002. Rhode Island Collection

Scope and Contents

The Collection of Rhode Island architecture from the National Park Service Historic American Buildings Survey records contains data sheets, photographs, and architectural drawings related to historical buildings in Rhode Island with the majority located in Providence. The majority of records and images are copies of originals housed at the Library of Congress, however, additional photographic prints by Mary Gowdy of the Providence Preservation Society are included.

Scope and Contents The Harley W. Hopkins diaries collection consists of five pocket diaries for years between 1873 and 1902. Four of the diaries are inscribed as belonging to Harley W. Hopkins, one of the diaries (1899) does not carry an inscription. However, due to consistent handwriting across all five diaries, it is also attributed to Hopkins. The diaries record observations that are relevant to his profession, such as rainfall and snowfall summaries, water wells running dry, and the first blooms of various...

Scope and Contents The Augustus Hoppin illustrations collection includes approximately 60 magazine clippings of illustrations as well as one page of thumbnail sketches and one handwritten letter by Augustus Hoppin (1828-1896). Illustrations of various sizes were neatly clipped from a number of 19th century weekly and monthly magazines, with many illustrations being from Harper’s Weekly (1857-1916), Ballou’s Monthly Magazine (1855-1893), The Knickerbocker (1833-1865), and Every Saturday (1866-1874). Images...

Scope and Contents The collection consists of six accounting ledgers of the various iterations of the publishing firm who owned the Providence Journal, spanning the years 1845-1885. Recorded in the ledgers are the financial transactions of the firm including wages and salaries of staff, bank withdrawals and deposits, as well as interest payments from stock investments such as the Block Island Steamboat Company and the New York Central Railroad. The sixth volume details the transfer and sale of the firm’s...

Scope and Contents

The collection includes the 2020 Rhode Island driver's license belonging to Rex Lebeau as well as an article published by the Newport Daily News on July 13, 2020 about the new non-binary gender marker available on state identification cards and Lebeau as one of the first recipient of the new card.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of 53 black and white aerial photographs of Rhode Island, primarily focusing on Providence. All photographs are mounted unless noted at item level.

Scope and Contents

The collection includes letters from family members to Joseph Ellwood Macomber from 1842-1867. The letters are primarily updates about friends and family matters, but several also contain references to abolitionist and temperance movements.

Scope and Contents This album includes 98 photographs taken by Arthur Magson and T. McGrane in 1938 that document the damage which unfolded on the day of the hurricane and tidal wave that devastated New England in 1938 as well as the cleanup and reconstruction efforts in the days following its landfall. The photographs document the rising water level and damage to downtown Providence on the day of the hurricane, as well as the eventual cleanup-reconstruction effects that took place across Providence, Cranston,...

Scope and Contents The Harold Mason Photograph Collection contains photographs and photographic postcards of domestic architecture and architectural elements of structures, specifically doorways, throughout Rhode Island. The bulk of the images are of building exteriors although some interior shots are included. Photographs are both mounted and on photographic postcards. Included in the collection is what is presumed to be the complete set of Providence doorways sold by Harold Mason. The remainder...

Scope and Contents

Collection includes photograph album documenting the cast and production of Rocky Horror Picture Show in Rhode Island between 1985-1996 as well as a volume of Sal Piro's "Creatures of the Night" which includes photographs of the cast on page 98.