Preserve RI and Lippitt House Museum
IN THE NEWS
July 13, 2020
The Aquidneck Stone Wall Initiative, a joint effort being led by The Preservation Society of Newport County and Preserve Rhode Island, made its first foray into Portsmouth yesterday, with a group of would-be stone masons learning the craft from an expert.
June 16, 2020
Today, a woman’s right to vote is as unassailable as a man’s. But a century ago, the concept of women’s suffrage in the United States was still highly controversial — even among women themselves.
That’s one major takeaway from a new interactive, publicly accessible website brought to life by seven Brown University students, two Rhode Island School of Design students and Providence’s Lippitt House Museum, titled “Suffrage in Rhode Island: A Lippitt Family Perspective.”
June 11, 2020
Third Beach Improvement Project
Utility lines along Third Beach Road and Indian Avenue in Middletown will be buried in an effort to enhance the landscape’s scenic and historic qualities. The project, recently announced by the Scenic Aquidneck Coalition, received approval from the Middletown Town Council on June 1. The initiative will eliminate 77 utility poles and bury utilities along a 1.2-mile stretch of roadway known as “Paradise Valley” since the 18th century. Construction is anticipated to begin later this month and will seek to minimize interference with beach traffic.
June 10, 2020
Scenic Aquidneck Coalition project will bury utility lines along Third Beach Road and Indian Avenue
The Scenic Aquidneck Coalition recently announced a project to bury utility lines along Third Beach Road and Indian Avenue in Middletown.
Inspired by the 2017 Second Beach project, the Scenic Third Beach Project aims to promote coastal resiliency, restore the historic landscape and enhance the area’s scenic appeal. Recently, the project received unanimous approval from the Middletown Town Council. Planning for the project has been underway for nearly two years.
June 10, 2020
Utility poles to be removed along Third Beach Road, Indian Avenue in Middletown
The Scenic Third Beach Project is scheduled to begin later this month.
Scenic Aquidneck Coalition announced on Tuesday a project to bury power and communication lines along Third Beach Road and Indian Avenue in Middletown. Inspired by the 2017 Second Beach project, the Scenic Third Beach Project aims to promote coastal resiliency, restore the historic landscape and enhance the area’s scenic appeal.
June 03, 2020
Scenic Aquidneck Coalition Announces Project to Bury Utility Lines
The Scenic Aquidneck Coalition recently announced a project to bury utility lines along Third Beach Road and Indian Avenue in Middletown, Rhode Island.
Inspired by the 2017 Second Beach project, the Scenic Third Beach Project aims to promote coastal resiliency, restore the historic landscape and enhance the area’s scenic appeal. Recently, the project received unanimous approval from the Middletown Town Council. Planning for the project has been underway for nearly two years.
May 28, 2020
John Nicholas Brown Center and Lippitt House Museum collaborate on voting rights website
Brown and RISD students collaborate with the Lippitt house Museum to create a new website about the history of voting rights in Rhode Island.
Students in a Brown University American Studies course have collaborated with Providence’s Lippitt House Museum to create a new website, “Suffrage in Rhode Island: A Lippitt Family Perspective.” The website includes an interactive timeline about the complicated history of voting rights in Rhode Island and original memes designed by students that comment upon the long struggle for full suffrage in Rhode Island.
March 04, 2020
Historic Tiverton barn likely headed for demolition as solar panel farm gets OK
NewportRI.com
PRI's Valerie Talmage wrote a letter to the Tiverton Planning Board regarding the Solar Farm proposal and PRI's offer to assist with preserving the historic structure at Wingover Farm. Despite PRI's efforts, along with appeals from Tiverton's Historic Preservation Advisory Board members, final approval has been given by the Tiverton Planning Board to the developer to proceed with the Solar Farm. Final decisions about the fate of historic structures on the property are still to be determined, as the developer has not indicated any definitive plans for the buildings.
January 29, 2020
Easement in the works to protect Whitman House
The Valley Breeze
Lincoln officials are working out the details of a preservation easement that would protect the historic Valentine Whitman House at 1147 Great Road.
