THE PRUDENCE ISLAND HISTORICAL & PRESERVATION SOCIETY, INC.

HISTORICAL NOTESVolume 16 Issue 1 JULY 2010

HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELDSATURDAY, JULY 31, 2010 AT 11:00 A.M. AT THE UNION CHURCH

Saturday, July 31st,2010 - 11:00 AM AtThe Union ChurchA Celebration!

Join us for our AnnualMeeting followed by a1950s & 60s Celebrationfeaturing period music, aName That Tune Contest,plus 25 cent hotdogs & 10cent sodas

At 11:00 a.m., PIHPS will hold abrief business meeting, includingthe election of officers, a tribute toMary Lawrence, an update on theprogress at The Sand Point CoffeeShop - our new headquarters, andan announcement regarding ourcapital fundraising campaign.Immediately following the meetinga celebration of the 50s & 60s willtake place outside, featuring music,a Name That Tune contest plushotdogs and sodas at 1950s prices.Please join us for what promises tobe an interesting meeting andcelebration. You will not want tomiss it. Inside, on page 2, are anagenda and some additionalinformation. The Society also willdisplay a number of recentadditions to its collection at themeeting with many photos fromthe 1950s & 60s.

FROM THE PRESIDENT By Joe Bains

Many exciting things have beenhappening with the Prudence IslandHistorical & Preservation Societyduring the past year. It is mypleasure to describe some of thehighlights for you in the columnbelow.As you are probably aware, in theautumn of 2009 the Societyacquired a building to be used asour new headquarters. This was notjust any building, but the former

Sand Point Coffee Shop, a placewell remembered by many Islanderswho were around Prudence duringthe 1950s and 60s. Of course, thisacquisition could not have beenaccomplished without thegenerosity and patience of thedonor, Lou Del Papa.Some activities are alreadyunderway at the Coffee Shop andmany more are being planned forthe future. Be sure to see the articleby Society Treasurer, Judi Foster,inside.Over the winter, Donna Bains &Pat Richard produced an excellentPrudence Island cookbook, titled“Prudence Cooks Then & Now,” asa fundraiser for PIHPS. Sales havebeen brisk since the book went onsale in May. Be sure to pick upyour copy today. See inside formore information. I wish to express my thanks tothose who planned and conductedthe Progressive Dinner fundraiser,especially Ed & Mary Bishop,Dave & Sharon Homan, and Jim &Kathy Sohar. That was a great time(Continued on page 2)

Inside This Issue1 Annual Meeting & Program

The President’s Column2 Prudence Cooks: Now & Then

Preparing For Our New Headquarters3 Prudence Island in the Old Days

2 HISTORICAL NOTES(Message from the President –Continued)for everyone who participated.

Much has been accomplished in thepast twelve months, but there ismuch more still to be done. Helpus plan for the future, including therenovation of our new headquartersat the Sand Point Coffee Shop, anddevelopment of programs for theorganization. If you have aninterest in helping out, or an ideato share, please contact us at theannual meeting or any other time. You can participate indocumenting island history withold photos, articles, or evenPodcasts on our website. You canhelp to collect and preserve islandmemorabilia, and encourageresearch into island history. Youcan donate old photos or otherisland related items, or lend themto the Historical Society to copyfor the collection or to be includedin future slide shows or albums onour website.If you are interested in being activein our organization, let us know atthe annual meeting, or e-mail us at:PIHPSociety@verizon.net.

I look forward to seeing you at theannual meeting and celebration onthe 31st.

Sincerely,

Joe Bains

Annual Meeting –Saturday July 31st atthe Union Church, 11:00AM

Annual Meeting Agenda

• Secretary's & Treasurer’sReports

• Election of Officers

• Old & New Business

• Capital Campaign

• Introduction of Past Officers

• Tribute to Mary Lawrence

• 50s & 60s Celebration

Prudence Cooks:Then & Now

“Prudence Cooks Then & Now”was compiled by Donna Bains andPat Richard. It contains more than400 recipes from the old to thenew, plus some wonderful oldphotos as well as many notes onPrudence history throughout thebook. No Prudence Island kitchenshould be without this book.Recipes include Coffee ShopStuffed Quahogs, Prudence IslandPunch, a sliced carrot dish called“Copper Pennies,” Indian PotRoast, Blueberry Dumplings, andhundreds of others. Pick up yourcopy before they are sold out.

