The Story of Nockum Hill, Saturday, May 19

***CANCELLED*** DUE TO PREDICTED WEATHER.

Barrington Preservation Society

presents:

The Story of Nockum Hill: An Outdoor Afternoon of History and Nature

Saturday, May 19, 2018, 2:00–5:00 PM
Rayner Wildlife Refuge, George Street, Barrington

 

Nockum Hill is an area of great natural beauty, home of the endangered Diamondback Terrapin, beloved surroundings of the Wampanoag people of Sowams, location of the first European colonial settlement in the area, and site of the first Baptist meeting house in the New World. Nearby lies Barrington’s oldest cemetery.

Join us for an open-air roundtable and walking tour led by Charlotte Sornborger, naturalist; Rev. Charles Hartman, former pastor of The First Baptist Church in Swansea; Peter McCalmont, Chair of the Nockum Hill Management Committee; Van Edwards, Barrington Preservation Society historian; and David Weed, coordinator of the proposed Sowams Heritage Area.

Schedule:

2:00–3:00 PM: Myles Monument, George Street:
• Greetings by Nat Taylor, President, Barrington Preservation Society (BPS)
• “Re-visit the Elder John Myles” with Rev. Charlie Hartman
• “Why Turtles Count!” presentation with Charlotte Sornborger

3:00–4:00 PM: Walking Tour to Hundred-Acre Cove in the Rayner Wildlife Refuge with Peter McCalmont

4:00–5:00 PM: Myles Monument and Nockum Hill Cemetery
• Myles Monument: Refreshments & maps with David Weed, coordinator of proposed Sowams Heritage Area.
• Nockum Hill Cemetery (shuttle van loop): Remarks on early colonial settlers with Van Edwards, BPS historian

FREE • OPEN TO THE PUBLIC • REFRESHMENTS

What’s New About Old Barrington Village? Monday, April 30

Barrington Preservation Society

presents:

What’s New About Old Barrington Village?

 Van Edwards, Ph.D., Visiting Lecturer in History
Bridgewater State University and Bryant University

Monday, April 30, 2018 — 7:00 PM
Barrington Public Library
Salem Family Auditorium & Collis Family Gallery

Barrington historian Van Edwards will present new research on the rise and decline of Barrington’s historic town center, the area immediately north of the current White Church. This area began to grow in 1737 with the removal of the Congregational Church from an earlier location on Jennys Lane, but by 1860 the railroad shifted the town’s center away from the Old Village. Van will show and discuss a hand-painted map drawn for tavern-keeper Henry Bowen in 1771, documenting house lots, tavern, schoolhouse, and blacksmith shop in this bustling village on the eve of the American Revolution.

ALSO FEATURED: Updates on BPS’s educational activities, including Barrington High School (BHS) senior projects.BHS senior  Lindsey Hands will show a handmade historic map of Barrington that has been the subject of her senior project.

FREE • OPEN TO THE PUBLIC • REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED

Providence Harbor’s Ship Graveyard: Wednesday, March 28

Barrington Preservation Society

Invites you to join us for a presentation of

Providence Harbor’s Ship Graveyard

David Robinson, Marine Archaeologist
University of Rhode Island’s
Graduate School of Oceanography

Wednesday, March 28, 2018 — 7:00 PM
Barrington Public Library
Salem Family Auditorium & Collis Family Gallery

FREE  •  OPEN TO THE PUBLIC  •  REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED

BPS 2018 Annual Meeting & Luncheon with talk, “Taverns to Temperance and Back Again”

Join us for our Annual Meeting & Luncheon, Sunday, January 28th, 2018, at the Bluewater Bar + Grill, Barton Avenue. The business meeting (open to all, even those who cannot stay to lunch) will start at 12:00 Noon. The Luncheon will begin at 12:40 PM and will be followed by a presentation from our guest speaker, Stephen Venuti, presenting:

Taverns to Temperance and Back Again:
A Spirited History of Barrington and its Relevance Within the Community

We will also present the prestigious Elizabeth Sargent Warren Preservation Award to Richard and Jane Donnelly, in recognition of their leadership in publication of the excellent book, Barrington (Arcadia Press).

Reservations for the lunch:
Please make a selection from the list below. You may order a second entree by clicking another (or the same) selection. The “Shopping Cart” will then appear below the list.

