South County History Center facts for kids
The South County History Center is a special place in Kingston, Rhode Island. It used to be called the Pettaquamscutt Historical Society. This center works to save and share the history of the South County area. They do this by showing exhibits and studying old papers, books, and items from the past.
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What is the South County History Center?
The South County History Center started in 1958. Local people in South County, Rhode Island, wanted to learn more about their area's history. They also wanted to collect old items and protect important historical places. In 2016, the group changed its name to the South County History Center. This new name showed their updated goals for sharing history.
The Old Jail: A Historic Home
The South County History Center is located in a building called the Old Washington County Jail. This old jail is a very important historical site. It is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can find it on a hill near the University of Rhode Island.
The first jail building on this spot was built in 1792. The building you see today was built later, in 1858 and 1861. It was made to hold people who broke the law in Washington County. A local builder named Amos Reynold Sweet helped construct it. He used strong local oak wood for the roof beams. The walls were made from mica greywacke and granite stones from Westerly, Rhode Island. They were held together with mortar. The cell gates were made of iron.
The jail closed its doors in 1956. By 1958, the building became home to the Pettaquamscutt Historical Society Museum. The front part of the building was changed to hold the museum's art collection, library, and historical records. The back part, which had the old jail cells, was fixed up so visitors could see it.
Treasures at the Center
The South County History Center has many interesting items. Its collection of old objects, papers, and books began in 1958. Local people donated items that belonged to their families. These items tell stories about Early American history. Today, the center's collection shows many different parts of life in South County.
Marjorie Webster Schunke (1905-2002) was a historian who helped a lot with the center's collection. She gathered many historical papers for the library. She also wrote many books about local family histories (genealogy), important sites, and cemeteries.
One special item on display is a carved hutch cabinet. It was made in 1896 by William Russell Sweet (1860-1946). He carved it based on the poem "The Song of Hiawatha" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. William Russell Sweet admired Native American culture. He showed their way of life in some of his art. He carved many other wood pieces too, like wall plaques, tables, and chairs. Each piece had a unique theme, such as the Sweet Coat of Arms, New England sea shells like quahogs and scallops, maple leaves, nuts and berries, and animals. His great-grandson, Carson Young Sweet Ferri Carson Grant, has loaned more of William Russell Sweet's artworks to the museum.
The center also has a large painting called "The Economic Activities of the Narragansett Planters." This mural is 14 by 6 feet. It shows scenes from the 18th century in Narragansett, Rhode Island, including the lives of enslaved people. Some people find the topic of slavery difficult, but others believe it is important to remember this part of southern Rhode Island's past. The famous artist Ernest Hamlin Baker painted this mural in the 1930s. It was part of a government program called the Works Progress Administration. The mural hung in the Wakefield, Rhode Island post office for almost 60 years. When the post office closed in 1999, the mural came to the center.
How to Visit
You can visit the South County History Center at: 2636 Kingstown Road, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.
Images for kids
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Old Washington County Jail - Front structure built 1861.
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William Russell Sweet's carved hutch cabinet 1896.
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William Russell Sweet's carved hutch cabinet 1896- panel view.