The town intends to turn over ownership of the property to the nonprofit Preserve Rhode Island, and officials are negotiating the purchase and sales and accompanying easement in committee.
September 13, 2019
2019 Rhody Award Winners for Historic Preservation Announced
GoLocalProv
Preserve Rhode Island and the RI Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission announced the 2019 Rhody Award winners. The awards honor individuals, organizations, and projects for their contributions to the preservation of Rhode Island’s historic places.
April 16, 2019
Sale of Spaulding House in Pawtucket includes easement protection
Providence Business News
People living in historic districts are sometimes confused or angry that their proposed addition or renovation must be reviewed and approved by a commission before the work can be undertaken. However, HDCs are the first line of defense for the preservation of historical communities, and it has often been observed that one of the things that distinguishes Rhode Island from other places is the large amount of intact architecture from the Victorian and Colonial eras.
April 11, 2019
In Praise of Historic Districts - Editorial
Newport this Week
People living in historic districts are sometimes confused or angry that their proposed addition or renovation must be reviewed and approved by a commission before the work can be undertaken. However, HDCs are the first line of defense for the preservation of historical communities, and it has often been observed that one of the things that distinguishes Rhode Island from other places is the large amount of intact architecture from the Victorian and Colonial eras.
April 10, 2019
Future of Valentine Whitman House set to be decided
The Valley Breeze
The future of one of the oldest surviving buildings in the state will likely be decided by the Lincoln Town Council this month when the nonprofit Preserve Rhode Island is expected to present potential plans for consideration by leaders.
October 04, 2018
Five Questions With: Joseph R. Paolino Jr.
Providence Business News
The renovation of the Case-Mead Building in downtown Providence was among several projects named last week in the 2018 Rhody Awards. The awards, bestowed by Preserve Rhode Island and the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, recognize individuals, organizations and projects for contributions to the historical makeup of the state.
October 01, 2018
Preservation official, Belcourt restoration project nab Rhody Awards
NewportRI.com
Retired Preservation Society of Newport County Properties Director Curt Genga and the restoration of Belcourt by Carolyn Rafaelian are among this year’s recipients of the Rhody Awards for Historic Preservation.
June 07, 2018
Crowd expected at hearing on building planned for historic Bristol waterfront
Providence Journal
The $10-million proposal from Newport developer James Roiter has sparked intense debate. The historical society director said the plan has led to the biggest “brouhaha” she has experienced in 15 years.
May 18, 2018
CRMC works to protect RI’s largest ship graveyard
RI Coastal Resources Management Council
May 16, 2018, EAST PROVIDENCE – Marine archaeologist and third-generation Rhode Island diver David Robinson is very excited about a collection of old timbers exposed along the East Providence shoreline. He recently discovered that these are the remains of 29 abandoned vessels that make up the largest ship graveyard in Rhode Island – and that’s an amazing feat in a state with a rich shipping and sailing history.
May 17, 2018
North Kingstown provides documents in Annex review
The Independent
Economic Development Administrator Liz Dolan said Tuesday she has delivered pertinent documents to the office of state Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin as part of its review into the charitable trust status of the former library and Town Hall Annex building at 55 Brown St.
Special Assistant Attorney General David Marzilli announced the review in a letter to the town April 27 and asked local leaders to delay finalizing the planned sale of the building to a group that intends to create a multipurpose arts, dining and function venue at the historic site. Town voters at an April 24 special referendum overwhelmingly backed the sale.
May 16, 2018
Anne Prusky: The power of language
Brown University Magazine
For graduating senior Anne Prusky, one American Sign Language class sparked a full-blown passion for supporting the deaf community and understanding the relationship between language and society. Lippitt House Museum's accessibility intern.
May 11, 2018
Preservationists eye ‘Hail Mary’
Providence Business News
From roofs and balustrade repair to weatherproofing, nearly $11 million has been allocated in State Preservation Grants to 164 projects at historic sites across the state over the past 16 years.
In that time, Lippitt House Museum alone received a combined $161,000 in SPG funds to repair its four chimneys, roof and cornice. “A little bit of prevention is worth an ounce of cure,” said Carrie Taylor, director of the Providence-based, 19th-century home.