Baked scrod with butter crumbs $30
Ravioli Primavera with garden vegetables and white wine sauce$30

Renew Membership for 2018:
For convenience you may renew your membership for 2018 at the same time as placing a luncheon reservation. Select the appropriate category in the list below.

High School Student Membership 2024$5
College / University Student Membership 2024$10
Individual Membership 2024$35
Family Membership 2024$50
Supporting Membership 2024$100
Patron Membership 2024$250
Business Membership 2024$250
Life Membership$1000

If you have selected luncheon reservations and/or membership renewal, it will appear below in the Shopping Cart.  To complete your order, click the “Check Out” button to pay securely by PayPal. Luncheon reservations must be made by Monday, January 22!

Barrington 300 Medallion Designed by Ted Hail

The Barrington 300 Committee selected artist Ted Hail to design this stunning medallion for Barrington’s Tricentennial celebration. Ted wrote about what inspired the choice of images on this celebratory coin: “I wanted something old and something new.” Old is represented by the gables of our landmark 1888 Town Hall. New is represented by the 2014 Barrington Bridge. The river under the bridge, and the Lantern of the 1856 Nayatt Point Lighthouse in the bottom of the outer ring, represent Barrington’s maritime heritage as a bayside town. These images are modeled in sharp relief and completed with the legend, “Barrington Tricentennial 1717–2017.” On the back simple text recounts the complex history of the town: “1717–1747, Barrington, Mass. 1747–1770, Warren, R.I. 1770–2017, Barrington, R.I.” The solid brass medallion measures two and one-half inches across, and was produced by Barrington Manufacturing Company.

Ted is a Barrington native and graduate of RISD, class of ‘74, where he majored in Illustration. Ted works in pencil, pastels, oil and watercolor paints, and acrylics. He recently retired from a long career as a graphic designer for Amica Insurance Company and is now writing a novel. The images have a personal meaning for Ted: “When the Town Hall was the Library, I used to dodge Mr. and Mrs’s Riccio’s dancing school by reading books on marine life in the basement and I would stand outside to hear the twelve o’clock whistle echoed by the one in Warren across town.” About the bridge, Ted said, “I would ride my bike “Red Lightning” and stop at the top of Barrington Bridge to look at red sponges growing on the piers and boats going under the bridge.” The Barrington bridge also symbolizes connection—between people, places, religions and work—from 1717 to 2017. Crossing rivers has been an important need in our area from the early colonial settlement era down to the present. It is a fitting symbol for our Tricentennial medallion.

Barrington 300: June Heritage Weekend Tours, June 17-18

Barrington 300: June Heritage Weekend Tours

Saturday June 17 & Sunday June 18, 2017

• Bus Tours of Neighborhoods, Homes, and Churches

• Historic Prince’s Hill Cemetery Tours

Bus Tours of Neighborhoods, Homes, and Churches

Discover the Alfred Drown, Maple Avenue,
Mathewson Road/Jenny’s Lane, Nayatt Road,
Old Barrington Village, and West Barrington neighborhoods.

Saturday, June 17:
10:00-12:00 pm (Northern loop)
12:15-2:15 pm (Southern loop)
2:30-4:30 pm (Visit inside two 18th-c. homes and the White Church)
Sunday, June 18:
12:00-2:00 pm (focus on Churches)
2:15-4:30 pm (Jenny’s Lane, Tyler Point and Hampden Meadows)

Space is limited. Please reserve a place on one of the 5 Historic Bus Tours by e-mail to bvnedwards@gmail.com. There will be a charge for the bus tour. $10 will buy a button ($5.00 for under 16 and over 60), which is good for every bus tour.

Historic Prince’s Hill Cemetery Tours

Learn about part of Barrington’s heritage, made possible by the contributions of some of the
people buried in Prince’s Hill Cemetery. There are 5 different presentations, so join us
for 1 or all 5 presentations and hear about:

• Stories Beneath the Stones (Section A)
• Founding Families & Preachers (Section B)
• Home Sweet Final Home (Section C)
• The PECK-ing Order (Section D)
• Barrington’s Civil War legacy (Section E)Program Hours: Saturday, June 17, 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday, June 18, 12 pm – 4 pm.

This program is free and open to everyone!

 

Barrington—The Book is Now On Sale

Barrington—The Book is now on sale!

To order the book, or other BPS gift items, GO TO OUR GIFT SHOP PAGE.

