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'TfieG R E E L I G H ' r
■ - - L i r r i N O F ' F i m ' ' -
O F N e w p o r t , R h o d b I s l a n d
S U M M E R 1 9 9 9
Telephoto shot of me bridge on tne N ew port sideJerry Taylor photo, courtesy of Joan Calcutt
The
G R E E N L I G H T X LIII N o . 6 S U M M E R 1999
President's L e tte r ..................................................... 3Spring Membership M eeting................................. 5Waterfront Roundup................................................6Forgotten Point M ovie ................................................8
hy Beth Cullen Newport Bridge Turns 30
by Brian Comfort...................................................... 9By Their Baggage They Shall Be K nown 12
by Betty CaresA June Wedding in N ew p ort................................. 14
by Suzanne VariscoHistorical Discovery in Our Harbor, Part II 17
by D. K. Abass, PhDPoint Photographer..................................................18
by Brian ComfortWard Councilman's Letter.....................................19Summer Calendar.....................................................20
EDITORIAL STAFF
Acting Editorial BoardBrian C om fort D on D ery R ow an H ow ard Kay O'Brien Ron P otvin Joy Scott
Word ProcessingSuzy Sturmak
DistributionBeverly A dler
Copies of the Green Light may be purchased for $1.00 at the following stores:
Bucci's Convenience Store - Poplar & Thames Streets Aidinoff's Liquor & Gourmet Shop - Warner Street The Walnut Market - Third & Walnut Streets
Art Work byDorothy Sanschagrin and Eleanor Weaver
The Point A ssociation is a group of neighbors working together to im prove the quality of life in our neighborhood by: getting to know each other -preserving our historic heritage - maintaining the Point's residential character - beautifying our parks, streets and piers ~ prom oting public policies that strengthen all of N ew port's neighborhoods.
The Point Association Board
OFFICERSSuzanne Varisco, President (841-5220)
M ike Cullen, 7" Vice President (848-2945)
A lberto C oll, 2'"‘ Vice President (849-4722)
Loretta G oldrick, Corr Secy (849-9425)
Betty Cares, Recording Sec'y (847-2752)
Art G udikunst, Treasurer (849-4367)
COMMITTEES
BeautificationG lenn & Ellen Secrest (848-2285)
Green LightD on D ery
History & ArchivesN an cy Espersen
M embershipBeth C ullen
N oise AbatementM ike C ullen
(847-8351)
(846-2907)
(848-2945)
(848-2945)
Nom inating CommitteeM ary Lynn R ooke (847-0787)
Special EventsBob Peck
TrafficA lberto C oll
(846-2002)
(849-4722)
Walking Tour SignsAnne Bidstrup (849-1354)
WaterfrontD on D ery (847-8351)
Board meetings are generally scheduled fo r the first Monday o f the month and are have a concern you would like the board to address, please call Suzanne fo r time,
open to Association members. I f you
date and location o f the meeting.
T h e G re e n L ig h t ~ S u m m e r 1999
The President's LetterD ear N eighbors,
In assum ing this new post, I w ish to offer m y sincere thanks to the m any
past presidents, officers, committee chairs, and committee m em bers w ho have la
bored on behalf of all Point residents to maintain this neighborhood, w hich w e all
love. Through their unstinting efforts, these volunteers have beautified the parks
w e enjoy strolling through on sum m er evenings, diverted unnecessary traffic from
our narrow streets and discouraged entrepreneurs w ho w ou ld p ly their trade to
the detriment o f this quiet com er of the city.
M ost recent am ong our past leaders is Coles M allory, w ho has presided
over the Point A ssociation 's governing board for the past two-and-a-half years. I
know you join m e in extending congratulations and appreciation to him for a job
w ell done and in w elcom ing his return to the Board of the Point Association in a
new capacity. A s Chair of the n ew ly created Past Presidents A d viso ry Committee,
he w ill coordinate the invaluable resources that abound here on the Point in the
persons of such individuals as Christine M ontanaro, Pete Peters, Joe Vars, and
m any others. In this way, w e hope to build on our A ssociation 's tradition o f com
m unity service, the longest and perhaps most active am ong all of our neighbor
hoods.
A s w e m ove together into the late spring and early summer, enjoying the
Plant Sale, H arbor Cruise, Picnic and Cocktail Party, our Point Association w ill
thrive if it is revitalized through the support of the com m unity it seeks to serve.
With this goal in m ind, I invite you to attend Board m eetings on the first M onday
of each month; share your ideas, concerns, and questions w ith Board members
(w e're all in the phone book); and get better acquainted w ith your neighbors, w hile
contributing your time and energy to the m any projects and events that are planned
w ith you in mind. We look forw ard to hearing from you.
-----------------------------------
T h e G re e n L ig h t ~ S u m m e r 1999
P 0 I N T IPIICNIIC2E veryone's invited. Friends, fam ilies an d chil
d ren p ro v id e the food and fun. The bay an d boats p rov ide the scenery. A nne R eynolds ' lovely garden at 88 W ash ing ton S treet is the add ress , on T h u rsday, June 24* at 6:00 p .m . Bring yo u r ow n picnic s u p p e r a n d d r in k s a long w ith b la n k e t o r chairs. Coffee an d fellow ship aw ait you. Invite y ou r neighbor and enjoy the arrival of long sum m er days. (Rain date - July 1).
GREETINGS FROm THE ADVENTURE CLUB
The A dventure Club m et on sunny Saturday, May 1®* and then the children dispersed th roughout the neighborhood for delivery of May Baskets - a fun and cheerful w ay for all to greet spring (and a delightful surprise for the old folks).
While no specific plans have been made for summer activities, we certainly welcome any suggestions or volunteers. Our next planned gathering will be in the fall for the H allow een parade. Any questions about the Adventure Club can be directed to Pat Lowe at 847-5853, or Jill Spohn at 849-2155. H appy summer!
The Tradition Continues at thePOINT A S S O C I A T I O N 'S
A N N U A L M E M B E E S H I F C O C K T A I L p a r t y
Thursday August 19th 6 to 8 pm
• slebrate summer with your neighbors while watching the sunset from the beautiful
veranda at the
Sanford-Covell Villa Marina 72 Washinton Street
J1 1 : 3 L^dnesday. . .You'll find the N ew port Library Bookmobile in
St. John's parking lot on Willow Street, from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m . This w onderfu l com m unity asset has something for all ages.
Summer hours will be 11:00 to 11:30 a.m., starting July 12*. Come check out all the friendly, helpful services offered and chat w ith M ary Barrett and Kelly McKenna. No traffic, no parking problems.