May 11, 2018
AG’s office asks town to delay Annex sale
The Independent
The Rhode Island attorney general’s office last week urged the town not to follow through with the sale of the former library and Town Hall Annex building at 55 Brown St. until a review into the building’s charitable trust status can be completed.
The town held a special referendum April 24, which included a question regarding the sale of the historic property. Voters overwhelmingly supported the sale, which drew more than 80 percent approval. A group led by Eve Clulow plans to convert the building into a multipurpose dining, function and entertainment venue known as the Old Library Theater.
May 03, 2018
Editorial: Making the best of the past and present
The Independent
Our communities are steeped in history. That our heritage lives on through centuries-old structures is part of what defines the places we call home.
These physical reminders of our rich past are, in the majority of cases, worth preserving. North Kingstown voters last week took a major step toward maintaining and revitalizing one such building, the former library and Town Hall Annex at 55 Brown St. in Wickford.
March 23, 2018
Five Questions With: Carrie Taylor
Providence Business News
Carrie Taylor became Lippitt House Museum’s first director in 2013. Prior to leading Lippitt House, an 1865 villa on Providence’s East Side, she was the collections manager at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia home, for 15 years. Carrie answers five questions about the extensive project to restore Lippitt House Museum's roof and decorative cornice in 2018.
April 05, 2018
Annex project gets backing of economic development boards
The Independent
During a joint meeting Tuesday, the Economic Development Advisory Board and its Wickford branch both endorsed the Old Library Theater Project being eyed at the old Town Hall Annex on 55 Brown St.
Both boards had already endorsed the sale of the building, which will go before voters as a referendum on a special ballot April 24. Each body waited until a purchase-and-sales agreement between project backer Eve Clulow and the town was in place before issuing an opinion on the project. The agreement was signed March 28.
March 29, 2018
Editorial: Investing in R.I.’s history
Providence Journal
Since 2001, Rhode Island’s historic tax credits have helped to restore 326 properties — breathing new life into everything from 19th century mills to a former one-room schoolhouse to a Providence diner that opened during the 1940s.
From a standpoint of culture and aesthetics, there is good reason to make these kinds of investments. Rhode Island is rich in history — and history is a big draw for millions of visitors to the state. Rhode Island, in fact, has the greatest concentration of historic places of any state, with a list that includes Gilded Age mansions, Native American archeological sites, historic homes and commercial and industrial buildings of all sizes and styles.
March 21, 2018
Historic preservation has major economic impact on state, study finds
Newport Daily News
Rhode Island attracts each year about 9.8 million “heritage visitors” who spend nearly $1.4 billion throughout the state, according to a new study entitled “Historic Preservation: An Overlooked Economic Driver.”
More than 100 people gathered at The Breakers mansion on Wednesday morning for a formal presentation of the study that was conducted by a team from PlaceEconomics, a Washington D.C.-based real estate and economic development consulting firm led by principal Donovan Rypkema, a well-known economist.
March 22, 2018
Report: Historic Preservation Generates $1.4 Billion For RI Economy
RI NPR
A report commissioned by Preserve Rhode Island and the Preservation Society of Newport County shows that Rhode Island attracts over 9.8 million "heritage visitors" who add nearly $1.4 billion to the state's economy.
The economic impact report, "Historic Preservation: An Overlooked Economic Driver," found that the spending done by these visitors creates jobs for 19,000 workers directly and 7,000 indirectly. Those jobs generate paychecks of nearly $1 billion.
March 22, 2018
Preservation Makes $1.4B for R.I. Economy
Eco RI News
Historic preservation pays dividends for Rhode Island’s economy and environment, according to a recent study commissioned by The Preservation Society of Newport County and Preserve Rhode Island. The report by nationally recognized economist Donovan Rypkema of PlaceEconomics is the first to analyze Rhode Island's preservation sector on four main themes: heritage tourism, historic tax credits, quality of life, and sustainability.
