Adopt a Collection

Help Save Local History — Adopt a Collection!

Since 2015, the Center has been conducting a comprehensive collections inventory. Through this process, we have identified several significant collections that have not yet been processed and made fully accessible to researchers and the general public. While we have been honored to receive generous grants in recent years, those funds typically support major capital projects, not retroactive cataloging and general operations. Through our new Adopt a Collection program you can help preserve these irreplaceable materials. Each collection is unique in size, scope, types of materials, and conservation attention needed. Below is a list and description of collections needing "adoption," how funding will be used, and the budget for each project. Most projects include the creation of a finding aid, which is a detailed guide to the materials within a collection. Your consideration and support is appreciated!

Chappell Family Collection: Priscilla "Pat" Chappell spent decades tracing her own family tree from Rhode Island to Europe, compiling a vast collection along the way. After Pat's passing, her family honored her life-long passion by donating a vast collection to the Center. In addition to Pat's research on the Tourgee, Clark, Crossley and Chappell families, this collection also documents the military service of Pat's husband, Kenneth, during the Korean War. This includes more than 200 letters and 500 photographs by Kenneth, all sent home to his “darling” Pat. This is a large collection that will require a significant amount of resources to fully process, preserve, and make available to the public. Help us reach our goal of raising $5,000 to support this collection by making a donation today.

NEW Narragansett Pier Railroad Collections: The Center recently received a donation of hundreds of photographs and other archival materials compiled by J. Anthony Hannold, owner of the railroad in the late 1960s, and the collection’s donor, Jim Vaitkunas. The NPRR is a favorite topic of researchers, and your $500 adoption donation will allow the Center to fully process the collection, which includes organizing it, housing it in archival-quality materials, and creating a finding aid. Make a donation to support this collection today!

John Gould Perry Patent Models: John Gould Perry (1817-1897) was the Town Clerk of South Kingstown and an accomplished inventor who secured at more than 10 patents. The Center is fortunate to have several of Perry’s patent models, including two sausage stuffers, a meat cutter, hay tedder, and a mowing machine that won a price at the Paris Exposition of 1867. A $350 donation will help the Center purchase the supplies required to securely store these irregular (and really interesting!) objects. Click here to donate today!

Washington County Fair/Kingston Fair/RI State Fair Photo Collection: From 1875 through 1951, this annual fair celebrated all things South County, especially our farms and farmers. Over its 76-year history, this fair was known at various times as the Washington County Agricultural Fair, Kingston Fair, and ultimately the Rhode Island State Fair. This collection includes hundreds of photographs that document activities at the fair, including livestock judging, horse and auto racing, and other fun family activities. With a $350 donation, this collection will be organized, rehoused, and cataloged so that it can be used by researchers. Make a donation to support this collection today!

J.C. Tucker Company Collection: A half-century of history is contained within the records of the J.C. Tucker Company, including its incorporation papers, lands records, account books and ledgers, and much more. With a $500 donation, the collection will be organized, rehoused, and described in a finding aid. Click here to donate today!

Graham Family Collection: The Center received a collection of materials related to the family of William F. Graham and his wife Sarah Brown Northup Graham who lived on Cleveland Street in Peace Dale in the mid-19th century. The collection includes baptismal records from the Peace Dale Congregational Church, tintypes and photographs, and other documents related to the family. A $175 donation will also the Center to organize and preserve this new collection and to conduct research into this branch of the Graham family. Make a donation to support this collection today!

Autograph Album Collection: This collection includes eight albums filled with signatures from residents of each of South County’s towns in the 1880s. A $250 donation will allow the Center to preserve and catalog the collection and create an index of all the signers. Click here to donate today!

Stereographs of Narragansett: The precursor of the beloved 20th-century View Master, stereographs were the first three-dimensional photographs. Gilded Age Narragansett photographers made stereoscopic photos of area beaches, hotels, and other sites, which they then sold to tourists and local residents alike. This collection of approximately 100 photographs can be organized, rehoused, and cataloged with a $250 donation. Click here to donate today!

Rhode Island Tercentenary Collection: In 1936 Rhode Island celebrated the 300th anniversary of the landing of Roger Williams and the founding of Providence. To commemorate the event, coins were struck, stamps were issued, and books, maps, and pamphlets were published. The Center’s collection of tercentenary materials will be organized, rehoused, and described in a finding aid with a $150 donation. Make a donation to support this collection here!

Rolled Panoramic Photographs: The Center’s collection includes several rolled panoramic photographs dating from the early 20th century, including the photograph to the right of returning World War I service members.  To properly store (and even see!) these photographs, each photograph must undergo a special humidification process before ultimately being flattened and stored in large archival folders.  A $350 donation will allow the Center to complete this process and preserve these photographs. Make a donation to support this collection here!

Adopt a Collection Today!

