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An Old Fashion Christmas at the historic Hearthside House
Lincoln, RI
December 2020
"The decorations are simply breathtaking! In a nod to the builder of Hearthside, Stephen Hopkins Smith who was an ardent lover of nature and plants, the rooms are all elaborately decorated with botanical touches.
One of the highlights when visiting Hearthside is concluding your tour with a stop in the Gift Shop, which is fully stocked with a unique selection of gift items, old-fashioned toys, jewelry, books, doll clothes, and holiday ornaments in the festively-decorated shop. Give a gift, or bring home a little remembrance from your special visit to Hearthside. And when you do, you're helping support Hearthside's mission and programs!
More Information:
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to be in touch by email at info@hearthsidehouse.org or phone 726-0597.
We look forward to welcoming you to Hearthside for a brief respite from today's troubling times back to the warmth and nostalgia of an Old-Fashioned Christmas."
Inside the Hearthside House
Lincoln, RI
From the Hearthside House website:
Talbot Family Looms (The Hearthside Looms)
Hearthside became known as "Hearthside" because of the Hearthside Looms, a hand weaving business that was run out of the 3rd floor by Arnold G. Talbot during the early part of the 20th century. Now, the original looms that both Arnold and his wife Katharine used to create some of the country's finest fabrics are back at Hearthside, in the very same place they were some 100 years ago.
This was made possible through the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA, where the weaving equipment was donated by Frances Talbot in her will in 1975.
Arnold’s grandson, Bill Talbot of Cincinnati, OH, has granted ownership to Hearthside upon de-accessioning of the collection by the ATHM.
The collection includes large barn looms, spinning wheels, flax wheels, table looms, parlor loom, warping frame, hand loom and a creel as well as coverlets.
The Talbots were highly regarded throughout the country for their fine handiwork on these antique looms. The Talbots weaving represented a rebirth of the American arts and crafts movement, according to the House Beautiful article in 1907.
The Talbots became the only commercial enterprise in the United States dedicated to weaving ecclesiastical fabrics by hand. With just 8 weavers, the "Hearthside Looms" produced coverlets, curtains, linen, rugs, towels, table and pillow covers, couch covers, portieres, rugs, and altar cloths to customers well beyond the Rhode Island borders.
Also known as "The House that Love Built"
Lincoln, RI
November 2020
Stephen Hopkins Smith built his stately Federal style mansion in 1810 to impress a sweetheart.
Now known as Hearthside, Smith's home welcomes visitors to discover the stories of the many families who lived there.
Hearthside is an award-winning historic house museum presenting historically themed exhibits and original programs. Costumed docents guide visitors on tours, furnished throughout in period style. Hearthside is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operates under the stewardship of the all-volunteer nonprofit Friends of Hearthside, Inc.
Hearthside is located along historic Great Road in Lincoln, RI, 10 minutes north of Providence.
Prescott Farm
Middletown, RI
"This impressive smock–style, four–vaned windmill was built in 1812 and used in Warren, RI in connection with a distillery. It has an unusual feature—two sets of grinding stones whose doubled capacity could be lucrative for its owner. Not surprisingly then, it was moved two more times to Portsmouth, Rhode Island by millers who acquired it, first by Robert Sherman to Quaker Hill (East Main Road), then to Lehigh Hill (West Main Road). It became idle in the early 20th century and remained so, in ever deteriorating condition, until the NRF acquired it in 1969 and moved it to Prescott Farm. The mill was restored by the NRF in 1971, with additional work done in the 1980s and a new shaft installed in 1998."
SOURCE: www.newportrestoration.org/visit/prescott_farm/history_ar...
The Watch/Service Room inside Rose Island Lighthouse
On the desk in the Watch Room/Service Room.
WATCH ROOM - A room immediately below the lantern room or SERVICE ROOM where fuel and other supplies were kept where the keeper prepared the lanterns for the night and often stood watch. The clockworks (for rotating lenses) were also located there.
Wickford, RI
Who’s Haunting Smith’s Castle in Wickford, Rhode Island. Explore the dark history and haunting of Smith’s Castle. The structure and grounds are home to a mass grave, the site of America’s only prisoner to be drawn and quartered, a former slave plantation, and a clumsy ghost who may still be replaying her tumble with destiny.