H h u m b l i n e S ^ e s t a u r a n td P r u d e n v v ) Pnme Properties
YOUR
T h e H is to r ic P o in t ’s O l d e s t &PROFESSIONAL
v e r y o u m R e s ^ i m n t Ss T a v e r n . REAL ESTATE SALES TEAM
Serving full m en u Nite & Day p lu s b lackboard seaso n a l specials.
Micro b rew s o n tap .Richard and Patricia Carrubba
123 Washington StreetMonday d t Tuesday Night Specials. D in n er w ith w in e for tw o $ 3 i.9 S ^
w ith o u t w in e $ 1 B 3 6
Office: 849-2800
Residence: 845-2574
6 2 Bridge Street • Newport • 8 4 9 -6 9 5 0
The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
Point Association Spring M em bership Meeting and Election of Officers
Po int A ssociation m em bers attending the Spring M eeting on A p ril 8th received the new slate of o fficers from N om inating Com m ittee C h a irm an , M ary Lyn n Rooke, and en th usiastica lly elected the fo llo w ing for the term beginning April 8,1999 and ending at the annual m eeting in October, 2000:
PresidentSecond Vice President Corresponding Secretary
Suzanne Varisco Alberto Coll Loretta Goldrick
O utgoing President Coles M allory w as honored for his leadership and m any accomplishm ents du ring h is tenure. Mike Cullen presented to Coles an Use N esbitt fram ed prin t of the N ew port waterfront.
O ur new president, Suzanne, an enthusiastic and involved resident of the Point for a num ber of years, teaches a course in w riting at Salve and has contributed articles to the Green Light. She most recently served on the Board as Recording Secretary. We look forw ard to being in her capable hands.
Alberto will retain his role as Traffic Committee Chair in addition to his duties as Second Vice President and Loretta will continue to be responsible for ongoing com munications w ith the membership.
A special note of thanks goes to the following m em bers of the N om inating Com m ittee for their com m itm ent and enthusiasm to the nom inating process - Brian Babcock, Nancy Espersen, Bob Peck and form er m em ber Suzanne Varisco.
Chairm an M ary Lyn n Rooke reports that w hen the committee reconvenes to begin w ork anew, they will be seeking individuals to fill the positions of first vice president, treasurer and recording secretary. These are two year term s of office beginning in October, 1999.
All members of the Association are encouraged to be part of the nom inating process by contacting m em bers of the committee to contribute your ideas and the names of potential candidates for consideration.
Keith Stokes, guest speaker at the m em bership m ee tin g is E xecu tive D irec to r of th e N ew p o rt County Cham ber of Commerce. He delivered a riveting presentation on the city's north end developm ent p lans at the Spring M embership M eeting.
Stokes told a crow d of more than 100 Point residents tha t the am bitious redevelopm ent program includes plans developed by the city of N ew port, the Cham ber of Commerce, the state of Rhode Island and the Foundation for Newport.
A housing redevelopm ent initiative, supported by a H ope 6 grant from the federal D epartm ent of H ousing and U rban D evelopm ent expected this spring, will involve the upgrading and replacement of much of the subsidized housing in the city's north end.
The new N ew port Town Center shopping mall on Connell Highway, officially opening this spring, is the first step in the economic developm ent plan, S tokes sa id . O th e r p la n s in c lu d e a 10-screen c inem ap lex on p ark ing land beh ind the J'ai alai Fronton, a possible hotel or tw o on land either side of A dm iral Kalfus Road, p lus an attended m ultistory parking garage to encourage visitors coming off the N ew port Bridge to park outside the center of tow n and take shuttle trolleys into the c ity center.
Stokes was careful to em phasize that some of the p lans are long-range, "bu t w e have a w onderful w indow of opportunity now to develop the plans and commence the efforts required to secure funding from the app rop ria te federal, state and local entities."
T h a n k Y o uThe Plant Sale Com m ittee w ould like to thank everyone w ho helped m ake this y ea r 's sale a huge success - especially Anita M cAndrews and her son Shawn for once again hosting the event, the m any gardeners w ho dug, divided, potted and delivered plants to the sale, and the generosity of the following local nurseries and florists:
Broadway Florist Carlone Florist Chase's G reenhouse Chaves G ardens Island G arden Shop James L. M aher Center Mello's Flower Center Rhode Island N ursery W ater's Edge Flowers
The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
Waterfront Roundup
A t long last, construction of the w ater taxi an d ferry land ing a t Perro tti Park gets u n d e r way. W ork in the p a rk itself com m enced th is sp ring , an d p lacem ent of p ilings for the new docks w ill s ta rt in July.
In an tic ipation of th a t w ork , Carl Bolender w as finally o rdered to m ove his ba rg e a n d m arin a o u t of the n o rth eas t corner of the harbo r ad jacent to Perro tti P a rk w h e re he h a d b een o p e ra tin g for years w ith o u t city perm ission . H is tw o- sto ry barge is no w te th e red to G oat Island M arina on the sou thw est side of the causew ay.
B o le n d e r 's d ocks h a v e b e e n m o v ed in to th e m idd le of Sail N ew p o rt's facility a t Fort A dam s, and his 26 concrete block m oorings w ill be m oved elsew here w ith in N ew port h a rb o r a t state expense. A dditionally, the city and DOT officials have been ordered to help Bolender file the necessary state and federal perm its w hich w ill enable h im to p lace either 13 50-foot floats or 26 25-foot floats w ith in the relocated m ooring field, w h erever tha t m ay be.
It's a lm ost a certain ty th a t local com m ercial fisherm en w ill re ta in full use of the State Fishing Pier at the sou th end of W ashington Street for the next 99 years. T h a t's ju st p a r t of the deal ab o u t to be in itialed by R hode Island econom ic developm en t officials in exchange for G eneral A ssem bly perm ission to transfer control of the p ier from the D epartm ent of E nvironm ental M anagem ent to the R.L Econom ic D evelopm ent C o rporation (EDC).
The EDC also has prom ised to m ake substantial im provem en ts to the pier, and to p rov ide 24-hour secu rity g u a rd s to p ro tec t fish ing eq u ip m en t. A com m ittee of com m ercial fisherm en w ill determ ine
North bulkhead along Long Wharf.
w hether portions of the pier could ever be used for other purposes, such as a tem porary berth for a Tall Ship.
Right across the street from the pier, a t the corner of W ashington Street an d Long W harf, bu lldozers have broken dow n the cem ent wall that encircled the com er lot. The lot has been graded, b u t the p u rpose for this is unknow n. A park w ould be nice.
