A finding aid provides historical background, an inventory, and descriptions of an archival collection. Our finding aids help researchers locate relevant content easily and effectively by providing both historical context for primary source materials and a table of contents for individual collections. Our finding aids include the following:
An outline of the materials that comprise the collection
Information about who created the collection
Direction regarding how to navigate the collection
Guidance on how to use the materials, including information about how to cite the collection
Below are our finding aids that are currently available, and please check back as we are regularly adding materials.
For those researchers seeking information about Indigenous culture and history, please also visit our friends at the Tomaquag Museum.
Eleanor Creveling House Smith Collection: This collection documents the work of Eleanor Smith (1915-1996), a prolific writer on nature, crafting, and farm life. The records of the Eleanor Smith Collection include correspondence, a journal, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and a postal mail log.
Elizabeth Johnson Wells Collection: Elizabeth Wells (1890-1982), a South Kingstown resident, was a member of several notable southern Rhode Island families, including the Perry, Hazard, Potter, and Wells families. She was deeply involved in community life in the village of Kingston and the town of South Kingstown. This collection consists of ten diaries spanning 1921 to 1969, with the exception of 1922 to 1924. This collection was “adopted” by Lauri Arruda, and her generous support has made its processing possible.
Every Tuesday Club Collection: The records of the Every Tuesday Club include meeting minutes, writings from club members, bound volumes, yearbooks, annual reports, treasurer reports, receipts and other financial documents, anniversary ephemera, newspaper clippings, personal objects, and correspondence from 1896-2003.
Friends of Kingston Station Collection: This collection documents the history of the Friends of Kingston Station, which was founded in 1973 to preserve and protect the Kingston Train Station in West Kingston, RI. The collection includes meeting minutes, correspondence, photographs, architectural drawings, maps, and railroad ephemera.
Hull Civil War Collection: John Knowles Hull (1841-1863) of South Kingstown served in the 7th Rhode Island Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. This collection, which includes letters and photographs, documents Hull’s service, relationships with family and friends, and his ultimate sacrifice for the Union. This collection was “adopted” by Patrick Donovan, Laurie Friel, David Gates, and Catherine C. Hull, and their generous support has made its processing possible.
Indian Run Garden Club Collection: This collection documents the history of the Indian Run Garden Club, founded in 1920 as “The Narragansett Horticultural Society.” The Club’s mission is the “advancement of gardening among amateurs and the blending of individual gardening interests with a love for growing things.” The collection includes correspondence, photographs, newsletters, and scrapbooks.
John Taylor Dixon Diaries: John Taylor Dixon (1820-1891), a South Kingstown resident, was a member of the Wakefield Baptist Church, Rocky Brook Advent Christian Church, and the “Sons of Temperance.” Following the Civil War, Dixon delivered sermons in many New England towns and cities. In 1881 Dixon began occasionally ministering at the South Kingstown Town Farm. Dixon’s diaries span a period of thirty-two years (1859-1892, with some dates missing) and describe births, marriages, deaths, his work as a member of the Adventist clergy, and the weather. This is a digital collection created from photographs taken of the original John Taylor Dixon diaries. The digital collection can be viewed on-site at the Center.
Kenneth T. Mars, Jr. Photograph Collection: Kenneth T. Mars, Jr. (1940-2011) was a lifelong resident of South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Mars was a member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, an inductee into the University of Rhode Island's Lifetime Service Society and an usher at the Peace Dale First Church of God, where his father was pastor. For decades, Mars carried a camera and captured images of daily life in South County. Much of the collection was lost following Mars’ death, and the remaining 27,243 photographic prints were donated to the Center in 2018. This is likely the largest collection of vernacular photographs taken by a person of color in the United States. To read more about the collection and view sample images, please click here.
Mathias Oppersdorff Collection: The Mathias Oppersdorff Collection is composed of three distinct projects: South County Faces, portraits of residents of communities in southern Rhode Island; Stone Walls of South County, landscapes of the bespoke stone walls found in southern Rhode Island and portraits of local stone masons; and Rhode Island Responds to 9/11, portraits of first responders from Rhode Island who worked during the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the former World Trade Center buildings in New York City.
Narragansett Times Collection: The Narragansett Times is a weekly newspaper founded in 1855 that primarily focuses on the towns of South Kingstown and Narragansett, Rhode Island. This 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 “adopted’ by Betty Cotter, and her generous support has made its processing possible.
Patrick Lyons Collection: Patrick Lyons (1837-1908), immigrated to South Kingstown, Rhode Island, from Ireland in 1857. In 1861, Lyons enlisted in the Union Army to fight in the Civil War. This collection, donated by Lyons’s descendants, including correspondence, a diary, photographs, and objects, documents his service in Company E of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry through 1864.
