DOLLHOUSE MAKERS
Wednesday, October 16
7 p.m.
BH&PS Headquarters
48 Court Street
A TALK:
TWO DOLLHOUSE MAKERS FROM RI AND ONE FROM ACROSS THE POND
Carol Gafford and Sarah Weed will host an informal lecture and conversation on dollhouse makers from the late 19th and early twentieth centuries, both in England and here in Rhode Island.
Exactly one hundred years ago, Queen Mary of England, the Consort of King George V, received the gift of an enormous, extremely detailed dollhouse. It was fully outfitted with miniature items handcrafted by the best of English craftsmen and artists, including books, linens, and china. Equipped with an elevator, electricity and hot and cold running water, it is now on view at Windsor Castle. Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, two small businesses, Rufus Bliss and Tynietoys, created dollhouses and tiny furniture in studios that spanned the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. Some of their products are still available in local collections.
FREE and Open to the Public
DOLLMAKING HISTORY
Wednesday, October 23
7 p.m.
BH&PS Headquarters
48 Court Street
A TALK:
IT TAKES TWO: RI DOLL MAKERS IZANNAH WALKER AND MARTHA JENKS CHASE
Carol Gafford and Sarah Weed will host an informal lecture and conversation about the captivating lives and tales of two interesting women in Rhode Island history, doll makers
Martha Jenks Chase and Izannah Walker.
Martha, born in Pawtucket, was the wife of Dr. Julian Augustine Chase, and at first designed baby dolls, and then went on to create medical dolls used to teach doctors and nurses. Her dolls became the standard for education.
Izannah born in Bristol, started making dolls in Central Falls around 1845. She earned a patent in 1873 for her process of making doll heads. Martha Chase was inspired by Walker’s dolls when she was given one in 1855. The mother of seven, Martha later created durable, washable dolls for her children and then started a doll business.
FREE and Open to the Public
POZZI PLAYHOUSE PARTY ON OCTOBER 20TH....AND ALL ARE WELCOME
Join the BH&PS for a celebration of the legacy of architect Lombard J. Pozzi and the unveiling of a special historic house plaque to hang on the Pozzi Playhouse.
- Sunday, October 20th @ 4 p.m.
- Free and open to the public in the rear garden at Society Headquarters, 48 Court Street. Refreshments will be served.
One of three playhouses that survive, Lombard built this unique structure when he was a teenager and many of his friends remember playing in it as children. Bring your roller blades (Lombard was a rollerblader!), take a peek inside his playful playhouse, and enjoy an afternoon celebrating this part of the Lombard J. Pozzi Center for Historic Preservation Education.
THANK YOU TO THE GENEROUS HOMEOWNERS OF THE BH&PS HOUSE TOUR 2024 - AND TO ALL OF THE AMAZING VOLUNTEERS, SUPPORTERS, CONTRIBUTORS & 750 VISITORS!
bh&ps special exhibit FOR 2024
"PLAY!"
Set against a spectacular backdrop of toys from our collections, the BH&PS exhibit PLAY! asks visitors to think about the seemingly simple questions of "What is PLAY?" and "What is a Toy?".
When planning your visit to PLAY!, leave time to take a few extra minutes to also explore our historic jail. And check our EVENTS CALENDAR because we sometimes have special guided tours of this exhibit.
The exhibit is open to the public on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays h 1 to 5 p.m.
WALKING TOURS 2024
The 2024 Walking Tour Season is in full swing!!
Lots of new tours as well as the return of lots of old favorites with new routes and directions.
Check out our CALENDAR for dates and details.
The Society has self-guided downtown walking tour maps, too. Pick up one at the Society during open hours or CLICK HERE to print one out.
THE BH&PS WINS PRESTIGIOUS HISTORY AWARD
The Timeline of Enslavement in Bristol, Rhode Island
The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) congratulates the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society, of Bristol, RI, for receiving an Award of Excellence for The Timeline of Enslavement in Bristol, RI. The Award of Excellence is part of the AASLH Leadership in History Awards, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation of state and local history. It is the first time in more than four years that a RI project has been honored.
The Timeline of Enslavement in Bristol, RI is a 56 foot-long strip of fabric that lists in chronological order the names of those who were enslaved in Bristol, Rhode Island, between 1680 and 1808. All those identified occupy their own space on the timeline, regardless of how much or little is known about them. The approximately 600 entries represent approximately 475 enslaved individuals in total.