The C ity has u n d e r rev iew its tw o-tiered p a rk ing garage next to the Visitors C enter p lu s the street level park ing lot b eh ind it, as w ell as the G atew ay Center; the p roperty to tals abou t eigh t acres of p rim e h a rb o rs id e real estate. Q uestions are be ing asked regard ing the m ost effective use of the property. The study com m issioned by the city is being funded by federal u rb an -d ev e lo p m en t g ran ts, an d shou ld be com pleted by this sum m er. The outcom e could lead to the co nstruc tion of an office b u ild in g or o ther com m ercial bu ild ing , som eth ing Point residents shou ld w atch closely.
A nd finally, th is year there w ill be no high-speed ferry test be tw een Providence and N ew port, w hich w as to have b eg u n th is m onth . The project is d e layed un til . . . ?
— Don Dery
i l wWMMS
Walter JenM*! C MCDl.USNCto.)
Pomt Ow»■rf Sia« !»4
m u m SALES ASWIATE RmESBnmi s e u m imS^iaa^ « fc li^
Down the ways. American Shipyard on Washington St.
6 The G reen L igh t
«BHJEVUEAVH«BNEWRxr.wmsw
Summer 1999
OFFICE: (401)848^«60S 5IDENCE- («1|S4M 22I
FAX: (401)849-1350
W e l c o m e t o a ([ O m t N e w
P o i n t A s s o c i a t i o n M e m b e r s
J o a n B a r t r a m
S a r a h & t o n y G i l l
K i m H o l c o m b e & T h o m a s C h i g i n s k y
S a l l y J e n k i n s
R i c h a r d & S a l l i e L a t i m e r
C h r i s t o p h e r & P h y l l i s m o y
L e s l i e H e n r y & J o h n O a k l e y , J r .
R i c h a r d & B a r b a r a O ’ N e i l l
R u t h P a i g e
Hwt'
m
" M b - -
Update on Walking Tour Signs
The W alking Tour C om m ittee, com posed of ten Point A ssociation m em bers from different areas of the neighborhood , and w ith vary ing perspectives, m et in January w ith D an Snydacker of the H istorical Society to d iscuss fu rther the p rospect of W alking Tour signs on the Point. A w ell-publicized open m eeting for residents, orig inally p lanned for February 25, h ad to be canceled d u e to b ad w eather. The reschedu led m eeting w as he ld on M arch 4, and attended by a m odest crow d. The overall consensus w as favorable, w ith a few reservations.
Follow ing th is m eeting the com m ittee m et to d iscuss all responses and form ulate a recom m endation , w h ich has since been p resen ted to the board , and subsequen tly to the m em bersh ip at the sp ring m eeting. The com m ittee, w ith the help of the H istorical Society 's staff, w ill first establish criteria for hom es to be listed on the signs. Because of an ongoing com m itm en t to a sim ilar p ro g ram on H istoric Hill, the H istorical Society 's jo in t v en tu re w ith the Po in t is p resen tly delayed.
It is exp ec ted th a t th e P o in t A ssoc ia tion w ill "sponsor" a sign, as can ind iv iduals and businesses.All w ill con tribu te an annual m ain tenance fee. Each s ign w ill a lso hav e a "g u ard ian ." A book let an d note cards m ay be created as well. O w ners of houses included on the to u r w ill be tho rough ly involved in th e p ro cess . C ity a p p ro v a ls a n d m ajo r fu n d in g g ran ts w ill be h an d led by the H istorical Society.
If you w ish to d iscuss the project fu rther or join the com m ittee, call 849-1354.
— A nne BidstrupThe Green Light
S p rin g C lea n u p
M ore th an 30 Poin t residen ts tu rn ed o u t at Storer and Battery pa rk s for the Spring cleanup organized by Beautification co-chairs G lenn and Ellen Secrest.
The vo lun teers filled countless num bers of large leaf bag s w ith b ran ch es , w eed s, beach tra sh an d res idue , sticks, logs, p las tic refuse an d w hatever. They also sp read a gazillion w heelbarrow s full of b a rk m ulch a ro u n d trees and in the gardens.
Scott W heeler, N ew p o rt's Tree W arden, p ru n ed and shaped the low er b ranches of m any trees, and talked abou t p lans to p lan t a large nu m b er of flow ering bu lbs in the parks nex t Fall. H e 'll need Point A ssociation assistance.
Suzanne Varisco endeared herself as the incom ing P resident by p ro v id in g a su p p ly of donu ts and coffee, and Bryan Babcock p ro v id ed tw o huge bags of freshly baked bagels. So, the leaf bags w eren 't the only th ings tha t go t stuffed!
Y T lu e c ^ jY m n c e ?
F r e n c h Co u n t r y L iv in g
French home furnishings, lace curtains andgftsfrom l e Jacquard and Palais Royal
78 Thames S treet • Newport • 401.846.3636 Monday - Saturday 10 to 6 ~ Sunday Noon to 5
~ Summer 1999 7
T h e F o r g o t t e n P o i n t M o v i e
O u r cozy b aysid e ham let has becom e a mecca for the b righ t lights of H ollyw ood. In A pril, the Po int's ve ry ow n G reen L ig h t served as a backdrop fo r a dream sequence in the acclaim ed new te levision show Providence. A m onth later, St. John's was descended upon by more movie-making types, including Jim Carrey. Will our neighborhood ever be the same?
Suzanne Varisco, in her article "Movie M aking on the Point" (Spring 1999 Green Light) rem inded us of the m any times over the years that N ew port has hosted crew s creating feature and television films. Location directors come to N ew port to scout out just the right locale to frame their productions. With the ever growing list of productions filmed locally, they obviously find w hat they are looking for in our city's m any historic and scenic venues.
All the talk of area film m aking brings to mind one movie seldom included on any local film roster. It too used St. John's for exterior and interior scenes. The fam ous cast in c lu d ed K evin Bacon, C loris Leachm an, Eddie Albert, A ndy G riffith and Ken Kershible. A significant am ount of m oney w as left behind to bolster our economy, and m any locals (including myself) were hired as extras. So w hy is
this b rush w ith fame stricken from the annals? Perhaps because the movie w as a trem endous flop! In fact, TV Guide elected it the w orst television movie of the year I
Demon Murders m onopolized m uch of the local scene d uring the fall of 1982. An off year for the Cup races, the restless natives not yet ready to settle in for a long N ew port w inter needed som ething to occupy themselves. This am bitious attem pt to recreate The Exorcist into an ABC Movie of the Week fit the bill.
Celebrities were sighted all over town. Everyone was talking about it. So why has this movie faded from our community's collective memory? Tliough the locations were charming, eveiything else was a disappointm en t The editing and camera work were terrible, the experienced actors struggled with a frightful script, and the story line was truly an embarrassment.