March 21, 2018
Statewide Study Says Preservation Generates $1.4 Billion for Rhode Island Economy
Newport Now
Historic preservation pays dividends for Rhode Island’s economy, its environment and its quality of life, according to a statewide study commissioned by The Preservation Society of Newport County and Preserve Rhode Island. The report by nationally-recognized economist Donovan Rypkema of PlaceEconomics is the first to analyze Rhode Island’s preservation sector on four main themes: Heritage Tourism, Historic Tax Credits, Quality of Life, and Sustainability.
March 21, 2018
Report: Historic preservation generates $1.4 billion for R.I.
Providence Journal
Rhode Island attracts each year about 9.8 million “heritage visitors” who spend nearly $1.4 billion throughout the state, according to a new study entitled “Historic Preservation: An Overlooked Economic Driver.”
More than 100 people gathered at The Breakers mansion on Wednesday morning for a formal presentation of the study that was conducted by a team from PlaceEconomics, a Washington D.C.-based real estate and economic development consulting firm led by principal Donovan Rypkema, a well-known economist.
March 21, 2018
Historic preservation contributes $1.4B to state’s tourism economy, $1.8B in construction investment
Providence Business News
Historic preservation is an overlooked economic asset in Rhode Island, accounting for 9.8 million visitors annually and $1.8 billion in private investment in historical structures, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Preservation Society of Newport County and Preserve Rhode Island.
March 21, 2018
Historic Preservation Generates $1.4 Billion for State
U.S. News
Historic preservation is paying off in a very big way for the state's economy. A study commissioned by two preservation groups found that Rhode Island welcomes 9.8 million "heritage" visitors annually, or tourists who want to take a gander at old, historic buildings.
February 22, 2018
Salve Dorm Hearings ‘To be Continued’
Newport this Week
Size, scale and compatibility to the surroundings are the three issues that will likely determine whether Salve Regina University will be able to build two new dormitories to house juniors on its campus. But it could be some time before a decision is reached. “We may be meeting [on this] until Christmas,” Historic District Commission Chair Diane Sylvaria said, after a three-plus hour meeting on Feb. 20 to consider the university’s conceptual design plans.
February 22, 2018
New objections aired to Salve Regina University’s dorm plan in Newport
Providence Journal
Preserve Rhode Island, a nonprofit organization that calls itself “the statewide advocate for Rhode Island’s historic places,” has filed objections to Salve Regina University’s plans to construct two new dormitories. The members of the city’s Historic District Commission accepted those objections on Tuesday, as well as some filed by Harle Tinney, the former owner of Belcourt Castle.
February 21, 2018
Art Imitates Life: Two innovative theaters are trading the stage for the Cable Car and Lippitt House
Providence Monthly
This month, The Wilbury Group and Strange Attractor Theatre Company will each be moving away from stages in the typical sense. With their respective productions of The Flick and the multisensory experience Back to the Work, these groups will explore the use of space and challenge audiences’ expectations by taking over two nontraditional venues: the Cable Car Cinema and the Lippitt House Museum.
February 14, 2018
Historic Lippitt House is the star in Strange Attractor’s latest piece, “Back to the Work”
Motif Magazine
No matter what subject they have set their sights on, Strange Attractor Theatre brings to it a thirst for knowledge and a quest to understand the human side of a story. Jed Hancock-Brainerd and Rebecca Noon are co-directors of Strange Attractor, and they use what they refer to as a “deep-dive” investigation of a subject to create award-winning and intelligently crafted experiences that often defy categorization.
January 23, 2018
Back to the Work: Encounters with Historical & Contemporary Voices at Strange Attractor Theatre
Broadway World
Strange Attractor Theatre in collaboration with Lippitt House Museum will present Back to the Work: Encounters with Historical & Contemporary Voices at Lippitt House Museum in Providence Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons from March 4 to April 29, 2018. Through an experience that is part historic house tour-part interactive installation performance, Back to the Work explores the theme of labor in order to illuminate the human effort and expertise that exists in the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, and the objects that surround us.
