[Other than a
weeklong series inspired by a visit to Newport’s historic mansion The Breakers, I
haven’t had the chance to write much in this space about my neighbor to the
south. Well, Little Rhody, that changes this week! Leading up to a special post
on some of my many wonderful RI colleagues!]
Yesterday’s political
corruption post focused on some of the worst of Providence and Rhode Island, so
I wanted to end the series with a few examples of the best of that beautiful city:
1)
Roger
Williams National Memorial: There’s a lot in Providence and the surrounding
areas named after and honoring the city’s inspiring founder, including a
beautiful park and a university about which
more this weekend. But at the heart of those commemorations is the National
Park Service’s historic site, which features not only extensive museums and
spaces dedicated to remembering Williams but also impressive gardens
(including, very aptly, a Native
American Garden and Visitor Center) and many other unique spaces (such as
the Hahn
Memorial, which honors Isaac
Hahn, the first Jewish American elected to public office in Providence). As
I wrote in Monday’s post, Williams deserves a significant space in our
collective American memories and narratives, and the memorial is a great
starting point and model for sure.
2)
Providence
Athanaeum: America’s fourth oldest library
is a special place for many reasons, but one 19th century story particularly
stands out. When Edgar Allan Poe commenced a courtship with Providence poet and
icon (and wealthy widow) Sarah
Helen Whitman, he did so by visiting her
where she spent the majority of her time, at the Athanaeum. Their resulting
engagement would end as oddly and abruptly as many of Poe’s connections, and
less than a year later Poe would die (Whitman remained a public
supporter of his for many years after). But thanks to the unique site of
their shared time, we have a record not only of their romance, but also of what
both literary
figures were reading during that period—a truly original way to understand these
early 19th century authors and their lives and relationship, and one
more reason to visit the Athanaeum (virtually and in person).
3)
RISD Museum:
Providence is home to a number of prominent colleges and universities,
including one of the
nation’s oldest and most esteemed, Brown University. Yet the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is historic in
its own right, exemplified by its
1877 founding by members of the Rhode Island Women’s Centennial Commission,
and today it offers not only an unparalleled education in art and design, but
also a unique and wonderful art museum. Fulfilling a longstanding goal of the Rhode
Island Art Association “to establish in Providence a permanent Art Museum
and Gallery of the Arts and Design,” the museum features both broad and deep
collections of art and artifacts (it holds more than 86,000 such works in
total) and a connection to RISD’s students, faculty, and resources that allows
for groundbreaking exhibitions
and projects. To cite only one, the RISD Art Circle (RAC) brings
together young artists and other community members to create, engage with the
collections, advance public service projects, and represent the best of this
vibrant southeastern New England community and city.
Special post
this weekend,
Ben
PS. What do you
think? Histories and stories from RI (or any state) you’d highlight?
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