The Point assuredly will continue to be a desirable movie setting. Let's hope the caliber will surpass th a t of the long fo rgo tten Demon Murders. Good luck at the box office, Jim Carrey. We're glad you left our cozy ham let as you found it, pristine and appealing, to suit the next H ollywood crew that comes calling.
— Beth Cullen
BILL DEL NERO CLEANERS AND LAUNDRY INC.
11 FaiweH St. In Newport847-6800
2576 East Main Rd.Portsmouti, RI
682-2220
17 Narragansett Ave. In Jamestown
423-1142
Clipper Wine & Spirits has a new name ...
eiiev^ x B e i l e v u e W i n e & S p i r i t sAnd a new location ...
J 181 Bellevue Avenue(Across from the Tennis Hall of Fame)
Newport, RI 02840 401 846-7993
They specialize in fine imported & domestic wines and offer free delivery.
I t ifc h c n p o l - p o u r r iSandra Crane • Proprietor
42 West Main Road. Middletown, RI 02842 Tel: 401 847 5880 • Fax: 401 849 4770
» <WT1 w im Bi ft 8 » r w
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T h e N e w p o r t B r i d g e T u r n s 3 0
T l n i r t y y 0 3 . r s 3 . ^ 0 / the s ta te of R hode Island em barked
on a project th a t w ou ld forever change the na tu re of life in N ew port.
Serious talk of a b ridge betw een N ew port and Jam estow n began after the
Jam estow n Bridge opened in 1940, b u t it w a sn 't un til 1963 th a t the Rhode
Island Turnpike and Bridge A u thority contracted the engineering firm.
Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Q uade and D ouglas (w hich also designed the
Jam estow n Bridge), to s tu d y an d design a bay crossing. A fter three years of
eng ineering design, construction on the N ew p o rt Bridge began in January
1966.
A t the tim e the b ridge w as built, the N avy w as the b iggest econom ic
influence in N ew port. In 1973, the Pen tagon announced tha t the A tlantic
Fleet w o u ld be rem oved from N ew port. A t th a t tim e, there w ere 60,000
N avy personnel sta tioned here, and b y 1974 unem ploym en t in the city h ad
reached 20 percent. The b rid g e w o u ld help change that.
The A m erica 's C up races in 1974 w ith Ted Turner skippering Coura
geous, and the Tall Ships in 1976, helped to beg in defin ing N ew port as a
tou rist destination . The b rid g e m ade it easier and quicker for sum m er
visitors to reach the island by the thousands. A new era in N ew p o rt's
econom y w as born.
The im pact of the N ew p o rt Bridge w as felt m ost in tim ately here on the
Point, the land ing spo t be ing in its n o rth e rn reaches. E ighteen fam ilies w ere
forced to give u p their hom es for the g rea ter good of the com m unity and
progress. T hough there w ere concerns abou t traffic, noise and the loss of
hom es, Pointers realized tha t the b ridge w as necessary for N ew port and
have learned to live w ith it.
Joan Calcutt, w ho lives a t the base of the b ridge on the corner of Sy
cam ore an d T hird streets, sa id she rarely hears the traffic noise from the
bridge. Occasionally, steel p lates on the overpass w ill becom e loose and
clang a round , b u t Joan says she m akes one phone call to b ridge w orkers
a n d they com e righ t in to fix the offending plates, leaving it qu iet again.
O bviously b ridge construction d u rin g 1966-1969 m ade a great im pact in
this neighborhood , cu tting a p a th th rough W ashington, Bayside and Sec
ond streets, w ith houses m oved or to rn dow n, m aterials stored and trans
ported . W atching changes on the w ater w as interesting, b u t changes
ashore w ere pain fu l for som e. D o let u s h ea r your stories if those years
bring back memories. -—Brian Comfort
The Rhode Island Turnpike
and Bridge Authority has
approved spending about
$80,000 to plant floivers
and shrubs in the grassy
areas at both ends of the
Newport Bridge, according
to Paul M. Eckhart,
Newport's representative
on the Authority.
The plantings should be
completed this spring. The
work will be done in the
grassy areas near the
tollbooths in Jamestown
and around both exits
leading into Newport.
Paul said the improve
ments are compatible with
the overall plan to spruce
up Newport's north end,
and loill also serve as a
sound buffer for those who
live on The Point.
The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
Building the Newpc
Newport abutment and eight spans of concrete beams
B usiness as u su a l in th e m a innavigation channel.
Structural steel storage and Completed east tower,assembly yards at Fleet Landing looking southJQ The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
m i m s
M i
1m l1
t B r i d g e , 1 9 6 6 - 1 9 6 9
A
eel s to rag e o tith e east sh o .e of G o at f e t o d
The Green Light Summer 199911
By T h e ir B aggageT h e y S h a l l b e K n o w n
W ith talk of rejuvenating the O ld C olony Railw ay line to reach Fall River once again, w e w ere fortunate to receive some timely family history from native Newporter, Geraldine Nagle, concerning her m aternal grandfather and lifelong Pointer, Charles E dgar Brice. For 54 years Brice, dressed in a crisp w hite uniform , served the O ld Colony and later the New York, N ew H aven , and H artford Railroad as N ew port's "baggage master."
O pened in 1863, The Old Colony Railroad carried p assen g e rs an d fre ig h t from Fall R iver to N ew port's station at West M arlborough Street. Passengers arrived from N ew York, Providence, Boston and m any other locations to enjoy N ew port's cooler climes. Photographs from the early 1900's show the long station roof extending across the property w here the M arriott H otel and the Visitor's Center stand today. (Currently, the D inner Train uses these same tracks, bu t they have been truncated to begin at the corner of America's Cup Avenue and Bridge Street.)
Bom in N ew port on September 20, 1868, son of Thom as and M ary Brice, C harles grew u p at 33 Third Street. From this house, baby Charles could h ear the bustling new railroad that had been built only five years before. The rail cars and commotion fascinated him, and, as Mrs. Nagle learned, "when he w as still in knee b ritch es and a t age 1 2 , he d ropped ou t of school and w en t to w ork for the railroad." His first job w as as a "halter holder" and his duties included holding the halter of patrons ' horses while they conducted business inside the station
Because his supervisors liked his work, Charles soon became head of the baggage room at the Fall River Line dock at Long Wharf. After seven years there, he w as prom oted to baggage m aster at the West M arlborough Street Station where he remained for the rest of his career. W hile w orking at Long W harf he met a young Irish w om an nam ed Mary Jane Riley, w ho w as visiting N ew port from Providence on one of her sum m er boat trips. They m arried at The Church of The Holy Nam e in Providence and settled in at 33 Third Street. Anna Brice, Mrs. N agle's mother, w as am ong their four children.