The Moffett Mill
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
"Beavertail Lighthouse was built in 1856 and is the premier lighthouse in Rhode Island, marking the entrance to Narragansett Bay. The 64-foot (20 m) lighthouse lies on the southernmost point of Conanicut Island in the town of Jamestown, Rhode Island in Beavertail State Park, on a site where beacons have stood since the early 18th century. The light provides navigation for boats and ships entering Narragansett Bay in the East Passage between Conanicut Island and Newport, Rhode Island on Aquidneck Island. Other lighthouses are visible from Beavertail Lighthouse, such as Castle Hill Lighthouse, Point Judith Light, and Rose Island Light.
Records of the town of Jamestown from 1712 make reference to a beacon, and they mention a watch house in 1705. A wooden tower was built in 1749 (attributed to architect Peter Harrison), and the light became the third lighthouse established in the Thirteen Colonies, known at the time as "Newport Light". A fire was lit at the top of the tower, as was common for the time. Four years later, it burned down and was replaced by a stone tower.
British sailors retreating from Newport near the end of the American Revolutionary War left a trail of destruction behind them in 1779. This included burning the lighthouse and removing the optics, which left the light dark for the rest of the war.
In 1856, the tower was replaced with the current tower, made of granite which is 10 ft (3.0 m) square and 64 feet (20 m) from ground to beacon. A 3rd order Fresnel lens was placed in service, and it was the site of numerous fog-signal tests over the next 40 years under the supervision of the United States Lighthouse Board. In 1898, quarters were added to the keeper's house for an assistant keeper; the assistant helped with fog-signaling, among other things.
The whistle house was destroyed during the 1938 hurricane, revealing the original base for the 1749 structure which sits 100 feet (30 m) from the current tower. Whale Rock can be seen a few miles southwest of Beavertail Point. Whale Rock Lighthouse and its keeper Walter Eberle were swept into the waters of Narragansett Bay during the hurricane of 1938; Eberle's body was never recovered.
In 1939, the US Coast Guard took command of all lighthouses and navigational aids, and in 1989 Beavertail light was automated as part of a program by the Coast Guard. The building was restored and opened to the public in 1989, following a joint effort by the US Coast Guard, Rhode Island Parks Management, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the town of Jamestown. In 1993, the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association (BLMA) was established to oversee the operations of the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum, which is located in the assistant keeper's house. The museum includes a Fresnel lens and the history of many Rhode Island lighthouses." (wikipedia)
PLEASE, NO GRAPHICS, BADGES, OR AWARDS IN COMMENTS. They will be deleted.
A portrait of Mr. Moffett that hangs in his Mill
The Abandoned Moffett Mill
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
"Smith's Castle, built in 1678, is a house museum at 55 Richard Smith Drive, near Wickford, a village in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States. Smith's Castle is one of the oldest houses in the state. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993 as Cocumscussoc Archeological Site, due to the artifacts and information digs in the vicinity have yielded. It is located just off U.S. 1.
Smith's Castle was built in 1678 as a replacement for an earlier structure which was destroyed by the Narragansett Tribe during King Philip's War. The land on which the house was built was known as Cocumscussoc (or Cocumscossoc) and was the original site of Roger Williams' trading post. Williams was the founder of Rhode Island and a prominent Baptist theologian. He built the trading post on the site in 1637 to trade with the Narragansetts after receiving the land from the tribe. Eventually, Williams sold the trading post to Richard Smith to finance his trip to Great Britain to secure a charter for Rhode Island.
Smith bought the trading post and surrounding lands from Williams and constructed a large house which was fortified, giving the house its nickname as a castle. His son Richard Smith Jr. inherited the plantation in 1666 and invited militias from Massachusetts and Connecticut to use the property during King Philip's War. The house was burned in retaliation for the Great Swamp Fight, and the present structure was built in its place, originally as a saltbox house, and later modified into its current form. Approximately 40 soldiers were buried on the property during King Philip's War. Additionally, the only incident of an individual being hanged, drawn, and quartered for treason on American soil took place at Smith's Castle in 1676. Joshua Tefft was an English colonist found guilty of having fought on the side of the Narragansetts during the Great Swamp Fight; he was executed by this method.
