Spring 2020 Newsletter and 2019 Annual Report

Preservation Society

of Pawtucket P.O. Box 735, Pawtucket, RI 02862; 401.725.9581

Email: Pawtucketpreservation@gmail.com

Website: Pawtucketpreservation.org

Facebook: Preservation Society of Pawtucket

PSP Mission Statement:

The PSP, through educational programs and community

service, shall discover, memorialize, and preserve the

history and architecture of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Spring updates

We have been very lucky that the COVID-19 pandemic has not

severely impacted us. This has not been the case for most

Preservation and Historical Societies. They, like many businesses

and organizations are challenged with keeping up fundraising and

some form of programming while having to close their museums

and other facilities. Many organizations are facing difficult

decisions about their ability to operate at all. Had we not been

able to sell both the Baker-Hanley House and the Spaulding House,

we would surely be in the same dilemma.

We have been invited by the New England Museum Association

(NEMA) to present a webinar on how we came to the decision to

sell the Spaulding House, how we managed the process of

attaching a preservation easement, and how we dispersed the

contents of the house. We will work with NEMA, Preserve Rhode

Island (because they are the easement holders), and the 1772

Foundation, to present the webinar in early June. It will be

attended by NEMA members from the entire New England region.

We hope that our experience can give guidance to other

organizations, particularly small, volunteer-run societies that can’t

fully rely on donations to keep going.

Upcoming Events

Here are the activities we have

planned as of now. Our tour

notes are always available on our

website and can be downloaded

for self-guided tours.

Darlington Neighborhood walking

tour, Saturday, June 27, 10:30

a.m.

Fairlawn Neighborhood walking

tour, Saturday, July 18, 10:30 a.m.

Oak Grove Cemetery walking

tour, Saturday, August 22, 10:30

a.m.

Central Falls walking tour,

Saturday, August 14, 10:30 a.m.

Darlington Neighborhood walking

tour, Saturday, September 12,

10:30 a.m.

Fairlawn Neighborhood walking

tour, Saturday, October 3, 10:30

a.m.

Mineral Spring Cemetery walking

tour, Saturday, October 10, 10:30

a.m.

We will provide more details as

these dates approach. Please

check our website and Facebook

page for updates.

We have joined the National Preservation Partners Network (NPPN) and are now one of four

organizations representing Rhode Island. The others are Preserve Rhode Island, the Providence

Preservation Society, and the 1772 Foundation. The NPPN works to strengthen individual organizations

and the collective historic preservation movement through training, networking, knowledge sharing,

technical assistance, and semi-annual meetings. We are looking forward to interacting with

preservation organizations outside of Rhode Island to learn how we can best serve our community.

We are not able to host our annual meeting this Spring. We had hoped to publically and personally

recognize the recipients of this year’s Preservation Reward Program, but for now, you can read about

their projects in this newsletter. When gatherings are allowed again, we will resume our walking tour

season and will schedule several lectures on various topics. Please stay tuned to our Facebook page

and our website for activity updates. In the meantime, many preservation organizations, such as the

National Trust for Preservation, are offering virtual tours and online education. Seek them out and

support as many as you can.

2019 Annual Report 39th Annual Meeting

April 29, 2019

Pawtucket Public Library

The annual meeting was held in the form of a community round-table discussion, in which

approximately 20 people, including board members and individuals from the community,

participated.

Board President Barbara Zdravesky began the discussion by explaining that the PSP had been unable

to focus adequate time and energy to its mission because we were overwhelmed with managing two

properties, the Baker-Hanley House and the Joseph Spaulding House. The Baker-Hanley House was

sold in 2017 and Barbara reported that the Spaulding House sale was completed just two weeks prior

to this meeting. The PSP is now in a position to focus solely on programs, events, and activities. The

change in meeting format this year was for the purpose of seeking input from the community about

how we can best serve our mission.