The Barrington Preservation Society has produced the book Barrington to salute our town on its Tricentennial. A pictorial history, Barrington is part of the “Images of America” series published by Arcadia Press, a publishing house which has produced town histories for nearby East Providence, Warren, and Bristol, as well as other towns across the country. Now it is time for Barrington, as part of the Barrington 300 Tricentennial Year.

Barrington contains 128 pages (softcover) and 207 photographs. It begins with an historical introduction by historian Van Edwards, and contains eight chapters on Barrington’s neighborhoods: Old Barrington Village and Hampden Meadows; Ousamequin Farm and the Peck Estate; Nayatt, Rumstick, and Adams Points; Maple Avenue Neighborhood; Drownville and West Barrington; Bay Spring; Barrington Center; and Barrington Harbor. Authors Jean Douglas, Van Edwards, and Bonnie Warren have used their extensive knowledge to identify neighborhood buildings, landscapes, people, and events. Richard and Jane Donnelly edited the book.

Barrington was officially released at two events (private and public) earlier this week, and is on sale starting today. Copies of Barrington purchased at the BPS Museum, Barrington Public Library, or Barrington Town Hall, most directly benefit the Barrington Preservation Society. Through the above article, we can recommend you the latest dresses.in a variety of lengths, colors and styles for every occasion from your favorite brands.

Cost, including Rhode Island Sales Tax, is $23.53. Barrington can be purchased by check (no credit cards or cash) at the following three locations:

• Barrington Preservation Museum, Wednesday & Saturdays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

• Barrington Town Hall (Town Clerk’s Office). Mon–Fri, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

• Barrington Public Library (Circulation Desk). Mon–Thurs, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm; Fri–Sat 9:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sun 1:o0 – 5:00 pm.

Barrington may also be purchased by mail order from Barrington Preservation Society, P.O. Box 178, Barrington RI 02806, by check with an additional $4 per copy postage and handling (total, $27.77), or by online order (credit card) through the BPS website’s GIFT SHOP PAGE.

East Bay Roots: Finding Your Family in Barrington and Beyond

East Bay Roots: Finding Your Family in Barrington and Beyond

Saturday, April 29 2017, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Barrington Senior Center
281 County Rd., Barrington RI

Barrington’s own Nathaniel Taylor will offer a morning workshop on genealogy with an East Bay and Barrington focus. The workshop will cover a range of beginning and intermediate topics, including hands-on presentation of unique and helpful local resources from Barrington Preservation Society record collections.

Topics: Beginning basics; DNA; online sources and organizations; special issues and strategies for Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts; local resources in Barrington.

Free event: Light refreshments (coffee) will be available. Pre-registration is encouraged, by sign-up sheets located at the Town Clerk’s office or the Preservation Museum, or online (by clicking here) at Eventbrite.

Nathaniel Taylor is Editor and Publisher of The American Genealogist, the leading independent journal of genealogy in the United States. He holds a Ph.D. in history and taught medieval and modern history at Brown, Harvard, and elsewhere for twelve years. He speaks in New England and nationally on genealogy and heraldry. He was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists (the nation’s honorary society of the fifty most accomplished living genealogists) in 2011. He is a trustee of the Barrington Preservation Society and has been its President since 2015.

BPS Honors Town of Barrington with Warren Award

BPS honored the Town of Barrington with the Elizabeth Sargent Warren Preservation Award at our 2017 Annual Meeting and Luncheon at the Blue Water Grill on Sunday, January 15. Along with BPS officers, members, and friends, we were pleased to be joined by several elected and appointed officials of the town as our guests: Town Manager Jim Cunha, Town Clerk Meredith DeSisto, Town Planner Phil Hervey, and Town Council members Mike Carroll and Steve Primiano. Mike Carroll, as president of the Town Council, accepted the award on behalf of the town. The citation especially honored recently retired Town Manager Peter DeAngelis.

The award was formally made “to the Town of Barrington in honor of three hundred years of stewardship of our historic resources, 1717 to 2017, including sustained efforts to preserve the historic character and landscape of the Barrington Town Hall and Civic Center National Historic District, with special recognition of retired Town Manager Peter DeAngelis.”

BPS Trustee Richard Donnelly, chair of our publications committee, presented a preview of the forthcoming book, Barrington (Images of America Series, Arcadia Press), to be released in May. Watch our website or Facebook page for pre-ordering details within a few weeks!

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