After business slowed because of the Great Depression and the dom inance of the automobile, the railroad significantly reduced the train schedule. In early May of 1933, Charles Brice w rote to his daughter Edith in N ew York, "We have hardly anything
to do w ith passengers. Freight is fair, bu t not any too good. H ope som ething picks up soon." To pass the time at the station, Charles and several railroad pals started "The W rangle Club." According to a 1933 "Grist Mill" colum n in The Newport Daily News, annual m em bership dues consisted of one pum pkin pie that "MUST be hom em ade." According to the column, "Any m em ber trying to pass over anything other than a hom em ade pie on these expert pie eaters will be tied to the tracks in front of a fast freight."
In 1969, Charles Brice is m entioned by Green Light scribe Carrie Ericson in her childhood m emories of "going dow n street" from the Point to visit the busy railroad depot:
...the railroad depot with its covered platform, a busy place with the passengers boarding the trains and the baggage being loaded. A newsstand with papers, magazines and candy; here we stopped to put a penny in the gum machine for a square of gum. There was a waiting room, with Dennis O'Brien in a caged office selling tickets. Next came the fre igh t and baggage room with Charles Brice in command. He lived on Third Street, was patient, friendly, happy and never too busy to weigh us kids on the big black scales (none of us weighed over a hundred pounds).
12 The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
C harles Brice, w hose favorite say ing serves as title for th is story, d ied o n M ay 26, 1933, a fte r a short illness. His obituary states that he had beenat h is desk at the sta tion n o t ten day s before he becam e ill. H e h a d seen b o th the h ey d ay of A m erica 's railroads an d their sw ift decline d u e to H en ry Ford 's m achine. T hree years before h is d ea th , the N ew York, N ew H a v e n an d H a rtfo rd R ailroad recogn ized C harles ' 50 years of service an d aw arded him a d iam o n d en cru sted stickpin . In h is acceptance speech, he recalled the days w h en he and an assistan t w o u ld h and le u p to 1500 pieces of luggage p e r day. By the tim e he passed aw ay his office h an d led less th an 400 pieces a m onth.
M rs. N agle never knew h er g rand fa ther because she w as bo rn only w eeks before h is death . H o w ever, she has d ev e lo p ed a s tro n g b o n d w ith h im th ro u g h h e r y e a rs o f th o ro u g h g en ea lo g ica l re search. M any thanks to h e r for sharing he r pho tos and discoveries w ith the Green Light.
— Betty Cares
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The Green Light ~ Summer 1999 13
A J u n e W e d d i n g i n N e w p o r iJune in N ew port, like June everyw here, stands
on the th resho ld of sum m er, w ith all its flow er-filled days. In June, the daffodil a n d tu lip are no m ore th an a m em ory, w hile the b rillian t h y d ran g ea and daylily of h o t July have yet to arrive. In June, w e p ause in the doo ryard to enjoy the last sw eet scent of M ay 's la te l ila c a n d th e f a l l in g p e ta ls o f h e r b o w e d p e o n y , th e n s to o p in a sh a d ed co rner to s p y th e graceful lily of th e valley , w hose "w hite co ra l b e lls upon a slender stalk" signal to all sentim ei 'sou ls th a t w e Jare no w in them onth of v"'-^d in g s . ' ■story of a ip a r t i c uw e d d in g inJune comesus fro m th e i p lillilM llllilM lilM P o in t 's ow nRow an H ow ard , w hose im portan t role as one of the four-year-old flower girls has been preserved in the pages of the family album.
This w e d d in g tale, w hich begins on June 27, 1922, is told by none other than the father of the b ride, th en -C o m m o d o re R eginald R. Belknap, a m uch decorated and greatly revered naval hero, as he pens a four-page thank-you "note" to his naval com rades from the celebrated N orth Sea M ine Force of W orld War I. W herever possible, the Com m odore will step forw ard to speak in his own words, recreating the festivities of that happy day, in an unm istakable tone of parental affection, for the benefit of his absentee captains and executives.
C om m odore and M rs. Belknap b o u g h t the ir N ew port hom e on the Point at 94 W ashington Street betw een C hestnut and C herry streets, and nam ed it Bel'napoli, half punning , half affectionately for the Italian port of Naples.
D raped in bun ting for the occasion, the large house w ith its open porches sat on a w ide lawn that sloped dow n to the pier, providing the perfect setting for an outdoor reception, just a few blocks away from the ceremony in St. John's Church, which, according t nodore, was "well suited for w ed
dings and gen- e ra lly does th in g s w ell." A tten d , then , the p ro u d fa th e r's tender descrip tion of his family.
# * "C o lo -n e l L ouis M c C a r t h y Little directed th e u sh e r in g business w ith
■ LI th e ta c t youw o u ld expect of him , finally escorting Mrs. Belknap to her
: place, and after the service e sco rtin g ou t Mrs. Mack, the g r o o m ' s m other. The
rest of the Belknap family, except little Barberie (10 weeks old), w ere in the procession. Rexane in white leading the bridesm aids, w ho were in blue organdie w ith hats to m atch and pink sw eet peas—Emilia, M argaret Sims, H elen Jenkins (cousin), and M ary Joslin. Next, G eorgiana as m aid of honor, in tea colored organdie and h a t to m atch, w ith yellow roses; then the bride w ith me, and on our quarters followed M ary [Rowan] and another 4-year-old, the groom 's cousin, little Jennie W hittem ore, in w hite organdie and hats and formal bouquets, and bare knees—one of the m ost difficult things to insure presentable for the w edding day, in view of M ary's athletic and tum bling activity. A e y were officially train- bearers bu t had strict injunctions under no circumstances to touch or step on the train, which instructions they duly observed, w ith sufficient bu t not overpow ering gravity.
14 The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
"M y ow n opinion that Averill w as a verybeautifu l b ride is confirm ed from m any sources, som e of them com parative strangers. She w ore h e r m ate rn a l g ra n d m o th e r 's w e d d in g d ress of o rg an d ie a n d o ld lace, w ith seed -p ea rl e a rrin g s a n d o rn a m ents, carry ing lilies of the valley. She has alw ays been a gracefu l girl, of good carriage, an d as she cam e d o w n from the altar, h e r calm , h ig h b eau ty an d look of serene happ iness m ade a deep, stirring im pression n o t soon d im m ed. L ieu tenan t M ack is a good-looking you n g officer, tall an d slender, w ith good featu res an d expression an d a d ignified carriage, m aking a w ell-balanced couple.
