Photo of 1954 Newport Jazz Festival via Newport Jazz Festival The first Newport Jazz Festival, known as the First Annual American Jazz Festival, was held on July 17th and July 18th, 1954 at the Newport Casino. The two day event featured academic panel discussions and live music performances from Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lee Konitz, […]
History
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On This Day In Newport History: July 15, 1876 – Margaret Van Alen Bruguiére is born in Newport
Photo Credit Margaret Van Alen Bruguiére, also known as Daisy Van Alen, was born on July 15, 1876 in Newport, Rhode Island. While the name may not be familiar to many, the socialite, art collector and philanthropist was considered by many during the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s as the leader of Newport’s social scene. She was once one […]
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Today In Newport History: July 14, 1966 – Tanya Donelly Born In Newport
Photo Credit Singer, songwriter and guitarist Tanya Donelly was born on July 14, 1966 in Newport. Donelly co-founded Throwing Muses with her stepsister Kristin Hersh while attending Rogers High School in 1981. The band toured and recorded until 1997. Donelly was also a founding member of The Breeders with Kim Deal of the Pixies. She was also a member […]
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This Day in RI History: July 13, 1948 – US Congressman and Bryant University President Ron Machtley is born
On July 13, 1948, former US Congressman and later Bryant University President Ron Machtley was born in Johnston, PA. Machtley attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Navy from 1970-1975. After his service he received his Juris Doctoris from Suffolk UNiversoty Law School in Boston. Machtley ran for the U.S. House of Representatives […]
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This Day in RI History: July 12, 1928 – Barbara Cowsill born in Cranston
July 12th, 1928 was the birthday of Barbara Cowsill, who performed along with her children in the family band The Cowsills. Cowsill was born Barbara Claire Russell in Cranston and married William “Bud” Cowsill in 1947. Bud got involved in the music business in the 1960’s and created The Cowsills, a family band, often cited […]
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Today In Newport History: July 11, 1780 – Rochambeau Arrives In Newport
The Rochambeau Statue and Memorial in King Park was erected in 1934 to honor the assistance of Rochambeau and the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. | Both photos via Wikipedia On July 11, 1780 approximately 5,000 – 6,000 French soldiers commanded by Rochambeau arrived at King Park in Newport, Rhode Island. The code name given by the […]
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On This Day in RI History: July 8, 1663 – King Charles II grants Rhode Island charter
On July 8th, 1663, 27 years after Roger Williams arrived in the colony, King Charles II gave Rhode Island its first royal charter. The Charter provided royal recognition to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, as it was known at the time. It outlined many freedoms for the inhabitants of Rhode Island and was […]
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On this day in RI history: July 6, 1949 Soap star James Kiberd born in Providence
Actor James Kiberd was born in Providence on July 6th, 1949. He is best known for his role as Trevor Dillon on the soap opera All My Children, where he starred from 1989-2000. Over the course of his career, Kiberd worked on other soaps including Another World and Loving. He worked closely with Kelly Ripa […]
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On This Day in RI History: June 29, 1901 – Actor/Singer Nelson Eddy is born in Providence
Academy award-nominated actor and singer Nelson Eddy was born in Providence on June 29th, 1901. Eddy grew up in Pawtucket and New Bedford, where he sang in church choirs. He began his career singing with the Philadelphia Opera Society in the 1920s and later starred in movies, appearing in 19 musicals in the 1930s and […]
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On This Day In Newport History – June 28, 1969: Newport Bridge opens for first time
The Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, opened on this day in 1969. The main span of the Newport Bridge is 488 metres (1,601 ft), ranking it number 87 among the longest suspension bridges in the world, and making it the longest suspension bridge in New England. The bridge was constructed from […]
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History: June 27, 1898 – Joshua Slocum Arrives in Newport, Becomes 1st Man to Sail Single-Handedly Around the World
Did you know that the first solo circumnavigation of the globe was completed in Newport, Rhode Island? Joshua Slocum Captain Joshua Slocum, a native of Novia Scotia, completed the feat on June 27th, 1898. On April 24, 1895, at the age of 51, he departed Boston in his tiny sloop Spray , a 36′ 9″ gaff rigged […]
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On This Day In History: June 27, 1966 – Dark Shadows premieres on ABC, Carey Mansion used as Collinwood Mansion
Dark Shadows, an American Gothic soap opera, premiered on ABC on June 27, 1966. Throughout the shows run from 1966 – 1971, The Collinwood stand-in mansion used for the TV series was Newport’s Seaview Terrace, also known as the Carey Mansion. The show, which ran for 7 seasons and 1,225 episodes, depicted the lives, loves, […]
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On This Day In History – June 24, 1953: Jacqueline Bouvier and JFK Announce Engagement
