Between the Golden Age and the Gilded Age : A History of the Southern Thames Street Neighborhood

The Southern Thames St. Neighborhood is located on the west side of Newport, Rhode Island, and occupies the southern half of its harbor. This neighborhood is an outstanding example of 19th-century immigrant neighborhood built according to local, vernecular traditions. This area was home to a substantial portion of Newport\u27s Irish immigrant population, a working class group who arrived in Newport between 1820 and 1920

Newport and Monumenta: The Ambition, Controversy, and Legacy of Contemporary Sculpture

The Newport Bridge, later renamed to honor Senator Claiborne Pell, opened in1969, linking the Newport to Jamestown, and ultimately to mainland Rhode Island. In 1973, shortly before leaving the Presidency in disgrace, Nixon pulled the Navy out of Newport. This had terrible financial consequences for the city. Historically, Newport was a city renowned for its traditional architecture with quaint colonial houses and Gilded Age mansions. Its location along the coast was an ideal and picturesque setting. With all of its natural beauty and attractions,Newport suffered economically due to the loss of the Navy. Concerned Newporters,aware of the national and regional economic downturn, experimented with ways to increase tourism in Newport. One such event was Monumenta, an outdoor sculptural exhibit that opened in Newport in August of 1974. Monumenta began as a modest idea and rapidly escalated into a citywide outdoor sculpture exhibit. William Crimmins, a local Middletown resident and schoolmaster, was the catalyst behind the idea. It was an idea that some would applaud and some would scorn