Monthly Around The Block e-News

THE STATEWIDE ADVOCATE FOR HISTORIC PLACES

Around the Block e-News

Vote Yes on 6 on March 2

Your YES vote on March 2nd ballot Question 6 will go a long way toward providing vital financial support for preserving Rhode Island’s historic public places.

Approval of Question 6 will restore funding to two key grant programs with long, positive track records of investing in Rhode Island’s historic buildings:

State Preservation Grants ($1 million) provide matching funds to make critical repairs to historic buildings owned by nonprofits or municipalities and open to the public.
Cultural Facilities Grants ($2 Million) help fund crucial capital improvements to buildings used for programming or exhibition in arts and cultural disciplines.

Grants from both programs are awarded competitively; both programs are currently completely out of funds.That’s why we need your YES vote. Want to vote early? In-person voting runs Feb 10 - Mar 1. For more information about Question 6 and other state bond referenda questions, click here.

Visit African Heritage Sites

Looking for ways to celebrate and learn during Black History Month? Visit some of Rhode Island’s African heritage sites, such as the Congdon Street Church, or take a tour of the Green Book Sites

Saving Old Barns

In January, we held a Zoom celebration with the New England statewide preservation organizations to celebrate the US Postal Service’s historic barn stamp release. In the breakout session for Preserve RI, we met with a homeowner who is painstakingly restoring his barn in Scituate using 19^th-century tools. We recently checked in to see his progress on this wonderful c.1810 building.

The project is currently focused on stabilizing the structure’s foundation and replacing rotted timber posts and beams, using tools handed down from his great-grandfather. The photos show these traditional hand tools, lovingly restored and honed razor-sharp, including an adze, a small finishing broad axe, hand saws, chisels, a drawknife and aspokeshave. The owner says that the tools work quite well considering their ages!

Across Rhode Island, historic barns like this one are increasingly threatened. Old, decaying barns present real challenges to their owners — from finding a sustainable use to funding maintenance and restoration expenses. So it’s heartening to see an owner working to save one.

Barns are important community landmarks that reflect a central component of the state’s history through changing farming practices and advances in building technology. We hope featuring projects like this raises awareness of what their potential loss means to our countryside and encourages owners to take steps to secure their barns for the future.

Exploring the History of Childhood & Play

Author Talk with Susan Fletcher

Tuesday, February 23

7:00PM

Remember the toys you played with when you were growing up? Each of those objects has a story to tell about the history of American childhood. Lippitt House Museum is hosting an illustrated talk with Colorado-based historian Susan Fletcher to share stories about beloved toys and games from the 19^th century. She’ll take us on a journey through the history of American childhood and play against the backdrop of culture, politics, religion, technology, gender, and parenting philosophies.

The FREE talk will be held virtually via Zoom. Registrants will receive a discount code to purchase their own copy of Exploring the History of Childhood and Play through 50 Historic Treasures

Putting an On-line Spotlight on Old Houses

Image: Stacey Cramp for The New York Times

Instagram—a primarily visual platform—has become a popular way to share the endless treasures of historic buildings. There are dozens of Instagram accounts dedicated to old houses, and the hashtag for #oldhouselove recently had more than 690,000 posts.

The New York Times recently highlighted the impact that Instagram and other platforms are having on the market for historic homes—more people, including younger generations, are seeking authenticity and buying historic places with an increased willingness to take on the associated rehabilitations. Through social media, preservation enthusiasts have been able to highlight historic properties across the country for sale at affordable prices.

Whether browsing for fun or in a serious search for a new home, media-savvy people are developing a wider awareness of historic buildings that are simply in need of good stewards ready to celebrate their uniqueness.

Have YOU been working on a home-preservation project in Rhode Island?  We’d love to share your rehab story with our Preserve Rhode Island readers in an upcoming E-Newsletter. Please send your story and photos to [email protected].

Meet Our Newest Board Members

Preserve RI is thrilled to have 5 new trustees join our board. We will be featuring a profile each month.

Jerry W. Dauterive, Ph.D.

Professor of Economics (retired)

Roger Williams University

Hometown: Bristol, Rhode Island

Dr. Jerry Dauterive is professor of economics (retired – July 2020) in the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business at Roger Williams University. From 2008 to 2014 Dr. Dauterive served as dean of the Gabelli School of Business. Prior to his appointment at Roger Williams University, Dr. Dauterive was at the College of Business at Loyola University in New Orleans for 29 years, where he was chair of the economics and finance department and served as associate and interim dean for 15 years.

Since moving to Bristol in 2008, he developed a deep interest in the history of our state, which led to his involvement with historic and preservation societies in Bristol and Warren. He is especially interested in the economic history of Rhode Island. As an economist, he understands the importance of historic preservation for our state's financial health. In addition to being a trustee with the Warren (RI) Heritage Foundation and a member of the board of directors of the Bristol (RI) Historical and Preservation Society, Dr. Dauterive served as chairman of the Economic Development Commission of the Town of Bristol, RI, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the East Bay Chamber of Commerce in Rhode Island. He also served as vice president of the Board of Trustees for the Mount Hope Trust in Bristol, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Dr. Dauterive is excited by the opportunity to join Preserve Rhode Island and its efforts to "take care of the places that tell our unique story in history, and thereby strengthen our communities for the future."