January 31 Charlestown Historical Society features talk by Narragansett wampum artist Allen Hazard

 

Charlestown Historical Society Winter 2026 Happy New Year, may it be a healthy and productive one for you and your family! As we rang out 2025 in December, we shared a wonderful evening at the CHS Museum with visitors from around South County during Charlestown's Holiday Ramble. As we ring in the new year, please join us for an unforgettable presentation followed by some light refreshment and a brief annual meeting for all who wish to join in afterwards. Narragansett Allen Hazard Shares the Art of Keeping a 4,500 Year Old Tradition Alive January 31, 2026 - 1:00 PM Cross Mills Public Library  Most of you may have heard of the Purple Shell located at the Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charlestown where owner Allen Hazard can be found crafting beautiful wampum jewelry. But how many of us know the true history and meaning of this ancient art? The Narragansett, along with many Indigenous people living along the New England coast, had robust wampum traditions. "The Narragansett were the best" says Allen. Featured in a recent RI PBS documentary, Allen is widely regarded as an expert in this ancient craft. Please join us for this remarkable presentation on January 31st.  An Ancestral Visitor Comes Back to Charlestown Imagine coming back to a land where your 8th great grandfather was born here 285 years ago, only three years after the founding of Charlesown. He built his home, farmed his land, became active in the local government and then became a captain of the local militia and fought alongside his men in state-wide battles during the Revolutionary War. Then imagine standing inside that home and feeling the presence of your ancestor, his family and their daily lives. That's exactly what Alan Greene and his wife Jeanie did this past September here in Charlestown. The Greenes traveled from their home in Roseville, California to seek out Alan's roots. CHS was grateful to share their experience as well as records of Capt. Amos Greene's life and history. Coming in March 2026, there will be more about the Captain in the CHS annual newsletter and his contribution to our country's infancy. Below, Alan stands beneath the Amos Greene plaque on the corner of his original family homestead. The home and property are owned by the Ricci family, members of the CHS. This historic property is now protected under a conservation easement with the Charlestown Land Trust. Charlestown's 250th Committee has a host of special events planned for the 2026 year ahead. Included in the festivities is a special appearance by General George Washington on Flag Day, June 14th, at the Gen. Stanton Inn with Revolutionary War demonstrations, children's activities and an inspiring fife and drum corps presentation. There will be Memorial Day Parade festivities, a time capsule dedication, Fourth of July fireworks, a local historical bike tour, children's theater presentations, a town-wide historical scavenger hunt and a sunset cemetery tour in the Cross Mills Common Burying Ground planned for all to participate in. Stay tuned to the Charlestown town website and local announcements so you don't miss out on the celebrations! We hope to see you there!  Visit our website Email Us

Charlestown Historical Society | P.O. Box 100 | Charlestown, RI 02813 US

From the Charlestown Historical Society

Charlestown Historical Society Winter 2025 As we enter our 57th year as a Charlestown non-profit, we'd like to wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year and extend our sincere gratitude to you for your support and patronage this past year. Our commitment to your society is the backbone of our mission to educate all about the amazing history of Charlestown. This past December 6th, the CHS museum welcomed visitors from our local towns during the Charlestown Holiday Ramble. A great deal of story sharing and good cheer made for a busy and magical evening. Mark your calendars for 12/25! Also this past December, the 1838 Schoolhouse underwent restoration work on its interior ceiling, which had not been addressed since it was moved to its current location on library grounds in 1972. During the project, our contractor discovered an old sign in the attic of the schoolhouse which was tucked away from yesteryear when the building was used as a 4H Club for the young children of Quonnie. Below are some photos from the 1940's of the old 1838 Schoolhouse "clubhouse" and its young members. Perhaps you may know someone? The Final Result After over half a year of research, planning and work, the CHS Cemetery Committee has neared completion of one of its most challenging projects at the Church-Perry Burying Ground, located across from the Cross Mills Library. Kudos to this dedicated group! A Walk Down Memory Lane ..... You won't want to miss this special presentation by Betty Cotter, one of Rhode Island's celebrated journalists, teachers, authors and storytellers. In this illustrated lecture, Betty (a Charlestown School graduate), will describe the history of the school from its origins as the Pawcatuck Valley School in 1918, through its 20th-century expansion. Betty will discuss the school's longtime teachers of that period and interspersed throughout her talk will be letters and documents from her mother's years of teaching there. Please share with your friends, teachers and community members who remember their ties with this wonderful part of Charlestown's history. Mark your calendars now! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For those who wish to remain after the presentation, the CHS will hold a brief meeting for its annual election of officers Light refreshments provided. See you there! Visit our website Email Us

Charlestown Historical Society | P.O. Box 100 | Charlestown, RI 02813 US

From the Charlestown Historical Society

 

FALL 2024 Dear Members & Friends,   As summer turns to fall, we look back at a busy season for the CHS museum and schoolhouse. Visitors from around the states and folks looking to trace their family ancestry back to Charlestown's earliest days provided us with a constant flow of research and networking and opened new doors for the sharing of local historical information. We'd like to thank all of our CHS community for your ongoing patronage and participation, and please remember that we are open all year long at the museum and 1838 schoolhouse by appointment. The Talking Diary Project Simeon Perry's Life in Late 18th Century Charlestown The Perry family has over 300 years of presence here in South County, and this summer we were visited by one of its dedicated descendants to not only learn more of their ancestor's life, but to also introduce us to an incredible project of theirs which will allow us to communicate with Simeon through the amazing power of artificial intelligence. Between 1789 and his death in 1802, Simeon Perry kept a detailed diary of Charlestown's weather and daily happenings. Along with this information, which creates a clear picture of his family, social, spiritual and work life, there is also a database containing a diverse collection of local historical information that can be accessed to explain the world in which he lives. Simeon and AI will partner to answer your questions along with the help of a laptop, microphone and speakers. He'll tell you that he was a Quaker and frequently attended Quaker meetings. He'll give you the names of the people he met there, who his neighbors were, the name of the boat he took into Newport for supplies and the new schoolhouse which was being built that spring and even the death of his wife. Simeon and his world will come to life and transport you back in time. More to come on the presentation of the project and many thanks to this remarkable member for sharing her years of expertise in computer science that will enable this project to come to fruition.              CHS Cemetery Team Restores Church/Perry Burying Ground CH023 along Old Post Road, Cross' Mills  This year the ambitious CHS Cemetery Committee took on one of the most difficult projects of its existence. Not only was this small cemetery completely overgrown with trees and shrubs, but almost all of its beautiful headstones were lying on the ground from the effects of weather and age. With the help of a new tripod and dedicated community, these stones were repaired and reset, bringing this sacred place back to its almost original presence. Although most of our cemetery events require far less work, the undertaking of this project exemplifies the respect and passion for historic preservation. View the transformations below. We'd like to thank our Chair, Susan Angelo, Alan Angelo and Jeff Burns, and all of our dedicated volunteers for their commitment and perseverance! Charlestown Holiday Ramble Please join us on Friday, December 6th, for this annual holiday tradition along the Old Post Road. Throw on your hats and scarves and share an evening of community fun and festivity. CHS will be open from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Hope to see you then! The Charlestown Historical Society is open year-round by appointment at: info@charlestownhistorical.org. Thank You for your patronage! Visit our website Email Us

Charlestown Historical Society | P.O. Box 100 | Charlestown, RI 02813