Eventually, the property was transferred to the Updike, Congdon, and Fox families. Among the Updikes who lived there were Lodowick and Abigail Updike, whose daughter Sarah Updike Goddard and grandchildren Mary Katherine Goddard and William Goddard were all notable colonial-era printers and publishers. It was the site of a large dairy farm into the twentieth century until it became a museum. In the early twentieth century, preservationists Norman Isham and John Hutchins Cady stabilized the house and performed several minor restorations."
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
Rose Island Lighthouse
Newport, RI
"The Rose Island Light, built in 1870, is on Rose Island in Narragansett Bay in Newport, Rhode Island in the United States. It is preserved, maintained and operated by The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation.
One of a group of New England lighthouses built to an award-winning design by Vermont architect Albert Dow, Rose Island Light has sisters at Sabin Point, Pomham Rocks, and Colchester Reef. The lighthouse stands atop a bastion of Fort Hamilton, which was built in 1798-1800.
The building was abandoned as a functioning lighthouse in 1970, when the Newport Bridge was constructed nearby. In 1984, the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation was founded to restore the dilapidated light on behalf of the City of Newport, which had received it for free from the United States government. In 1987, the federal government listed the lighthouse on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1992 it was relit as a private aid to navigation.
The lighthouse is today a travel destination, reached only by boat. For a fee to the Foundation, visitors can spend a night as a guest or a week as the "lighthouse keeper," completing many of the chores required to keep the lighthouse in good condition."
SOURCE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Island_Light
June 20th, 2014
Portsmouth, RI
Taken near Mount Hope Bridge. I love this spot and will go back, again, and again. Great location.
I always have to share my very favorite Halloween photo taken nearly 9 years ago now at the Roger Williams Park Zoo Pumpkin Spectacular.
Love like Halloween!
From Beavertail Point, Jamestown RI
Thank you for taking the time to view my photo, and for the faves and comments you make, thank you.
The Abandoned Moffett Mill
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
Photographed with permission.
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
During an October Night
The Providence Athenæum as we know it was founded and incorporated in 1836 after a previous Providence Athenæum (est. 1831) and the Providence Library Company (est. 1753) could not agree on terms for a merger. Both organizations dissolved and formed a new library, which included the collections of both earlier institutions.
This new organization, known initially as simply The Athenæum, would later change its name to the Providence Athenæum in 1850. One hundred ninety-five men, two women, and four business firms contributed to the initial raising of funds. Originally housed in the Arcade downtown on Weybosset Street, the Athenæum opened the doors of its completed Benefit Street home on July 11, 1838, accompanied by the Franklin Society, a scientific and philosophic club, which occupied what is now the Reading Room. The Franklin Society moved out in 1848, and the Athenæum built a staircase connecting the main floor to our now downstairs Reading Room.
The Athenæum continued to attract members and obtain materials throughout the nineteenth century. Some notable acquisitions were the Description de l’Egypte, an enormous 23-volume set depicting Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt in the late eighteenth century, and The Hours, an ivory miniature painted by Newport-born Edward Greene Malbone in 1801 (both of which can be seen in the Art and Special Collection sections of our site). Some famous frequenters of the library included author Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who on at least one occasion snacked on crackers as she “read Egypt at the Ath,” and future Secretary of State John Hay, who described Providence as “shrined in my memory as a far-off, mystical Eden, where the women were lovely and spirited and the men were jolly and brave; where I used to haunt the rooms of the Athenæum, made holy by the presence of the royal dead…”
In 1872, the Athenæum hired its first female employee, Mary Angell, as assistant librarian. As part of her duties, she began working on the card catalog which still sits on the library’s main floor. Her handwritten cards from the nineteenth century can still be found inside (be sure to take a look!). Mary’s work was continued by Grace Leonard, a cataloger hired in 1895 to use the Dewey decimal system to reclassify and catalog the library’s 56,000 volumes over the course of 13 years. Grace later became the library’s first female head librarian and worked at the Athenæum for a total of 46 years.
