William Ellery Channing, the famous early 19th Century Unitarian preacher from Newport and Boston whose liberal philosophy inspired transcendentalists like Emerson and Thoreau, loved his family farm in Portsmouth more than any other place. Throughout his life, he spent entire summers at Oakland Farm, later purchased by the Vanderbilts. Sundays would invariably find him preaching […]

July 20, 2023 Lecture by Jim Garman ” Steamboats on Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River” 70 people attended the lecture at the museun hall. The entire museum was open to visitors and all enjoyed a reception following the lecture. In the 19th Century steam-boating on the Bay and the River was a popular means

June 11 and 25, 2023 -Historical Society Museum Displays Special Flags The Portsmouth Historical Society museum and grounds opened on June 11tha and 25th to display two flags from the Society’s collection to celebrate Flag Day.  On display was the Society’s oldest flag that has 13 five-pointed stars. According to the family, the flag came

June 6, 2023 – Wade Catts, the co-director of a team that excavated the remains of Hessian soldiers killed in a battle against Col. Christopher Greene and the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island Regiments at Fort Mercer in Red Bank, New Jersey (October 1777). provided remarks. Mr. Catts addressed this internationally recognized, award-winning project in

June 1, 2023 – Historical Society President, Craig Clark, Marybeth Clark and Board Member Rich Talipsky were on hand, with about 25 other non-profits, at Innovate Newport to greet and meet nearly 100 people interested in volunteering to serve on the organizations’ Boards of Directors.

May 11, 2023 – Lecture “Abby Sherman Diaries” – Jim Garman The Life of Abby A. Sherman Portsmouth town historian Jim Garman discussed the life of Abby A. Sherman (1847-1933) based on her diaries which he transcribed.  Abby was a farmer’s wife, mother of three sons, a founder of the Portsmouth Free Public Library, a suffragist, and active in

May 8 – Walking Tour of Portsmouth Friends Churchyard Visitors joined Stephen Luce for a walking tour of the Portsmouth Friend’s Churchyard.  You will learn about the history of the 1702 Meeting House, which is the 2nd oldest church in R.I. and the 20th oldest in America.  (The Meeting House was open for a quick

April 23 -Guests joined author Amanda Quay Blount as she presented the intriguing research that led to her new book, Meet Me At The Biltmore: 100 Years at Providence’s Most Storied Hotel. Dive into the hotel’s fascinating beginnings as a public exercise in civic engagement; explore its scandalous early days during Prohibition; and meet the

March 29, 2023 “Dark Voyages”, Lecture by Christian McBurney Portsmouth Historical Society Presented “Dark Voyage” by Historian Christian McBurney on March 29. Portsmouth, RI – Historian Christian McBurney spoke his new book, Dark Voyage:  An American Privateer’s War on Britain’s African Slave Trade (Westholme, 2022).  Based primarily on a little-known ship’s log penned by a

March 7, 2023 Portsmouth Celebrates Founders’ Day   The Portsmouth Historical Society had a Founders’ Day Ceremony with a public viewing of the original founding document, the 1638 Portsmouth Compact, with the RI State Archives to commemorate its signing. The  385-year-old precious document, one of the oldest and most important documents in the State Archives,