Themes from the group conversation included but were not limited to:

1. Ways to think about and incorporate “cultural preservation” in our activities. This was an overall

theme of the 2019 state preservation conference and there are many aspects of Pawtucket’s

diverse cultural heritage that should be highlighted. Places and stories that honor all ethnicities in

our city need to be preserved. For example, it is important to know that the French Canadians

built the St. John the Baptist church, but it is just as important to know that it was saved from

demolition by opening its doors to the Spanish and Portuguese communities. Concerns about

gentrification, both in a historical context and in relation to future developments are also

important to consider. The group discussed whether residents in Pawtucket generally feel a

“sense of place,” and how much concern there is for cultural and historical resources.

2. We have had an interesting and successful walking tour and lecture series and will continue

those activities. We were invited to work with the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council to re-write

their Pawtucket Explorer Tour. The Public Archaeology Lab will collaborate with us on that

project. We will again offer a walking tour of Slater Park as part of this year’s Pawtucket Arts

Festival.

3. The Historic Marker Program continues with recently revised criteria and we have had several

applications for new markers. We encourage residential, commercial, and civic properties to

apply.

4. While we get our bearings after selling our properties, we are focusing on the education aspect

of our mission, working on sharing what historical resources are here in Pawtucket and why they

are worth saving.

5. We have discussed undertaking an oral history project about how the construction of I-95

impacted people in Pawtucket. We know the highway construction was controversial and

extremely difficult for many people, especially those whose homes were in its path. We would

like to document stories told by individuals who were affected in any way by the highway

project. We would also like to plan a lecture and perhaps gather enough materials (like

photos) to exhibit in a place like city hall. We will put out a press release about the project and

hope for a good response.

6. We have inherited the endowment fund that was attached to the Spaulding House; it yields

about $1500 in interest each year. It is our desire to use the interest money each year to support

a Preservation Reward Program, through which we give financial rewards for completed

preservation projects in Pawtucket. We will work out the details and criteria in the next few

months.

The meeting ended with an enthusiastic thank-you to all who attended; the discussion and feedback

was very useful.

Donations help the PSP’s community programs; time is also highly valued and we welcome any

volunteers that would like to get involved!

Follow us on Facebook and our website to get news and information

Email us any time at pawtucketpreservation@gmail.com

Call us 401.725.9581 (note that it is a voicemail service - someone will call you back)

Thanks to all who support our work!

Minutes submitted by Crystal McDole, PSP Secretary.

Governance Report Directors up for reappointment to three (3) year terms are:

Jake Bissaro

Barbara Zdravesky

Officers (Officers are elected by the board members.)

Board Members

President – Barbara Zdravesky

Vice President – vacant

Secretary – Crystal McDole

Treasurer – David Hansen

Jake Bissaro

Jocelyn Dube

David Hansen

Jennifer Hennigan

Holly Herbster

Earlene Hines

Myra Jerozal

Crystal McDole

Timothy McDuff

Paul Mowrey

Barbara Zdravesky

Jen Zereski

Preservation Reward Program

We had the joy of awarding a total of $2,000 to three community-based projects in the inaugural

year of its Preservation Reward Program, which gives financial rewards to support already-completed

preservation efforts in the city. Here are this year’s winning projects:

712 Prospect Street

Morgan Grefe and her husband Gage have restored their c. 1895 home at 712 Prospect Street to

its 1920s appearance by re-siding the house with Quebec-sourced white pine shakes, rebuilding

the soffits, and replacing the trim on all the windows and doors. This house is on a main road, right

on the Pawtucket-East Providence line and is adjacent to the Rumford Chemical Works 300-acre

farm – it’s an ideal place for a saloon, which is the original function of the house. In 1902, Francis

Gavin sold his saloon to Edward Healy, who in 1905 hired Patrick Rock to be its manager. Perhaps

there is a connection to Rock’s Bar, just down the road in Pawtucket, which has been in business

since 1907. The Healy family eventually closed the tavern and converted it to a residence, which

they owned until 2012 when Morgan purchased it. We like this project because it relates to the

stories of working class people, which were and are the heart and soul of Pawtucket.

