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News: 2006 Archive

pascoag school

Pascoag Grammar School listed on NR
A historic school building in Burrillville has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its contributions to the history of architecture and education.  Built in 1917, the Pascoag Grammar School is a well-preserved example of an early 20th century Georgian Revival-style public school building that met state educational standards while also embodying the values and pride of the local community.(12/18/06)

steel yard grantees 2006 State Preservation Grants Announced
Gov. Donald L. Carcieri and RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission Chairman Frederick Williamson announced the slate of State Preservation Grants at Warwick City Hall. Awards total $1 million for 21 projects in 16 cities and towns around the state. Gov. Carcieri and Chairman Williamson present the grant award to representatives from the Steel Yard and their Rep. Grace Diaz (Providence) (see right). (12/6/06) articles
building 67 Richmond Paper Listed on NR
An East Providence mill complex built for the Richmond Paper Company and expanded by the American Electrical Works was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The late-19th- and early-20th-century brick mill buildings and the 493' x 80' steel frame Cable Building (left) embody a century of industrial innovation, expansion, and decline. (11/17/06)
house Exploring Providence's 20th-century neighborhoods
The RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission (RIHPHC) is pleased to announce the start of a new survey and documentation project on the East Side of Providence.  Over the next few months, a professional historic preservation consultant will conduct fieldwork and prepare an inventory in the Blackstone Blvd.-Cole Ave. area. The project is jointly sponsored by RIHPHC, the City of Providence, and Providence Preservation Society. (9/20/06)
parade Coming Soon: 29th Annual Heritage Festival
"It's a Small World" at Rhode Island's 29th Annual Heritage Festival. Sample the international foods, listen to world music, try some folk dances, learn about world cultures--all on the State House Lawn on Saturday, September 30. For more information, contact Denise Oliveira at 222-4137. (9/10/06)
1895 ri map Just for RI: Grant Opportunity from the National Trust
The National Trust for Historic Preservation encourages local government and nonprofit agencies to apply for the Antoinette F. Downing Preservation Fund for Rhode Island. The fund provides matching grants of $500-$5000 for preservation planning and education projects. Applications are due on October 1. Contact Brent Leggs at 617-523-0885 for more information. (9/10/06)
rockville mill

New on the National Register
A Hopkinton mill complex and a Providence powerhouse have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Upper Rockville Mill represents the rise of the textile industry and the development of a rural mill village. Built by the Narragansett Electric Lighting Company, South Street Station is significant as an excellent example of early 20th-century power plant design. (7/25/06)

  Cape Verdean Independence Festival
Each year Heritage Program staff at the RIHPHC work with volunteers from cultural heritage groups to organize and present festivals and events that celebrate the cultural heritage and traditions of Rhode Island's diverse population. Thousands of people participated in the July 9 Cape Verdean Independence Festival at Roger Williams Park. Congratulations to everyone involved in this very successful event. (7/12/06)
  Grants for Interpreting America's Historic Places
The National Endowment for the Humanities will make applications for the Interpreting America's Historic Places Grants available this summer. Planning grants help organizations to develop the content and interpretive approach of projects prior to implementation. The "place" might be a single historic site, a series of sites, an entire neighborhood, a community or town, or a larger geographical region. For more info, call 202-606-8269 or email publicpgms@neh.gov.
house Fix a historic home, get a tax break
The Providence Journal reports that almost 700 historic homes in RI have been preserved through RIHPHC's Historic Homeowner Tax Credit. Helping families to care for their historic home is the goal of this successful program. Click for more info on the tax credit and to read the article. 6/29/06
hope webbing New on National Register: Hope Webbing, Beaman and Smith, Philmont mills
A Pawtucket textile mill built between 1889 and 1913, a Providence machine factory built between 1898 and 1915, and a Woonsocket textile factory built in 1919 were recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These two sites are significant for their innovative architecture and industrial history. (6/2/06)
sissieretta jones African American Preservation Fund: Seeking Applications
The National Trust for Historic Preservation will accept applications for the African American Preservation Fund through June 15, 2006. Candidate sites must have ties to African American history or are currently being used by the African American community. The maximum award amount will be $2,500 for a wide range of planning and educational activities. For more information, contact Brent Leggs at the NTHP: (617)523.0885.
map

New on the National Register in Westerly and Smithfield
The North End Historic District in Westerly and the Smithfield Exchange Bank were recently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The development of the North End between the 1830s and 1950s is the story of local textile and granite industries and the waves of foreign immigration that came to Westerly. The 1822 Smithfield Exchange Bank retains the distinctive physical characteristics of a 19th-century rural Rhode Island bank. (5/5/06)

fred Fred Williamson, RI's Pres. Investment Tax Credit Earn National Awards
The National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO) presented an Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation to Fred Williamson, Rhode Island's State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). Fred is a pioneer in the preservation movement in America and the longest serving SHPO in the nation. NCSHPO also honored Rhode Island's Historic Preservation Investment Tax Credit Program which has increased the number of historic rehabilitation projects by 800%, and increased the amount of private investment increased more than ten fold. (3/24/06)
cape verdean museum

Cape Verdean Museum opens in East Providence
Starting March 25, the Cape Verdean Museum will be open to the public at 1003 Waterman Ave. in East Providence. The museum tells the story of immigration from Cape Verde and settlement in the U.S. from the 18th century to the present. Artifacts depict work, family life, music, history, and folk art. For more information, contact Denise Oliveira at (401)222-4137. (3/21/06)

preserveamerica

Blackstone Valley Heritage Event Nets $120,000 Grant
First Lady Laura Bush presented a check for $120,000 from the Preserve America program to support the Blackstone Valley Footsteps in History Preserve America Weekend in 2006. The grant will support a network of heritage tourism sites working together to draw thousands of visitors to multiple events and attractions in the Blackstone Valley in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. (3/9/06)

farnham farm

Farnham Farm Listed on National Register
A small agricultural complex on Prudence Island has been listed on the National Register for its significance as the last remaining working historic farmstead on Prudence Island. Farnham Farm encompasses several of the historic elements of an island farmstead, including house, barn, milk house, fields, garden, woodland, orchard, and stone walls. (3/1/06)

osborn house Two New National Register Listings
The Osborn-Bennett Historic District in Tiverton and Oriental Mills in Providence were recently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The rural district includes several houses (including, left) built for a family whose roots in the district date back to 1790. Oriental Mills is a historic textile factory, used for the production of cotton, silk, rayon, and nylon threads and fabrics. (2/9/06)
  Save America's Treasures: Call for applications
Save America's Treasures is seeking information about potential projects to preserve historic buildings, documents, artifacts, and historical collections. New rules are in place to enable smaller organizations and projects to participate in the competitive matching-grant program. Applications are due on 4/18/06. For more information, visit the Save America's Treasures website. (1/30/06)
 

Public Hearing
On Tuesday, January 10, 2006 at 10am, RIHPHC will hold a public hearing to present, discuss, and invite comment on amendments to Regulations for the Historic Preservation Investment Tax Credit. The meeting will take place at the RIHPHC office, 150 Benefit St., Providence, RI 02903.