Today’s Google Doodle is honoring the 175th Birthday of Ida Lewis, a Newport lighthouse keeper who is credited with saving at least 18 lives from drowning. From the Google Doodle Blog; Ida Lewis’ 175th BirthdayIt wasn’t until perhaps my fourth or fifth visit to the littlest state of Rhode Island that I spotted the unassuming […]
History
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Newport Historical Society will host Lecture That Examines the Trading Operations of the Vernons of Newport
US merchants brought slaves not just to the Caribbean and the North American colonies in the 18th century, but also to labor in South America. American merchants (almost all Rhode Islanders) played a significant role in the trade of slaves from Africa to the Río de la Plata in Argentina and Bolivia. While most enslaved […]
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Letter Written by Rhode Islander Sullivan Ballou Mentioned During Inauguration
Senator Chuck Schumer mentioned Rhode Islander Sullivan Ballou during his speech during the inauguration of the 45th President Of The United States. Sullivan Ballou, born in Smithfield, Rhode Island, was a lawyer and politician and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is best remembered for the eloquent letter he wrote […]
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Newport’s History With The Circus: Host of the First Performance in the Country to Ringling Bros.
Feld Entertainment Inc., parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment, announced on Saturday that the iconic 146-year-old circus would hold its final performances later this year. Ringling Bros. two circus units will conclude their tours with their final shows at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center […]
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7 Places in Newport Tied to Jackie Kennedy
On January 20th, Jane Pickens Theater will begin showing JACKIE starring Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, the First Lady famously tied to the City-by-the-Sea. Portman has been nominated for multiple awards for her intimate portrayal of Jackie in the difficult days immediately following her husband’s assassination. JACKIE is a searing and intimate portrait of one of […]
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Hear from Ruth Taylor, Executive Director of Newport Historical Society, at ‘Arts Around The Fire’ on January 17th
Ruth Taylor, Executive Director of the Newport Historical Society, will be the special guest this month at Arts Around the Fire on Tuesday, January 17th from 6-8pm at Salvation Café’s Post & Beam room. Arts Around The Fire is Newport’s Arts and Cultural Alliance’s monthly networking event. Taylor will talk about what history is good for, […]
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Newport Historical Society Will Host Abby Chandler to Discuss ‘The Life and Times of Martin Howard’
Mid-eighteenth century Newport resident Martin Howard was known for his outspoken opinions supporting King George. His sympathies towards the crown and views supporting the customs duties relating to the 1765 Stamp Act made him a targeted figure by the Sons of Liberty during the riots that took place that year. While many today might consider […]
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Local Legend Claims One Of The Most Famous Questions in History Was Formulated at Sachuest Beach
In 1728, after marrying Anne Forster (daughter of John Forster, Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas), Dr. George Berkeley, an Anglo-Irish philosopher moved from Ireland to America. Upon arrival he bought a plantation in Middletown, RI and spent three years in Newport and was much indebted to the members of the congregation at the Trinity Church. […]
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A Guide to the Private Clubs and Restaurants of Newport, RI
Pictured: The Newport Reading Room There are a number of Newport restaurants are hard to get into, not because they are too busy or “too cool for school” but because they require referrals or special memberships to enter. As you’ll see, some of these private establishments make their membership requirements and information about them very public, […]
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Cluny School Uncovers Photos From Early Years, Seeks Public’s Help Identifying Children in Photos
Last week, Cluny School uncovered an archive of approximately 30 photos from the early years of the schools founding, circa 1960. Cluny School is hoping locals can help identify family members, classmates and friends in the photos. Presently, staff in the Community Relations Office are scanning more photos, and they hope to publish the images in the coming […]
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A Look at What Was Happening in Newport The Year Salve’s Incoming Class of 2020 Were Born
Salve Regina University will host move-in day for the Class of 2020 (can you believe it?) this weekend and classes will get underway next week. Students heading into their first year of studying at college this year are mostly 18 and were born in 1998 (again, can you believe it?). Since they are 18 or soon […]
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Newport Art Museum Announces Auction of Rare Book: The Gilman Book
