The new online showcase for the collections of the Providence Public Library released over 1,400 historic photos into their digital library on Tuesday, many of these new additions are photos of Newport and Block Island.

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“Shot tower behind old Aquidneck Mill, Thames Street”, VM013_GF3992, Rhode Island Photograph Collection , Providence Public Library, Providence, RI.

Photos released today include images that almost all over one hundred years old of Bellevue Avenue, Spring Street, the Newport Bridge, Downtown Newport, boats sailing in Newport Harbor and shots of Thames Street.

Explore The Images

Over the coming months and years, the Providence Library plans to offer more ways to access their collections online. Currently 6,392 historic photos are able to be viewing in their digital library.

The Providence Public Library encourages the use of all items in the Providence Public Library digital collections for fair use purposes such as teaching, research, and private study. It is solely the patron’s obligation to determine and ensure that use of material fully complies with copyright law and other possible restrictions on use.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...