"A fter they h ad p assed u n d e r the sw ord arch, G e o rg ian a fo llo w ed b e tw e e n the tw o b e s t m en . M ack 's b ro th e r an d L ieu tenan t Senn, a n d Rexane follow ed, lead ing the 4-year-olds o u t by e ither hand . As the b ride reached the door, the chim es rang ou t in joy bells." Follow ing th is loving descrip tion of the recession, the C om m odore pa in ts an equally po ig nan t p ic tu re of h is eldest d au g h te r as she cuts her w ed d in g cake, one tha t places a catch in the rea d e r 's th roat: "She cu t tw o slices— en o u g h for all in her w orld a t th a t tim e; leav ing the rest of u s to cu t for ourselves."
Later, as the m om ent of d ep artu re arrives for the y o u n g L ieu tenan t an d his b ride , the C om m od o re re la tes th e m isch ievous getaw ay, su p p ly in g vivid, yet som etim es surp rising details, to the am usem en t an d deligh t of his m odern readers: "W ithout too m uch d ifficu lty an d w ith the help of the tw o best m en. L ieu tenan t Senn being a husk y one, the coup le got th ro u g h to the boat. Back of Rose Islan d , o u t of s ig h t of the house , a to rp e d o chaser range-boat w as w aiting. They shifted to th a t u n o b served [and] m ade for the N . Y. Yacht C lub landing, [w hile] the u sh e rs an d b rid e sm a id s [w ere m isd irected] to the R. R. station. A t the land ing , an out- of-tow n friend w as w aiting w ith a Packard car, [to drive] them to Fall R iver an d the b oa t there. H e says he n ev er looked b e h in d once. H av in g only b reakfasted at 5, they had to d ine a t 7:30, and w ere
still a t it on b o a rd the CO M M O NW EA LTH , u n til she left N ew port. M eantim e w e in the family, abou t 30, h ad su p p e r an d p layed b ridge un til tim e to illum inate an d serenade (G eorgiana on the bugle) w hen the boa t w en t ou t." A t th is po in t, w e can only im agine the yo u n g m en 's chuckles, as they read abou t this scene of h ilarity on the law n of stately Bel'napoli.
Finally, the C om m odore com es to the pu rpose of his letter, hav ing saved the best for last: the gift, itself. "A s for p resen ts, to d ay 's count is abou t 300; the range in character and source is w ide; and ind iv idually an d together, the collection is uncom m only handsom e and full of association . . . . But am ong them all, the M ine S quadron p itcher s tands u p serene and suprem e, w ith its inscrip tion tha t w e like even m ore th an the pitcher. The Captains and Executives of M ine Squadron One to the Commodore's Daughter, 1918-1922." In d o s in g his note of appreciation, the C om m odore quotes h is m other-in-law , w ho defin itely app roved of her favorite g ran d d a u g h te r 's im p o rtan t day: "H ow beau tifu l and successful it all was! W hat a lovely w edding! M y loftiest w ishes for the sw ee t c h ild — w e d d in g , frie n d s, an d p re sen ts—m ore th an realized ."
This rem arkable record is clearly a fam ily treasure, shared w ith us by the very generous form er flow er girl. It w o u ld requ ire an unw ise ed ito r to tam per w ith the e loquen t and gracious p rose of this d o tin g father, w h o se lo n g a n d illu s tr io u s career b ro u g h t honor to h is coun try and distinction to his wife and six daughters. A nd so, w e leave the C om m odore, seated at h is old desk in the qu iet s tudy of Bel'napoli, overlooking his harbor and d ream ing of the young honeym ooners ' safe return .
— Suzanne R. Varisco
Editor's note: The parenthetical explanations in the Commodore's story are his own, while the material in brackets reflects this editor's reluctant attempt to clarify a few of the details for modern readers.
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The Green Light ~ Summer 1999 15
Celebration o f British Cathedral M usic V
This sum m er the church of St. John the Evangelist w ill be privileged to host another of the great choirs of Britain - the choir of the Roman Catholic M etropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool.
Some 54 choir m em bers and staff w ill arrive Wednesday, July 28, and will be in residence until Monday, A ugust 2. H ousing for approxim ately one- th ird of the visitors has been arranged, bu t there is a great need for more host families. If you w ould enjoy participating in this venture, please contact M ary Jane Rodm an (846-9199); Jane landolo (847- 4437); Barbara Peters (846-8611); or the church office (848-2561).
In any case, come hear this glorious music! The schedule is listed on the back page calendar.
B attery P ark N ew s
Thirteen m em orial benches have been installed along the w ater at Battery Park. This will be the lim it. A ccord ing to Scott W heeler, any fu tu re benches donated w ill replace the green benches along the street side of the park. The 13 benches honor: Molly and Kathleen Dowd; Willie; George and Eleanor Weaver; Jane E. Barton; Monroe Adler; Mrs. C. Nana; Dr. William M arler Russell; Gladys Carr Bolhouse; Elizabeth B. Sant; Barbara Capron Jordon; Brian T. Lynch; Captain William Nim m o Jr; Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. H ayes.
— Beverly Adler
lilhen Leaving the Point (ometotheSouthuiest
M u s ic H a ll C a fe o f fe r s ta s te s th a t n o o t h e r N e w p o r t r e s t a u r a n t c a n
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2}o l i i f f Itrwt, neuiport l|l-2p
H a rb o r W a lk / A d o p t-a -S p o t P rogram U n d e r W ay
Earlier this year the Friends of the W aterfront and the Waterfront Commission, in partnership w ith the N ew p o rt Parks D epartm ent, announced a joint effort to create a "H arbor W alk/A dopt-a-Spot Program " along the w aterfront from King Park northw ard to the Van Z andt Pier. This w alk will link the various adopted spots and provide an opportunity to stroll and delight in one of N ew port's greatest, m ost picturesque treasures.
The Point Association has provided a w onderful m odel Harbor Walk through the creation of lovely spots along W ashington Street where one m ay stop to rest and view the harbor or stroll along and enjoy the historic houses. This northern section of the H arbor Walk provides an excellent example of w hat a com m unity can do w orking together.
M eanw hile, th e H arbor Walk in the southern Thames Street area needs m uch attention. To that end, on Earth Day '99, April 24*, nearly 100 volunteers, including some members of the Point Association, virtually rebuilt sections of C oddington Wharf and cleaned up the H arbor Walk from there to the southeast com er of the harbor. This spot has been adopted by several Newporters, led by Kathy and Ted Spargo of the Coddington W harf Condominiums.
A nyone in terested in w orking on the H arbor Walk Project or in A dopting a Spot (e.g., a driftway, small park or green spo t, pier, wharf, etc.) m ay contact Dave Wixted, Coordinator, at 846-2246; or you m ay w rite him at 24 Extension Street for an agreem ent form and additional information.