Dues Reminder

Please take a moment to completethe enclosed 2010 PIHPSmembership renewal form.Individual memberships are $15.Family memberships are $25. ASponsor level membership isavailable for $50. Your dues helpto fund the Society's activities andprograms. Please help us topreserve Prudence Island's rich

history by returning the enclosedform along with your check today.Membership information is alsoavailable at our web site:www.prudencehistory.com .

Or contact us via email at:PIHPSociety@verizon.net .

Preparing For OurNew Headquarters

By Judi Foster

The PIHPS officers have initiated anumber of activities to prepare forthe responsibilities involved inrenovating, operating andmaintaining the Coffee Shop as theSociety's Headquarters.In March 2010, the By-Laws of theSociety were revised and approvedby a majority of members. Therevisions increase the number ofBoard Directors to include two newofficer positions and three directorsand allow more freedom foradjustment of membership dues. Anew slate of officers and directorswill be voted on at the annualmeeting on July 31, 2010.The Society's financial records andreports have been reorganized. TheTreasurer now maintains all recordson QuickBooks and these files arereviewed annually and reported tothe IRS by a certified accountantfirm. The annual IRS form andProfit and loss reports are availableto the public on our website. Inaddition, the President andTreasurer have appointed aFinancial Committee (MaryBishop, Gerry Cutter, Bob Elserand Shawen Williams) who willmeet with the Board of Directorsannually to review the past fiscalyear's report and proposed budgetfor the coming fiscal year.In order to generate funds for theCoffee Shop renovation andoperation, a number of steps havebeen taken. These include:submission of a grant proposal forreplacing the septic system andinstalling a climate control heat

3 HISTORICAL NOTESpump system; establishment of anendowment fund for operation;publication of an island cookbook;and sponsorship of a progressivedinner. All of these activities weremade possible by the generosity ofislanders volunteering their timeand talents. We are especiallygrateful for the efforts of DonnaBains, Pat Richard, Mary & EdBishop, Cathy & Jim Sohar,Sharon & Dave Homan, ThereseMarzullo, Lincoln Mossop, DonaldDeignan and Billy Silvia.Thanks to David Brewster andChris Curry, we have developed anoverall plan for renovating theinterior of the Coffee Shop. AllanBearse is helping us develop anoverall cost of the renovations andan itemized list of materials thatmust be purchased. We plan toinitiate a fund-raising drive inAugust. In the interim, a group ofvolunteers, headed by Jim Lyonsand Paul Collette, have beenworking to clean the Coffee Shopand remove the interior ceilings,walls and floor coverings. We planto begin the renovations nextspring with the hope of completingthe interior by July 2012.

The Prudence IslandProgressive Dinner

Fundraiser - May 15 2010

You had to be there. You just hadto be there, really. The ProgressiveDinner event on May 15, 2010 wasan event not to be missed.Featured were three cocktail partylocations, all with spectacularviews; eight dinner locations, eachwith fabulous food; plus everyonetogether at one dessert locationwith marvelous pies, cake andcoffee.

Stimulating after dinnerdiscussions at the Bishop’s duringthe Progressive Dinner

Prudence Island inthe Old DaysSome Stores and

Restaurants on PrudenceIsland

By John C. Thresher

Sand Point Tea Room – Locatedon John Oldham Road in the1920s, near Sand Point Hill, in abuilding owned by John D.Sawyer, who rented it out for thesummer.

Homestead Casino from the dock –c. 1950

Homestead Casino – Built in1911 by B. L. Lindley when therewere fewer than a dozen cottages onthe east shore. Madison Cram soonpurchased the business and operatedit for a few years, followed byWilliam A. Locke and thenStephen C. Gay. The HomesteadPost Office was also located here.Victor I. Miller and ClarencePalmer took over the businesssome time in the 1920s (the