The Newport Art Museum has announced a very special auction item available for absentee bidding by phone beginning June 22, 2016. Final bidding will occur during the Live Auction at the Newport Art Museum’s Beaux Arts Ball on July 2, 2016. The Gilman Paper Company Collection: The Gilman Paper Company Collection is widely regarded as the world’s finest collection […]
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Captain Cook’s Endeavour May Have Been Found Off Coast of Newport, RI 230 Years After it Disappeared
This story has been updated to include further background information on the discovery. The ship that carried Captain James Cook during several trips to the South Seas, including Tahiti and when he discovered Australia may have been recently located. Captain Cook’s famous ship has seemingly been discovered in the United States 230 years since it […]
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Newportal: A Collaborative Cultural Heritage Website Launches
Newportal, a free online collaborative database that brings together the art, objects, and manuscript collections of participating cultural heritage institutions in Newport, launched on April 27th, 2016. Made possible through the support of the Rhode Island Foundation, the database enables the public to access collections across institutional boundaries. It is available at www.newportalri.org. Photo credit: Newportal […]
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Providence Library Releases Hundreds of Historic Photos of Newport and Block Island
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. “Shot tower behind old Aquidneck Mill, Thames Street”, VM013_GF3992, Rhode Island Photograph Collection , Providence Public Library, Providence, RI. Photos […]
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This Day In Newport History: William Ellery Channing Was Born on April 7, 1780
William Ellery Channing,the son of William Channing and Lucy Ellery, was born April 7, 1780 in Newport, Rhode Island. He was a grandson of William Ellery, (1727-1827) a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, Deputy Governor of Rhode Island, Chief Justice and influential citizen. Channing is widely seen and known as the founder of […]
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Important 18th Century Marine Chronometer Identified at Newport Historical Society
An important marine timepiece, made as part of the British race to determine longitude at sea, has been discovered in the collections at the Newport Historical Society in Rhode Island. Ingrid Peters, a staff member of the Newport Historical Society, recently traveled to the Royal Observatory, Royal Museums Greenwich, England to have curator of Horology, […]
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Born On April 2nd in Newport: Leon Russell Wilkeson, Long-Time Bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd
Leon Russell Wilkeson, bassist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 until his death in 2001, was born on this day (April 2nd, 1952) in Newport, Rhode Island. Soon after being born, his family moved to Jacksonville, Florida, Wilkeson became a major Beatles fan just as he was becoming a teenager and began learning to […]
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Museum of Newport Irish History Will Host Lecture in St. Mary’s Church
The Museum of Newport Irish History presents the fourth talk in its 14th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series, Tuesday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m.. The lecture will be held within St. Mary’s Church, at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard in Newport. Guest speaker, Edward H. Fury, founder and president of the Keely Society, will present […]
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PODCAST: Interview with Keith Stokes about Newport’s African American History
Keith Stokes, Vice President of 1696 Heritage Group, joined me on The Open Forum on 1540 AM WADK Newport on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to discuss enriched Newport’s African American History. Topics included the African American experience at home and overseas during WWI, Newport’s Gilded Age in color, slavery in Newport and much much […]
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55 Years Ago, The Cowsills Were Formed in Newport
Back in the spring of 1965, four brothers who wanted to be The Beatles formed a band called The Cowsills. The original Cowsills consisted of Bill on guitar, Bob on guitar and organ, Barry on bass and John on drums. The following is an excerpt from the history of the family and the band by […]
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Class Of 2019: 18 Things That Happened In Newport The Year They Were Born
Students heading into their first year of studying at college this year are mostly 18 and were born in 1997. Since they are 18 or soon will be, we decided to share 18 things that happened in Newport the year the incoming class was born! Salve Regina University will host move-in day for the Class of […]
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VIDEO: Local Man Recalls The Day He Became The ‘The Kissing Sailor’
Minutes after the world heard of Japan’s surrender to the United States on August 14th, 1945, Alfred Eisenstaedt took a picture of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square. That photo, taken 70 years ago today, would become one of the most famous photographs in history after being published in Life Magazine. The sailor? […]