Have you ever wondered why black is worn to a funeral, or why the deceased is surrounded by flowers? Where did the terms "saved by the bell" and "graveyard shift" come from? Did people really take pictures of the dead? Kathy Hartley, president of Friends of Hearthside, will lead a look back to the Victorian […]
Technological advances, including ground-penetrating radar, are making it possible for archaeologists to learn about important sites without disturbing the ground. Salve Regina's Dr. Jon Marcoux will be conducting a demonstration with cutting-edge equipment, and Center representatives will be on hand to discuss the cemetery's headstones and Tower Hill's history. The demonstration will take place from […]
Joseph (Jay) N. Waller, Jr., Senior Archaeologist at The Public Archaeology Laboratory, will discuss the unseen world lying beneath the slate and marble gravestones of our historic burying places. Drawing from archaeological projects in Rhode Island, he will discuss nineteenth century burial practices and provide examples of common artifacts recovered from historic graves. He also […]
Kendra Collins, New England Regional Science Coordinator at The American Chestnut Foundation, will share the story of the loss of the American chestnut from our landscape, as well as the hopeful efforts to bring back the species. Join the South County History Center and our partners at the South Kingstown Land Trust as we learn […]
Shipwrecks! Fires! Hurricanes! Resilient Rhode Islanders have persevered through numerous natural and man-made disasters. Plan to visit the Center to see archival materials and artifacts representing just a few of these challenging events. This exhibit is opening in celebration of the annual Kingston Fair Day, which will be taking place from 10 a.m. - 4 […]
Some 3,000 shipwrecks have been documented off Rhode Island's coastline. Local divers Charles C. Buffum, Jr. and Craig Harger will be discussing the wreck of Oliver Hazard Perry's 1811 naval schooner the U.S.S. Revenge, which they discovered, as well as other notable local shipwrecks. A pop up exhibit examining the history of Narragansett's Life Saving […]
Hurricanes and Nor’easters have routinely battered the Rhode Island south coast impacting the lives of many of its residents and resulting in millions of dollars in property damage. In addition to significant property damage, storm surge and wind-driven waves from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 eroded considerable sections of the state’s south shore damaging many […]
Pandemic viruses have had dramatic impacts on South County for centuries. Join the South County History Center as we explore some of these health epidemics, including the history of the 1918 flu presented by Dr. Kenneth McIntosh, professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard School of Public Health and professor of pediatrics at Harvard […]
Exeter, Rhode Island, 1892: After a large exodus of residents, only 900 people remained in this nearly deserted rural village. Frightening and mysterious sicknesses repeatedly struck families throughout town. Residents searched for the cause and reached the unusual conclusion that the culprit was Mercy Brown: 19-years-old, recently-deceased and a vampire. Dozens of supposed vampires were […]
Photos: Tony Petrarca, WPRI; Bob Thompson NEW VENUE: URI Bay Campus Coastal Institute Auditorium Resilient Rhode Islanders have experienced their share of extreme weather. From blizzards and hurricanes to sunny weather, meteorologists study atmospheric conditions to ensure that we can prepare for the worst and enjoy the best of Mother Nature. Join us as we […]