Chris Moy, a new Point Association m em ber, is putting his extra energy and interest to work. H e's adopted the C hestnut Street driftw ay under the auspices of Friends of the Waterfront, and will also be keeping the state-ow ned land around the Third Street overpass neat.
Chris, a hydraulic hose and fitting specialist, has his business at the end of Third Street. He lives up to its nam e - Moy Works.
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16 The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
H istorical D isco¥ery in O ur H arbor: Part II
Long-tim e readers of the Green Light m ay recall tha t the February 1988 issue fea tu red an article by Esther Fisher Benson entitled: "H istorical D iscovery in O ur H arbor." M rs. B enson 's article to ld the sto ry of how in 1778, the British sank a nu m b er of tran spo rts in the ou ter h a rb o r d u rin g the Siege of N ew port; w h a t p ro m p ted he r to w rite w as the fact th a t one of these vessels h a d ju st been discovered.In the 11 years since the pub lica tion of tha t article, the R hode Island M arine A rchaeology Project has continued the search for m ore of these tran sp o rts an d has m ade a m ajor h isto rica l d iscovery ab o u t the iden tity of one.
Documents found at the Public Records Office in London indicate that of the ten transports know n to have been sunk in N ew port's ou ter harbo r in 1778, one w as very large and had been in the East India service; the other nine w ere much smaller and generally in poor condition. One of them, probably in worse condition than the others, had been HMB Endeavour or Endeavour Bark the vessel tha t took Captain James Cook on his first voyage around the world. The history of Endeavour is recounted in detail in a forthcoming issue of Newport History (the quarterly journal of the N ew port Historical Society).The general outline of how the vessel came to end her days in N ew port was easy to trace from documents found in the British A dm iralty archives.
The Earl of Pembroke w as built at Whitby, England in 1764, and served as a collier (carrying coal and other heavy cargoes). In 1768, she was bought by the R oyal N avy, an d h e r nam e ch an g ed to Endeavour. Cook chose this vessel because he had apprenticed as a seam an on this type of ship and knew of its advantages. After Cook finished his circum navigation, Endeavour carried supplies to the Falkland Islands. In late 1775, she w as sold to a private ow ner w ho changed her nam e to Lord Sandwich and th e n offered to charter her back to the transport service to carry troops and equipm ent to N orth America. C onditions in the colonies w ere starting to heat up, leading to the Revolutionary War, and the British needed m ore troops there.
In 1776, Lord Sandwich carried a German regim ent to New York, and in December of that year, to N ew port w hen the British occupied the city. By early 1777, Lord Sandwich w as in use as a prison ship in N ew port's outer harbor, keeping suspected
The Green Light
"rebel" sym path izers aboard. In early 1778, the French agreed to send a large fleet to N orth America. In late July and early A ugust of 1778, this fleet was in N arragansett Bay, threatening the British troops occupying the city of N ew port.
In response to th e F ren ch th rea t, the British burned and sank four of their own frigates, a sloop of w ar, an d tw o galleys in the w a te rs a ro u n d A quidneck Island, in o rder to avoid capture. In N ew port's inner harbor, they sank another frigate, a sloop of war, and more than 30 small craft. At the sam e tim e th e y san k a t le ast 1 0 tra n sp o r ts in N ew port's outer harbor. These transports were sunk so as to block access to the city, and prevented the large French ships from getting close enough to bom bard N ew port w ith any success.
Based on the docum ents found at the Public Records Office in London, there is not a doubt that Lord Sandwich, w hich had been HMB Endeavour, was one of the tran spo rts sunk in N ew port in 1778.
Local lore in N ew p o rt has alw ays been tha t Endeavour ended her days here, bu t the story claimed that she came here u n d e r the nam e La Liberte in 1793, after w orking in the French whale fishery. She was abandoned at a w harf in the inner harbor and artifacts taken from her becam e part of the N ew port Historical Society collection. In 1997, two am ateur historians from A ustralia produced evidence suggesting tha t th is vessel w as Resolution, C a p ta in Cook's ship from his second and third voyages.
It appears that N ew port is the final port for two of the four vessels that w ent around the w orld with Captain Cook in the 18* century.
The Rhode Island M arine Archaeology Project now plans to continue its study of those transports we have already identified in N ew port's outer harbor; we also will continue to search for the rem ainder we think are still there. We particularly hope to determine which of them is HMB Endeavour.
The State of Rhode Island has taken positive steps to protect these historic sites, bu t it will take public involvement to m onitor the w aters of the outer harbor and to see that artifact seekers do not further vandalize the area. U nusual diving situations should be reported to me at 847-8951. The lost British ships of 1778, w ith Endeavouramong them , are of international im portance. W ith the help of the Point Association and residents of the area, we can share their history w ith the world.
— D. K. Abbass, Ph.D.RIMAP Project Director
Summer 1999 17
P o in t P h o to g r a p h e rWhen Alexander "Sandy" N esbitt w as growing
up in the '70s and '80s, the Point was a different place than it is now. Though his parents' shop and home, the Third and Elm Press, rem ains a neighborhood fixture, the Point w as m ore blue-collar back then. A nd, it seem s to Sandy, there w ere kids runn ing around, lots of them. He estimates that 25 kids his age were growing up w ithin a few blocks of his home.
He recalls playing kick-the-can on Elm Street and cap tu re -th e-flag th ro u g h o u t the ne ig h b o rh o o d , w here team s from different streets w ould compete against one another and run th ro u g h all the backyards in the area. H e knew every square inch of every yard from W ashington Street to the railroad tracks, from M arsh to W alnut streets.
Sandy grew up am ong artists. H is father started and ran the graphic design program at U. Mass.- D artm outh and his m other w as busy running the press. But Sandy says this d id n 't have m uch of an effect upon him. "I never p a id any attention to the graph ic design" all around him , the tall and lanky Sandy said.
Sandy originally went to the University of Maine to study engineering physics. While there he took some art classes and soon found himself in New York City at the Pratt Institute pursuing a BFA. He enrolled in a photography course and his interest blossomed.
Sandy credits th e rela tionsh ips he form ed in childhood as the biggest asset to the art he now practices. Growing up w ith so m any different types of kids instilled friendliness and the ability to get along w ith people that serves him well as a photographer. "I can hang out w ith anybody," he claims.
In his photography Sandy tries to capture people living their lives. He w ants to convey the things he sees about hum anity to the rest of the world. A large factor in achieving this is having the trust of his subjects, w hich he gains by "hanging out" w ith them.