Jacqueline Bouvier and Sen. John F. Kennedy (D-Mass.) announced their engagement on this day in 1953. After she accepted his proposal, Kennedy presented her with a 2.88-carat diamond-and-emerald engagement ring from Van Cleef & Arpels. Kennedy went on to become the nation’s 35th president in 1961. Jackie, as she was widely known, soon emerged as […]
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This Day in RI History: June 17, 1958, Bobby Farrelly is born in Cumberland
Cumberland, RI native Bobby Farrelly was born on June 17th, 1958. Along with his brother Peter, Farrelly wrote, directed, and produced several top-grossing films including Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary and Fever Pitch. Farrelly grew up in Cumberland and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on a hockey scholarship. The brother’s career took off in […]
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This Day in RI History: June 10, 1772 – The burning of the HMS Gaspee
One of the most celebrated events in Rhode Island history happened on June 10th, 1772. The Gaspee Affair, which is still celebrated annually with festivals, a parade and a re-enactment, was a pivital moment in the lead-up to the American Revolution. The story is widely known. In the weeks preceding the burning of the Gaspee, […]
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On This Day In Newport History – June 9, 1869: Construction of First Torpedo Station on Goat Island Ordered
Secretary of the Navy Adolph E. Borie, ordered the construction of the first torpedo station on Goat Island on June 9, 1869. Cmdr. Edmund O. Matthews would become the first Commanding Officer, during the establishment, the station experimented with torpedoes and trained sailors in the use of the weapons. An Excerpt from The Navy and […]
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This Day in RI History: June 8, 1717 – Former RI Governor John Collins born in Newport
Rhode Island Governor John Collins was born on June 8, 1717 in Newport. In 1786, he became the third Governor of the State of Rhode Island, and was the last independent chosen until Lincoln Chaffee was elected in 2010. Before he was elected Governor, Collins was an admirer of George Washington and a fierce advocate […]
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On This Day In Newport History – May 30, 1880: League of American Wheelmen, the first national bicycle society, formed in Newport
The League of American Bicyclists was founded as the League of American Wheelmen on May 30, 1880 in Newport, Rhode Island. Bicyclists, known then as “wheelmen,” were challenged by rutted roads of gravel and dirt and faced antagonism from horsemen, wagon drivers, and pedestrians, according to The League of American Bicyclists. “In an effort to […]
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On This Day In Newport History: May 26, 1954 – USS Bennington explodes, more than 100 Killed
One of the worst ship disasters not involving enemy action took place off the coast of Newport on May 26th, 1954. USS Bennington, a 24 Essex-class aircraft carrier built during World War II for the United States Navy, was cruising off Narragansett Bay when the fluid in one of her catapults leaked out and was detonated by […]
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This Day in RI History: May 25, 1725 -Colonial Governor Samuel Ward born in Newport
Samuel Ward was an American farmer, politician, Supreme Court Justice, Governor of Rhode Island and a delegate to the Continental Congress. Born in Newport, he was the son of Rhode Island Governor Richard Ward. Ward got his start in politics as a delegate from Westerly and was elected Governor in 1758. He was defeated by […]
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This Day in RI History: May 24, 1988 – Singer Billy Gilman is born
Singer-Songwriter Billy Gilman was born on this date in Westerly, RI in 1988. In 2000, at age 11, he emerged as a child star after being discovered by Ray Benson of the popular country band Asleep at the Wheel. Gilman had a hit with the song “One Voice” in 2000, when he became the youngest […]
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This Day in History: May 24, 1941 – Bob Dylan is born
OK, we know, he’s not a native Rhode Islander, but perhaps his greatest moment as a musician came in Newport in 1965. Singer-songwriter, “song and dance man” Bob Dylan was born Robert Zimmerman on this day in 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. Dylan moved to New York City in 1961 and the rest is history. He […]
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Newport Historical Society to open Center for Black History on Juneteenth
The Newport Historical Society will open the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History on Juneteenth 2026, marking what the society calls a transformative step toward a more inclusive telling of the city’s history. Developed in partnership with Newport’s Black community, the center will serve as a hub for research, scholarship, […]
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This Day In History – April 15, 1786: Walter Channing born in Newport
Walter Channing, an American physician and professor of medicine, was born on April 15th, 1786 in Newport, RI. Walter Channing was the grandson of William Ellery (who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence) the brother of preacher William Ellery Channing (founder of Channing Memorial Church in Newport) and of fellow Harvard professor (of Rhetoric), Edward […]
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On This Day In History – April 10, 1987: Rose Island Lighthouse added to National Register of Historic Places
On this day in history in 1987, Rose Island Lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Constructed in 1870, Narragansett Bay’s iconic Rose Island Lighthouse was built on top of a bastion of Fort Hamilton. The fort, including the lighthouse, is preserved, maintained and operated by The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation. […]