The Athenæum has physically expanded twice, once in 1914 with an addition designed by local architect Norman Morrison Isham and once in 1979 with an addition designed by award-winning architect Warren Platner. Both expansions were a result of a need for increased storage for the collection and to create space for the library’s ever-popular children’s services. The Athenæum has always welcomed our community’s youngest members, and continues to do so into the twenty-first century.
For more information on the Athenæum’s history, please see Inquire Within, A Social History of the Providence Athenæum from 1753, available for browsing, check out, or purchase at the library. The above short history is indebted to author Jane Lancaster’s work.
Time for "sleep" inside The Conjuring House. Come to find out, it's ME that goes bump in the night with the lights nearly off. Ya know, being too tall for a 17th century farmhouse ceiling and bumping into everything during a paranormal investigation. We did stay overnight though!
Also known as "The House that Love Built"
Lincoln, RI
November 2020
Stephen Hopkins Smith built his stately Federal style mansion in 1810 to impress a sweetheart.
Now known as Hearthside, Smith's home welcomes visitors to discover the stories of the many families who lived there.
Hearthside is an award-winning historic house museum presenting historically themed exhibits and original programs. Costumed docents guide visitors on tours, furnished throughout in period style. Hearthside is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operates under the stewardship of the all-volunteer nonprofit Friends of Hearthside, Inc.
Hearthside is located along historic Great Road in Lincoln, RI, 10 minutes north of Providence.
Had a blast with a team investigating and staying overnight in The Conjuring House in Rhode Island. Pretty challenging taking shots in near complete darkness but such a great experience.
The Abandoned Moffett MillLincoln, RIJanuary 30, 2021
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
The Abandoned Moffett Mill
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside.
"Frozen in Time"
Moffett Mill in Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
In the basement of the mill where the running water from the Moshassuck River is diverted that is in turn was used to power this historic New England location.
Yeah, that is a lot of ice!
"Built by George Olney along Great Road in 1812, the Moffett Mill is a unique survivor from the early 19th century. Resting along the Moshassuck River next to Chase Farm Park, this small mill is believed to be the first machine shop constructed in Rhode Island and is a rare example of a wooden mill built during the first wave of industrialization in the Blackstone Valley. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850 and built the stone dam that still stands. The mill has been abandoned since the early part of the 1900s and was donated to the Town of Lincoln in the 1980s. It has recently been renovated with new exhibits and its original tools still in tact. Because of difficulty accessing the site safely along this busy roadway, the opening of the mill to visitors will be limited. An interpretive panel located near the entrance to Chase Farm Park will help inform visitors as to the importance of this rare treasure."
SOURCE: tourblackstone.com/moffett-mill/
The Moffett Mill
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
A Reprocess of yesterday morning's shot
Awsome clouds this morning in Rhode Island we even got a little pink cloud light but this one was my favorite of the morning. I just love the swirling clouds. Point Judith Lighthouse in Narragansett, RI
The Moffett Mill
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
Also known as "The House that Love Built"
Lincoln, RI
November 2020
Stephen Hopkins Smith built his stately Federal style mansion in 1810 to impress a sweetheart.
Now known as Hearthside, Smith's home welcomes visitors to discover the stories of the many families who lived there.
Hearthside is an award-winning historic house museum presenting historically themed exhibits and original programs. Costumed docents guide visitors on tours, furnished throughout in period style. Hearthside is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operates under the stewardship of the all-volunteer nonprofit Friends of Hearthside, Inc.
Hearthside is located along historic Great Road in Lincoln, RI, 10 minutes north of Providence.
A video at the Ashton dam in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The power, height and speed of the river was incredible. At this spot there is at least a ten foot drop off point to the next lower level of the river but it was almost even due to the high water level. I was also surprised at the large amount of garbage that was in the river. No wonder the world is turning into one big dump.
With a record for the total amount of rainfall in March and another multi inch rain storm the last few days the Blackstone River is at historical highs. There is a great deal of flooding going on along this and other rivers.