business was listed as Miller &Palmer, or Miller & Palmer CasinoStore, even after Miller’s death inAugust 1929). In addition togroceries, they had a lunch counterhere for a few years as well Regularcustomers could order a full mealin advance.Miller and Palmer also built theAlta Vista in 1928. Located on topof the hill, several hundred yardssouth of Pier Road, it was used fordances, parties, and other functions.Later, the Alta Vista was moveddown the hill and placed at theback of the Homestead Casino.Dances and occasional movies wereheld there until both buildings werewashed away by the hurricane onSeptember 21, 1938.Clarence Palmer rebuilt theHomestead Casino by using woodfrom the cow barns at the GarlandEstate. It was damaged by ahurricane in 1944 and repaired, butit was wiped out by HurricaneCarol in August 1954. ElizabethPalmer, who took over the businessafter Clarence died in September1952, built a new store next to herhouse atop the hill on Pier Road.She operated it for about 10 years.By 1964, Michael and MarcyBachini purchased the property andtook over the business. RenamedPrudence Variety, the store operatedat this location until about 1970 or1971, and then was relocated backdown the hill by Homestead dockin an enlarged building originallybuilt in 1955 by Michael Bachini.The Post Office was relocated herein the mid-1980s.

4 HISTORICAL NOTES

Kathy Shea at the counter ofMarcy’s Prudence Variety on PierRoad about 1965

Dawson’s Store – A store on PierRoad in the mid-1920s. Historicalrecords of the Union Churchreferred to this store during the“First Election of Officers andAnnual Meeting” on July 18, 1927,when those in attendance votedunanimously to accept MadisonCram’s “offer of two lots on PierRoad across from Dawson’s Store.”This store may have operated onlyfor a few years. The 1926 tax bookdoes not list a Dawson, but hecould have been a tenant. JamesBains, who is listed as the ownerof the property at that time, usedthe building as a cottage. Recently,the house was renovated and giventhe name “Rhumb Front.”Store near Homestead – Ownedby John J. Oliver, this store wasfirst listed in the 1930 Tax Book,although it could have been inoperation earlier. According to the1934 Tax Book, this was onNarragansett Ave., midway betweenPier Road and Herreshoff Lane (onLot B of the Lombardy CampPlat),. The tax books show Oliveroperating this store through themid-1940s; he sold the property toDomenic Capone by 1945. Capone,an optometrist from Bristol, endedup naming his summer home“Optic View.”

Wm. Smith’s Sand Point Pavilionabout 1917

Sand Point Pavilion – Located atSand Point, south side of LandingLane, this business was operated in1920, perhaps earlier, by WilliamA. Smith, with the property ownedby his wife Gertrude A. Smith.The building was originally a barn,which was moved to this locationfrom Prudence Park. William alsoowned two lots on the north side ofLanding Lane. By June 15, 1933,Clarence Palmer had purchased theproperty. According to ToddFarnham, he ran it under the nameof Miller & Palmer. Palmer rebuiltthis store after it was destroyed bythe 1938 Hurricane. He operated itthrough most of the 1940s. By1948, Rodger Grant acquired theproperty and made the building hishouse. This was destroyed byHurricane Carol in 1954.

Sol Kaiman’s Friendly Store atSand Point about 1952

The Friendly Store – Located onthe north side of Landing Lane,this store was built there about1940 by Nicholas Herlein,according to Todd Farnham.Herlein also cut ice and stored it athis farm for delivery. By 1940,Herlein had acquired these lots,

along with two others just south ofLanding Lane, from GertrudeSmith, who owned all four lotsafter William died. (Herlein couldhave been operating a store therebefore acquiring the property.Throughout the 1930s, the Smithfamily was assessed a tangiblepersonal property tax on two lotsnorth of Landing Lane. This couldmean a business was located therein that decade.) The Friendly Storeended up selling meat, vegetables,books, magazines and hardware, inaddition to groceries, whereas theMiller & Palmer store there onlysold groceries. Herlein died in mid-April 1947 after a long stay atNewport Hospital. His wife,Emmie, ran the business for acouple of years before the Herlein’sson-in-law Sol Kaiman took it overabout 1949. The Friendly Storealso had a recreation hall, wheremovies, music and dances wereheld. This business also waswashed away by Hurricane Carol onAugust 31, 1954 and not rebuilt.

Sources:Tax book for the Town ofPortsmouth (various years);Farnham, Norman Todd, The OldDays on Prudence, 1920-1960,PIHPS, 2006; Historical Notes(PIHPS newsletter) July 1998;Maytum, Charles G. Paragraphs onearly Prudence Island, privatelypublished, 1964; HeritageQuestOnline (1910 and 1920 U.S.Census); Arlene Cram Butler(scrapbook); letter postmarkedApril 18, 1947 (dated “Thursdayeve.” [April 17]) from Clifford E.Thresher, Sr. to PFC Clifford E.Thresher, Jr.; photos and postcards, PIHPS collection.