Pawtucket Library Digital Newspapers

We are happy to recognize the Pawtucket Library as one of the recipients of our Preservation

Reward Program. With help from the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and

the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the library staff have digitized 375 rolls of microfilm

containing issues of the Pawtucket Times from 1886-1949. These issues are now accessible online

to anyone, without fees or registration. This treasure trove of information is invaluable to those

researching any aspect of Pawtucket’s history. Try it yourself – search for your favorite topic,

place, person, and see what interesting information you’ll find. http://pawtucket.advantage-

preservation.com/

135 Wilcox Avenue

Jewel Sommerville has made substantial renovations to her Craftsman-style 105-year-old home at

135 Wilcox Avenue in Oak Hill, restoring the exterior to historical accuracy by removing vinyl siding

to expose the original clapboard, replacing original trim detailing, and restoring the front door

and porch. The Craftsman style is identified by a covered porch, tapered support columns, wide

overhanging eaves, and “knee braces” (the bracket supporting the roof at the peak). The style

emerged in the beginning of the 20th century and was popularized by people such as Gustav

Stickley (furniture) and Frank Lloyd Wright, whose Prairie Style sits under the umbrella of Craftsman

style, along with the Bungalow style. Wilcox Avenue is in the Oak Hill plat which was laid out by the

Oak Hill Land Company in 1914. There are many Craftsman style homes in the neighborhood.

PSP also received applications from the Friends of the Looff Carousel for their participation in the

extensive renovations to the Slater Park Carousel, and from the Slater Mill Historic Site for a textile

conservation project. The PSP board members offer their gratitude to all the applicants for the

ongoing work in preserving Pawtucket’s historic resources.

Advocacy Pawtucket Ice Company, Inc. (1929)

Waverly Place/258 Pine Street

The Pawtucket Ice Company was founded in 1857 by Joseph E. Dispeau and Alfred Childs. It first

operated from a location on North Main Street (now Roosevelt Avenue). Ice was cut from nearby

ponds and reservoirs and stored in ice houses; large-scale refrigeration and artificial ice

manufacturing did not yet exist. Horse-drawn wagons delivered ice throughout Pawtucket and

Central Falls. In 1928, the Pawtucket Ice Company purchased a lot on Waverly Place and hired the

Pawtucket architecture firm of Monahan & Meikle to design a complex of three connected buildings

situated around a central courtyard. The ice plant created 75 tons of ice each day, obtained from

the nearby Bailey’s Pond, and could store up to 500 tons. There was also a barn and a garage; at

that time, horse-drawn wagons were still used to deliver ice. Between 1929 and 1931, the Pawtucket

Ice Company purchased eleven Ford Model A trucks. The horses were used on flat streets while the

trucks serviced the area’s more hilly neighborhoods. By 1933, horses were no longer used and the

barn was converted to a garage. In 1953, the Pawtucket Ice Company closed and sold its buildings

to the adjacent business, Industrial Specialties Company. In 1960, that company was liquidated. The

building on Pine Street has also been the home of Robert’s Chemical Company, now based in

Attleboro.

The Pine Street mill building was severely

damaged by a late-night fire on October 4,

2018. The burned rubble now sits in a large

pile. The current owner of the building has

apparently not responded to the city’s

requests to remove the burned debris and

a special master has been appointed to

manage the site. City officials have so far

confirmed their plans to take down the Ice

Company buildings, along with the burned

mill. To our knowledge, a structural stability

survey has not been completed to

determine whether the Ice Company

buildings are in fact damaged beyond

repair. It is well-known that plans to build

the new Pawtucket-Central Falls train

station are underway and that the land in

this area is now highly attractive for development opportunities. In January, a Valley Breeze article

reported that demolition was about to begin.

Because of the significant role the

Pawtucket Ice Company had in the city’s

history, and because the building

complex was designed by Monahan &

Meikle (a local and prolific architecture

firm), this property is eligible for the

National Register of Historic Places. This

then means that Section 106 of the

National Preservation Act of 1966 applies.

