence.
- John Brown House Museum: This beautiful house was built in 1786. It is a National Historic Landmark and is located at 52 Power Street, Providence.
- Nelson W. Aldrich House: This building was built in 1822. It is also a National Historic Landmark and serves as the Society's main office. You can find it at 110 Benevolent Street, Providence.
- Museum of Work and Culture: This museum is in Woonsocket. It tells the story of the different groups of people who lived and worked in northern Rhode Island. It is located at 42 South Main Street.
See also
- List of historical societies in Rhode Island
- List of libraries in Rhode Island