The Moffett Mill
Lincoln, RI
January 30, 2021
"Constructed in 1812 by local mechanic George Olney, the Moffett Mill offers a rare glimpse of the early American machine shop. The Moffett Mill was among the first mills in the area to have new metal-working technology including a metal lathe and drill press. In the early 1800s, Olney made tools and repaired vital machine parts for the other mills along Great Road, including his own thread mill at the pond in Lincoln Woods, Stephen Smith’s Butterfly Mill, and Captain Wilbur Kelly’s mill at Old Ashton. Arnold Moffett purchased the mill in 1850, replacing the breast-style waterwheel with a more modern, water-driven iron turbine. He expanded into furniture making and wagon building. At the time of the Civil War, the mill’s second floor housed braiding machines used to produce laces for shoes and corsets. By 1880, gristmill orders accounted for a large share of the Moffetts’ business, and a sawmill produced boards and wooden boxes for customers in the area. By the turn of the century, the mill closed and the building abandoned. In 2000, the Moffett Mill was stabilized and restored, with the original equipment still intact. Today, the mill is open for occasional public viewing under the stewardship of the Friends of Hearthside."
Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation
Newport, RI
May 5th, 2015
Getting in a panorama from the top of the Rose Island Lighthouse didn't even cross my mind until I was looking at the RAW images that I took from the top using the 180degree fisheye lens. Just for the heck of it, I "de-fished" the images and the two images stitched together and I was surprised how easy it was.
What you are looking at is the view from outside the lantern room and overlooking Rose Island in Newport, RI.
Some history of this island:
"ownership:
the whole island is about 18.5 acres and has only two lots. the lighthouse sits on the smaller of the two which contains 1.5 acres and is owned by city of newport. the rest of the island (about 17 acres) was acquired by the rose island lighthouse foundation (june 25, 1999) and it has not been made accessible to visitors because it is still very unsafe.
historical use:
rose island was used during world wars i and ii as part of the navy torpedo station where explosives were stored. after world war ii this use ceased and the island (except for the lighthouse) was declared surplus by the government. since then, over the last 50 years, mother nature has been slowly creeping back, taking possession. today, the only inhabitants of the torpedo station are three species of snakes, plus thousands of nesting birds that are protected by the state. there are no mammals -- therefore, no ticks! the lighthouse was operated until 1970, when it was abandoned and vandalized after the pell (newport) bridge was built. the rose island lighthouse foundation was organized in 1984 to restore and operate the lighthouse on behalf of the city of newport which received it from the us government at no cost.
public access:
the foundation keeps the lighthouse property open year round from 10 am to 4 pm -- but it's not so easy to get there except during the summer months when the jamestown ferry operates on a scheduled daily basis. all other times of the year the lighthouse foundation's boat takes overnighters and volunteers to the lighthouse aboard "starfish" (our new 32-foot jarvis newman lobster boat). school and group tours are offered by appointment from april through october. individual public tours are limited to july and august when the ferry runs daily and our guides are on site.
walking around the island is prohibited during nesting season which is from april 1 - august 15. outside of those dates, people may walk around the entire island, but you must stay on the beaches. as you walk around the island or view it from a boat on the water, you will see the dilapidated, buildings from world wars i and ii, which were used to store explosives. many of them are in danger of collapsing and it is very unsafe to explore in or even around them. remember: this is private property owned by the foundation which is required to protect it according to our deeded conservation easement. do not trespass.
people staying overnight at the lighthouse may paddle the foundation's kayak around the island or take binoculars up into the tower to see what’s happening, but from april 1 to august 15, rose island is strictly for the birds! in the winter, from late october to early april, you can often see harbor seals on the east side of the island at citing rock, which in the warmer months is surrounded by extensive underwater eelgrass beds."
Also known as "The House that Love Built"
Lincoln, RI
November 2020
Stephen Hopkins Smith built his stately Federal style mansion in 1810 to impress a sweetheart.
Now known as Hearthside, Smith's home welcomes visitors to discover the stories of the many families who lived there.
Hearthside is an award-winning historic house museum presenting historically themed exhibits and original programs. Costumed docents guide visitors on tours, furnished throughout in period style. Hearthside is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operates under the stewardship of the all-volunteer nonprofit Friends of Hearthside, Inc.
Hearthside is located along historic Great Road in Lincoln, RI, 10 minutes north of Providence.