Click here to donate online. Be sure to note the collection you are adopting!
Please contact us at erica@southcountyhistorycenter.org with any questions and to find out about other collections that need your support.
Thank you!

Recently Adopted Collections

Elisha Reynolds Potter Sr.’s Top Hat: Made in Kingston by William French, this beaver top hat was owned by South Kingstown politician Elisha Potter (1764-1835). Known for his robust size, the top hat was likely made specifically for Potter, and it is too large to be stored in standard-sized object boxes. Adoption of the hat will allow us to purchase a custom-made box to ensure its preservation for centuries to come. This object was generously adopted by Christian and Margaret McBurney.

Elizabeth Johnson Wells Collection: Born in South Kingstown in 1890, Elizabeth Johnson Wells supported many local causes, including the Visiting Nurses Association, Pettaquamscutt Historical Society (now the Center), and the South County Art Association. A descendant of the Hazard and Perry families, she traveled extensively and kept a daily diary for more than 43 years. This collection was generously adopted by Lauri Arruda.

Frank Woods Model of Kingston: If you visited the Old Jail in years past, you may remember a model of historic Kingston village. Created by Frank Woods, the model captures Kingston’s beauty and architecture. This collection was generously adopted by Phyllis Christianson, Megan Nolan, Lesley Solkoske, and David Woods.

Hull Civil War Collection: This collection of letters and photographs documents the impact of the Civil War on a South County family. During John K. Hull’s service, he regularly wrote letters to his sister Hattie and other loved ones. Also within the collection is a final letter to Hattie which John did not get to complete before being mortally wounded. This collection was generously adopted by Patrick Donovan, Laurie Friel, David Gates, and Catherine C. Hull

Jenness and Arthur Peckham Collection: This collection of documents, advertising pieces, photographs, and objects document the Peckham's community involvement and advocacy efforts on behalf of the Washington County Fair, the 1930s development of the Port of Galilee, and the local bentgrass industry. This collection was generously adopted by Gail and Bob Taber and Robert and Erica Luke.

Mathias Oppersdorff Photography Collection: Preserved at the Center is a significant collection of photography by Mathias Oppersdorff, including photographs of South County's stone walls, portraits of local residents, and Rhode Island’s response to 9/11. This collection was generously adopted by Beverley Capellanio Tull.

Narragansett Times Collection: The Narragansett Times collection includes records generated as a result of the newspaper’s business operations in the mid-to-late 19th century, including materials related to long-time publisher and editor Duncan Gillies. This collection was generously adopted by Betty Cotter.

Peace Dale Mill Collection: This collection documents Peace Dale Mill workers and the products they manufactured. It includes 19th-century fabric samples, 20th-century textiles, mill worker photographs, and documents related to the Overseer's Club. This collection was generously adopted by Edith H. Birney.

Rodman "Rod" Noka Artwork Collection: Noka (1894-1970) was a lifelong South County resident, descendant of Chief Ninigret, and well-known local artist. The Center has collected Noka artwork since the 1960s and acquired a large collection of paintings and drawings in 2015. This collection was generously adopted by James and Susan Bowers, Jeffrey Greene, Graham and Jacqui Nye, and Deanna Wright.

School Photograph Collection: This large collection of photographs from the 1880s through the 1970s documents the students, teachers, activities, and facilities of local schools, including South Kingstown High School, Saunderstown Grammar School, and Stepping Stones Kindergarten. This collection was generously adopted by Shantia Anderheggen and Stephen White.

South County Railroads Collection: This project includes several different activities that can be funded individually. Top priorities include photo-documenting and preserving Edward Prentice's Sea View Rail Road scrapbooks and rehousing and cataloging railroad objects, including a token from the Richmond Switch accident and the number plate from a Narragansett Pier Rail Road locomotive. This collection was generously adopted by Shantia Anderheggen, Scott Kisilywicz, Ted Meleney, and Steven White.

South Kingstown Junior High School Photographs: Upon the recent closure of Curtis Corner Middle School, a collection of approximately 250 photographs dating to the building’s time as the Junior High School were found by administrators and donated to the Center. This collection was generously adopted by Carol Anderheggen and Alfreda Peigelbeck.

South Kingstown-Narragansett Branch of the Red Cross: This collection of archival materials and photographs details World War II relief efforts in South County. This collection will be organized, rehoused, and described in a finding aid with a $150 donation. This collection was just adopted!

Tefft Family Research Collection: The Center has received additional materials to be added to the Tefft Family Research Collection from the family of the late A. Craig Anthony, including photographs, records related to the proposed Blueberry Hill development and creation of the Tefft Historical Park, correspondence, and unpublished manuscripts. This collection was generously adopted by Connie May.

Wilfred R. Easterbrooks World War I Collection: A Private First Class in the 103rd Field Artillery, Easterbrooks served and was wounded in France. This collection includes photographs, archival materials, and objects related to Easterbrooks’s service. This collection was generously adopted by Laurie Friel.