January 10, 2018
$4.6M in state preservation grants awarded to 38 recipients
Providence Business News
More than $4.6 million in state cultural facilities grants and state preservation grants to 38 recipients were jointly announced by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the Rhode Island Historical & Preservation Commission Tuesday at the Newport Art Museum.
“Our cultural infrastructure is critically important to our state’s economy,” said Randall Rosenbaum, RISCA executive director, in a statement. The facilities “serve Rhode Islanders, attract visitors to our state, and contribute to the local economy in many significant ways.”
December 21, 2017
Champlin Foundation caps year at $18.1M in donations
Providence Business News
In a year-end recap, the Champlin Foundation announced Wednesday the organization donated $18.1 million to 175 local nonprofit organizations in 2017 with the aim of driving advancements in health care, education, workforce development, social and youth services, historical preservation and the arts.
December 01, 2017
Lippitt House Museum celebrates holiday season
Providence Business News
The month of December is full of holiday-related events at the Lippitt House Museum, a Golden Age mansion in the Ocean State’s capital city. On Thursday, Dec. 7, the museum will host an adult-only Scotch Tasting Party from 6 to 8 p.m.
October 06, 2017
Lippitt House Museum to host author, behind-the-scenes tour this fall
Providence Business News
Over the next two months the Lippitt House Museum will be busy hosting two events open to the public. On Thursday, Oct. 12, “Lost Providence” author and former Providence Journal columnist David Brussat will discuss his new book, which chronicles the history of the capital city’s urban development.
October 03, 2017
2017 Rhody Awards announced, recipients include WaterFire Providence
Providence Business News
The adaptation of a former U.S. Rubber Plant building into an arts and social enterprise facility for WaterFire Providence is among the notable projects that will receive a 2017 Rhody Award for Historic Preservation.
July 27, 2017
Doris Duke Preservation Awards Announced
Newport This Week
The Sachuest Point Landscape Restoration, completed by the Scenic Aquidneck Coalition, was a joint effort of the Aquidneck Land Trust, the Preservation Society of Newport County, Preserve Rhode Island, the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, National Grid, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It was recognized for addressing coastal resiliency and demonstrating the power of collaboration. This project removed a 2-mile stretch of unsightly utility poles along Sachuest Point in Middletown after the road and dunes were severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
April 30, 2017
Success of Westerly historic preservation projects impresses R.I. conference
The Westerly Sun
Donovan D. Rypkema has spent the last quarter century visiting and studying cites and towns across the country and around the globe — from Savannah, Georgia, to Quito, Ecuador, to Salt Lake City, Utah. But on this April weekend in Westerly, Rypkema — whose research has demonstrated the significant economic impact of historic preservation on property values, job creation, tourism revenues and downtown revitalization — hit an unusual milestone.
April 26, 2017
Goodbye, Sachuest Point Power Lines
Rhode Island Monthly
Next month, Aquidneck Island celebrates the culmination of a $1.23 million project. And, if all goes according to plan, you’ll never even know it happened. The project, a partnership between Preserve RI, Aquidneck Land Trust and the Preservation Society of Newport County, set out to bury power lines and remove utility poles at Sachuest Point wildlife refuge in Middletown.
April 21, 2017
Fundraising costs, benefits go beyond money for nonprofits
Providence Business News
Once every year Narragansett Bay, from Naval Station Newport to Jamestown’s Potter Cove, is flooded with 700 swimmers and kayakers dedicated to improving and preserving the health of the aquatic ecosystem by fundraising for Save The Bay. Leanne Danielsen, event manager for the Providence-based nonprofit, said “most of the people swimming have been [doing so]…
April 14, 2017
20 things to do for under $20 this spring in Providence, Rhode Island
Boston.com
A trip to Providence—about a one hour drive from Boston—doesn’t have to break the bank, either. Here are 20 things to do for under $20 this spring in Rhode Island’s capital.
January 03, 2017
Heritage Harbor Foundation donates $137K to nine organizations
Providence Business News
In an effort to promote and increase knowledge of Rhode Island history among the state’s residents, the Heritage Harbor Foundation donated $137,537 to nine organizations which lead projects that encourage further interest in the Ocean State’s past.