Section 106 of the National Historic

Preservation Act of 1966 requires

agencies to consider the effects on

historic properties of projects they carry

out, assist, fund, permit, license, or

approve throughout the country. If a

federal or federally-assisted project has the potential to affect historic properties, an impact survey

must be done. This gives interested parties and the public a chance to weigh in on the matter

before a final decision is made. This process is an important tool for citizens to lend their voice in

protecting and maintaining historic properties in their communities. As of early May, the Rhode Island

Historic and Preservation and Heritage Commission had not received the required survey materials

from Pawtucket officials.

The Childs-Brown House is an Italianate-style house at 172 Pine Street, built in 1869 for Alfred L. Childs,

a partner in the Pawtucket Ice Company. After Alfred died in 1886, his widow lost the heavily

mortgaged house. It was purchased by Susan Brown, the wife of James Brown who lived here until

1911. James was the grandson of Sylvanus Brown, whose house is now part of the Slater Mill Historic

Site. For two decades, the house served as the home of William K. Toole, president and treasurer of

the Pawtucket Hardware Company (Toole’s building is now the home of Artee Fabrics on Main Street

in downtown). From 1936 to 1973 the house was used as a funeral home and then operated for five

more years as a restaurant.

Ice houses were integral to the survival of other industries, such as the beer industry and food

preservation. Railroads depended on ice houses, particularly those near the rail lines, to re-stock their

refrigeration cars while transporting perishable goods, such as lager beer, which was made with a

cold fermentation process. With the increase in ice houses, lager beer could be made year-round,

and with the expansion of the railroad, could be distributed from the mid-west to other parts of the

country. Rhode Island had its own breweries - the Narragansett Brewing Company in Cranston and

the American Brewing Company in Providence were two of the biggest and both had their own ice

plants.

(photo from ctrtrains.com)

With both Bailey’s Pond and the Alfred Childs House still existing within blocks of the Ice Company,

and the Guild brewing company now occupying the former Haskell Plant (a stone’s throw from

Waverly Place) and because of the Ice Company’s proximity to the railroad, we believe that

retaining the Ice Company buildings and incorporating them into plans for the new train depot

would tie together important historical aspects of the ice and beer industry. This would be a

wonderful way to preserve and highlight an important story about Pawtucket’s contributions to the

state’s economy.

Pawtucket Ice Company carriages on Main Street

2019 Donors (all persons or organizations who contribute time, services, or finances are considered to be donors)

Barbara Barnes

Robert Billington

Jake and Amelia Bissaro

Michael Brissette

Christopher Burke

Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

Madeline S. Carlson

City of Pawtucket

Linda Dewing

Doors Open RI

Jocelyn Dube

Maggie Dube

Jonathan Duvall

Faye Dvorchak

Thea Ernest

Marina Flannery

Friends of the Slater Park Carousel

Mayor and Mrs. Donald Grebien

Vanessa Greenier

C. Morgan Grefe

Stephen and Diane Guyot

George Haduch and Ellen Miller

David and Carol Hansen

Jennifer Hennigan

Holly Herbster

Earlene Hines

Donna Houle

Wendy Jencks

Myra Jerozal

Jody Josephson

Dean Lampros

Merrie Levigne

Susan and Richard Mailhot

Greg and Lori Malec

Helen Markee

Crystal McDole

Timothy McDuff

Linda Miller

Paul Mowrey

Ann Norton

Pawtucket Public Library

Pawtucket Rotary Club

Ken Postle

Public Archaeology Labs

Preserve Rhode Island

Providence Business News

Providence Preservation Society

Rhode Island Historical Society

Rhode Island Spirits Distillery

Susan Rivet

Ethan Shorey

Slater Mill Historic Site

Jewel Lynn Sommerville

Kathleen Spencer

Jane Tierney

James Toomey

Paul Trudeau

Anthony Ursillo

Michael Viveiros

Woodlawn Neighborhood Association

Barbara Zdravesky

Jen Zereski

Historic Marker Properties (originated 1983)