Peace Dale Mill Collections Guide: The South County History Center preserves a variety of materials documenting the history of the Peace Dale Mill, its workers, and their products. These materials have been donated by several individuals over many decades, and this guide has been created to assist researchers in exploring the Center’s varied collections related to the mill. This collections guide is not intended to be an exhaustive list of resources, and instead it focuses on the most relevant materials as well as those only available at the Center. This collection was “adopted” by Edith H. Birney, and her generous support has made its processing possible.
Prentice Railroad Collection: This collection, created by G. Edward “Hap” Prentice (1909-1986), includes newspaper clippings, maps, photographs, and records focused on the histories of the Narragansett Pier and Sea View Railroad Company. This collection was “adopted” by Shantia Anderheggen, Scott Kisilywicz, Ted Meleney, and Steven White, and their generous support has made its processing possible.
Rodman Noka Artwork Collection: Christopher Rodman “Rod” Noka (1894-1970) was a life-long resident of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, and a member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe. Noka was a sign painter by trade and achieved local recognition as an artist. His artwork depicted many South County landscapes, locations, and people, using a variety of mediums. The collection, which includes more than 50 examples of Noka’s work, was “adopted” by Susan and James Bowers, Jeffrey Greene, Graham and Jacqui Nye, and Deanna Wright, and their generous support made its processing possible.
School Photograph Collection: This collection of photographs from the 1880s through the 1980s documents the students, teachers, activities, and facilities of schools in Washington County, including the South Kingstown High School and Stepping Stones Kindergarten. This collection was “adopted” by Shantia Anderheggen and Steven White, and their generous support has made its processing possible.
South County Art Association Collection: The South County Art Association (SCAA) began in 1927 when John W. Dawson invited his artist friends to hold an exhibition at his private studio in Wickford. In 1929, the group formally named itself the “South County Art Association,” and SCAA officially incorporated in 1937. The records of the South County Art Association include administrative records, blueprints, correspondence, financial records, ledger books, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, and photographs. The bulk of the records were created between 1927 and 2000 by SCAA members.
South County Hospital Collection: The South County Hospital (now South County Health, as of 2015) was founded in 1919 as the South County Cottage Hospital by Caroline Hazard in a house purchased from Mary Watson at 23 Kenyon Avenue (now 288 Kenyon Avenue, Wakefield, RI 02879). The records of the South County Hospital Collection include log books of pharmacy and patient treatments, newspaper clippings, ephemera associated with volunteer and fundraising events, scrapbooks, newsletters, annual reports, correspondence, directories, calendars, promotional materials, oral histories and interviews, bound volumes containing board meeting minutes, bylaws, and incorporating documents, building and furnishing proposals, plans, and contracts, payment receipts and invoices, building plans and blueprints, securities and trust account statements, stock purchase receipts, hospital statistical reports, black and white and color photography in multiple sizes and formats including slides and polaroids as well as negatives.
South Kingstown Town Records Collection: The South Kingstown Town Records Collection includes bonds, building permits, financial statements, invoices, meeting minutes, police reports, school reports, tax books, and other records pertaining to the Town government between 1714 and 1997. The materials fall into eleven series: records related to the Town Council, public welfare, taxes, finance, animal control, public works and utilities, public schools, elections, building inspection and zoning, the police department, and town planning. This collection constitutes only a portion of South Kingstown’s government records, with additional records available at South Kingstown Town Hall. For additional resources about South Kingstown, please click here.
Tavern Hall Club Collection: The records of the Tavern Hall Club include annual records, ledgers, financial records, meeting minutes, correspondence, receipts, programs, institutional documents, and materials related to the property holdings of the organization. The collection is an accumulation of materials that were collected by Executive Committee members of the Tavern Hall Club from its inception until its dissolution in 2004.
Tavern Hall Preservation Society Collection: The records of the Tavern Hall Preservation Society include financial records, meeting minutes, correspondence, and other materials related to the organization, which was founded in 2004. This collection also includes records related to the preservation of the Society’s headquarters, the Elisha Reynolds House in Kingston.
Tefft Family Research Collection: The collection is largely composed of photocopies of primary and secondary source research materials that were compiled by A. Craig Anthony in the course of writing two books on the Tefft family. These materials relate to John Tefft and his descendants, the trial and execution of Joshua Tefft, and the life of Joshua Tefft’s wife, Sarah Tefft. The collection contains correspondence, maps, newspaper clippings, and papers. This collection was “adopted” by Connie May, and her generous support has made its processing possible.
Weavers William and Elsie Rose Collection: This collection includes textiles made by William Henry Harrison Rose (1841-1913), photographs of William and his sister Elsie (1837-1926), and related documentary materials about the Rose family’s history of handweaving textiles at their home in Exeter, Rhode Island.
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.