Woonsocket, RI
April 2nd, 2015
Some history on this cemetery with an interesting past:
"The Precious Blood Cemetery is in Woonsocket, RI and it continues into Blackstone, Mass. It is located at the intersection of Diamond Hill and Rathbun Street. The main entrance is in Rhode Island but most of the cemetery is in Mass. It was closed to any new burial plots as of May, 31 1955.
Some of the graves have makeshift wooden crosses with handwritten names and epitaphs. There are also ones made of concrete that are crumbling after time. Many of these are located in the back part of the cemetery. There is a reason that this part of the cemetery most definitely might be haunted.
In August, 1955 there was a catastrophe for the area. The area got hit by two weakened but very wet hurricanes. The first one was Hurricane Connie which dropped nine inches of water in Woonsocket and other areas on August 13th and 14th.
One week later came Hurricane Diane. This hurricane brought even more rain to the overflowing rivers and ponds. All this water was too much for the area and it was sweeping away houses and businesses. The Blackstone River runs along the back of the cemetery and when that flooded, Harris Pond, which is also in the area, flooded. The pond flooded so much that it took part of the cemetery away with it.
More than fifty caskets broke and the deceased floated away with the water. Some floated down the street and others floated out to sea never to be seen again. Pieces of caskets and remains were found all over the area.
After the flood many of the bodies were brought to the mausoleum at Precious Blood. They were then reburied and new headstones were made. Some even needed new caskets. It is thought that some of the bodies aren’t the ones that match the headstones they are laid to rest with.
Because of this happening many people think the spirits are looking for there loved ones they were buried next to before the flood. Orbs have been seen on many occasions. Paranormal investigators have also recorded voices and unexplained noises.
Stop in and take a look for yourself. Be sure you check out the back of the cemetery. Maybe you can run into a ghost or two. Just remember to stop in while the cemetery is open and never trespass."
SOURCE: www.examiner.com/article/the-ghosts-of-precious-blood-cem...
Foster, RI
October 15th, 2014
If you ever want to go exploring the legends and ghost stories around Foster, RI, you definitely want to do so in the company of Andrew Lake of Greenville Paranormal www.greenvilleparanormal.com/investigations.html
Here is Hopkins Mills Cemetery in Foster, RI. This is where the legendary Dorathy Cole.
Here is Andrew's investigation and some background into the legend of Dolly Cole. Details of the investigation can be found here: www.greenvilleparanormal.com/investigations.html
"The Woman in White: Hopkins Mills, Rhode Island
A big part of paranormal investigation is doing research on the supposed haunting, its locale and its cast of characters. When Greenville Paranormal Research began its own investigation into the legend of Dolly Cole, it started by looking at what has been written about her and the reasons why she is presumed to haunt. On a popular website that lists haunted places, Dolly is a vague myth. She is said to have been a witch who is still seeking revenge for the murder of her son. Further inaccurate accounts suggest Dolly was a cross-dressing prostitute and even stranger, a vampire. Another paranormal research group, also based in Rhode Island, has dismissed these theories altogether and bestowed the ghost with some creative details of their own.
However, the truth is, Dorathy Cole (not Dorothy Ellen Cole) was a beloved local resident of Hopkins Mills. Her name is given to three distinct land marks in close vicinity to the house she lived in for sixty nine years. Dolly Cole Hill, the Dolly Cole Brook and the Dolly Cole Bridge are all named for her because in her day she was thought of fondly as a living landmark. She died June 13, 1860, aged 91 years, 6 months and 4 days. Dolly rests in peace next to her husband Hugh in the Hopkins Mills cemetery. As for the stories about a young woman in men's clothing haunting the grounds of a nearby sportsman's club, no such tale exist. The club's vice president is a direct descendant of the original landowner and he has stated that there is no such ghost story connected to the woods or the brook. Town records clearly show, there never was a Dorothy Ellen Cole.
So, who is 'The Woman in White?' At the time of this writing, her true identity is not known. She has been seen holding a wooden pail by the Hopkins Mill Pond, so perhaps she is a forgotten drowning victim. A town resident said he saw a white figure, like smoke, rise up from the river below the bridge on Ram Tail Road. He has never gone back. A local woman told Greenville Paranormal Research that her husband saw the Woman in White one night as he was coming home. She said the wraith shocked him so intensely that he doesn't like to talk about it. Our group will be conducting further investigations."