4 Albert Street

43-45 Alfred Stone Road

71-73 Alfred Stone Road

103 Alfred Stone Road

33 Arlington Street

38 Armistice Boulevard

43 Armistice Boulevard

55 Armistice Boulevard

56 Armistice Boulevard

80 Armistice Boulevard

86 Armistice Boulevard

2 Bayley Street

6 Bedford Road

22 Bedford Road

9 Beech Street

64 Blaisdell Avenue

8 Blodgett Avenue

62 Blodgett Avenue

370 Broadway

25 Brown Street

21 Cambria Court

27 Cambria Court

39 Cambria Court

63 Cambria Court

81 Cambria Court

86 Cambria Court

92 Cambria Court

30 Capwell Avenue

63 Capwell Avenue

67 Capwell Avenue

67 Cedar Street

32 Central Avenue

636 Central Avenue

93 Clyde Street

14 Cooke Street

109 Cottage Street

135 Cottage Street

212 Cottage Street

9 Daniels Street

7 Denver Street

14 Denver Street

57 Dryden Avenue

70 Dryden Avenue

80 Dryden Avenue

81 Dryden Avenue

568 East Avenue

603 East Avenue

610 East Avenue

614 East Avenue

625 East Avenue

690 East Avenue

30 Fruit Street

53 Glenwood Avenue

56 Glenwood Avenue

59 Glenwood Avenue

77 Glenwood Avenue

82 Glenwood Avenue

83 Glenwood Avenue

157 Glenwood Avenue

184 Glenwood Avenue

23 Harvard Avenue

178 High Street

221 High Street

30 Highland Avenue

1 Homestead Street

7 Homestead Street

5 Howard Avenue

10 Howard Avenue

9 Kenilworth Way

19 Kenilworth Way

25 Kenilworth Way

28 Kenilworth Way

32 Kenilworth Way

423 Lonsdale Avenue

5 Lowden Street

62 Lowden Street

70 Lowden Street

97 Lowden Street

281 Lowden Street

15 Lyon Street

35 Lyon Street

41-43 Lyon Street

52 Lyon Street

20 Marbury Street

109 Marbury Street

126 Marbury Street

144 Marbury Street

111 Massasoit Avenue

44 Maynard Street

69 Maynard Street

9 Montgomery Street

47 Mulberry Street

59 Mulberry Street

131 Mulberry Street

1012 Newport Avenue

17 Nickerson Street

9 Nottingham Way

33 Nottingham Way

184 Oak Hill Avenue

36 Park Place

67 Park Place

487 Pawtucket Avenue

400 Pine Street

713 Pleasant Street

24 Potter Street

53-55 Potter Street

58 Potter Street

5 Progress Street

120-122 Progress Street

146 Raleigh Avenue

166 Raleigh Avenue

182 Raleigh Avenue

216 Raleigh Avenue

188 Rhode Island Avenue

38 Ridge Street

20 Roberta Avenue

34 Roosevelt Avenue

353 Roosevelt Avenue

96 Sayles Avenue

135 Sayles Avenue

25 Scott Avenue

19 Stuart Street

13 Summer Street

66 Summit Street

98 Summit Street

66 Underwood Street

53 Vernon Street

128 Walcott Street

140 Walcott Street

150 Walcott Street

161 Walcott Street

11 Walnut Street

24 Walnut Street

230 West Forest Avenue

10 White Street

18 Wilcox Avenue

Preservation Society of Pawtucket

2020 Projected Operating Budget

Budget 2020

Income

Endowment 9,000

Marker Program 800

Donations 500

Miscellaneous 200

Total Income 10,500

  

Expenses

Insurance 1,500

Postage and Supplies 200

Marker Program 700

Accounting 1,000

Programs and Outreach 3,000

Voice Mail 900

Preservation Reward Program 2,000

Miscellaneous 1,000

Total Expenses 10,300

Net Income 200