Sandy's photography has taken him around the w orld. M ost recently, he w ent to Egypt to photograph an archeological dig. His brother, Rupert, w ho draw s these artifacts for the archeologists, helped Sandy get the assignment. While there, Sandy also took some pictures of the surrounding area, including the City of the Dead and the G reat Sand Sea. He held an exhibit last December in a building on Tham es Street, w h ic h he recently pu rchased , to bring his w ork hom e to Newport.
In addition to that exhibit, Sandy has show n his w ork at m any other galleries in Rhode Island. He w on first place in photography at the 1998 N ew port Art M useum 's A nnual Juried M embers Show. O ther credits include showings at the Hera Gallery in Wakefield, and in N ew port at Channing M emo
rial C hurch, the C ongregational C hurch, DeBlois Callery, Kulchur M odern Art, Is land ' Art, and Ben Butler Callery. H e has been featured in Newport This Week and the Providence Journal-Bulletin.
Sandy's w ork is not lim ited to photography. He has a graphic design business, and tw o inventions to his credit: a rear e n try snow board binding and an alternative CD case. With other local artists, he founded the Project One banner project, which last w inter hung its second show ing along A m erica's Cup Avenue. Sandy said that com m unity artists are trying to provide for N ew port "the push the arts have had in Providence."
But photography is Sandy's calling. He has taken a circuitous route to get where he is now. For years, photography w as just an avocation, som ething he did on the side while concentrating on the steadier income of graphic design. He said that photography is a building process, learned by doing it. And now he feels comfortable enough w ith his skills to m ake a living from it. Judging by his most recent exhibit of photographs from Egypt, Sandy should do just fine.
— Brian Comfort
F ire m a n fro m S ta tio n 2The March issue of the Creen Light h a d hardly
h it the "new sstands" w hen the editors received a telephone call w ith an identification of one of the firemen pictured in the page 4 photograph of Fire Station No. 2.
Ralph Plumb of the Brick Alley Pub, a Point Association member, called to say the fireman standing in the center of the photograph (at the right end of the line of men) w as his great-grandfather, William H arrison Barker. Ralph's mother, Sarah (Barker) Plumb, w ho currently lives at 9 Pine Street, spotted the picture of her grandfather w hen she opened her copy of the Green Light.
Ralph says Mr. Barker w as a Civil War veteran, and in retirem ent he m anned a railroad crossing shack w hich stood near the tracks tha t once ran dow n Long Wharf. His job was to m anually raise and lower the crossing guard.
Tel: 401 -847-5681 Fax: 401 -848-4508
GILBEiT J. BRADFIELDBROKER/OWNER
For A ll Your Real Estate Needs
"Born on the Point"
P.O. Box 2551 ~ Newport, RI 0284018 The Green Light ~ Summer 1999
I Remember
Twenty years ago this June, m y husband, m yself a n d tw o sons, ages 13 a n d 10 p u rc h a se d 53 W ashington Street. We tore o u t o ld p lum bing , false ceilings, extra w alls an d bricked-in fireplaces for one m onth , and then let the experts take over.
Pete w ent back to w ork and I still had m y teenage destroyer crew the rest of the summer. This is a c tu a lly an a rtic le on " H e d g e P ru n in g ." We chopped dow n a 15-foot privet (ligustrum ) hedge to 18 inches - old hedges do benefit from drastic pruning. The bottom fills in the first tw o to three m onths. O urs w as three feet tall again in one year and now stands about 4+ feet, w ider at the bottom, narrow er at the top to take full advantage of the sun. The best w ay to prune a hedge!
In closing - the w eek w e opened up five fireplaces and w ere covered in soot mess, Mrs. Benson came over and offered us a swim from her pier. "You really shou ldn 't subject your plum bing to all that coat dust." The boys fell in love w ith N arragansett Bay, and Pete and I received a w onderful oral history of our new hom e and neighborhood those long sum m er evenings w hen w e took our "first w ash" from her pier. Thank you, and good-bye, Mrs. B.
— Toni Peters
F r o m t h e F i r s t W a r d
Dear Friends:
Lots of good things are happening in our part of N ew port. The N orth End D evelopm ent plan is well under w ay w ith near com pletion of the renovated shopping center. O ther elements of the plan w ill be developed in the near future.
We are closely m onitoring the turnover of the State Fishing Pier from the DEM to the Department of Economic Development. The fishermen's rights to use the pier m ust be protected.
I 'd like to take note of the change in leadership of the Point Association. Coles Mallory has done an outstanding job as president, and I'm sure Suzanne Varisco will do as well. Thanks to Coles, and welcome, Suzanne.
First Ward Councilman
The Point Association Membership Form
N am e: ' P hone:
M ailin g a d d re s s :-
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□ F u n d R a is in g
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Committees & Activities□ Beautification □ M em bership □ Potluck Supper□ G reen Light □ Noise Abatem ent □ Programs□ H is to ry & A rch iv es □ P la n t S a le □ Traffic
Please check the categories that you w ould like to leam m ore about
Dues StructureIn d iv id u a l: $7.00 Fam ily : $10.00 S u sta in in g : $15.00
Please make check payable to The Point Association. Note if new membership or renewal. The membership year runs from October 1 through September 30. A subscription to The Green Light is included with all memberships.
Clip and mail to the Point Association, P. O. Box 491 , Newport, RI 02840
P atro n : $25.00
The Green Light ~ Summer 1999 19
S U M M E R C A L E N D A R
m n « 1 8 - 2 0 S ecre t G a rd e n T ou r
J u n e 24
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P o in t P icnic6:00 P M ~ A n n e R ey n o ld s ' 8 8 W ash in g to n S tre e t (R ain d a te Ju ly 1)
H is to ry & A rch ives M eeting 9:30 A M
Ju ly 29 - B ritish C a th e d ra l M usicA u g u s t 1 St Jo h n th e E vange lis t C h u rch
T h u rsd a y 10A M & 6 PMF rid a y 10A M , 6 PM & 10 PMS a tu rd ay 5 PMS u n d ay 9 A M , 10:30 A M , 3 PM
A u g u s t 19 P o in t A ssocia tion M em b ersh ip C ock ta il P a r ty6 PM , Sanford-C ovell Villa M arina
72 W ash ing ton St.’Cl
T.B.A. F ree C ru ise on Schooner Aurora fro m G o a t Is la n d ~ In v ita tio n s w ill b e m a ile d
T H E G R E E N L IG H T T h e P o in t A sso c ia tio n P O Box 491 N e w p o r t , RI 02840
Bulk Rale
P A I DNewport. Ri
Pcrmil No. 36
The Green Light ~ Summer 1999