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Portsmouth Grove

May 27, 2012

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Diagram from a Civil War Medical book in the Portsmouth Historical Society Collection.

An area on Portsmouth’s west side (known as Portsmouth Grove, Bradford or Melville) was an important tourist destination “On the Water.”  Edmund Cole operated the “Portsmouth Grove House” before the Civil War.  During the Civil War Portsmouth served as the location for Lowell General Hospital near the Melville area of Portsmouth (known as Portsmouth Grove).  The Portsmouth Historical Society has the diaries of David Durfee Sherman in our collection, and he writes about the amusements there.  Portsmouth Grove welcomed hundred of guests who arrived on steamships.  For their recreation pleasure, Portsmouth Grove offered picnics, swimming, shore dining, a “fandango” and flying horses.  Groups like the Sons of Temperance came a thousand strong for clambakes and chowder.  There were even moonlight and torchlight excursions to Portsmouth Grove.

All that ended as the Civil War wore on.  The Portsmouth Grove House became the administration building for the Lovell Hospital.  The hospital, built in 1862, cared for wounded Union and Confederate troops. Again, these soldiers arrived at Portsmouth Grove by steamships.   The Rhode Island Hospital Guard which was made up of soldiers too disabled for battle, kept the peace and watched over prisoners.  After the war the hospital was dismantled and there are no signs of it left.  Frank L.Grzyb has written a book, Rhode Island’s Civil War Hospital:  Life and Death at Portsmouth Grove and he will be speaking at the Annual Meeting of the Portsmouth Historical Society on June 18th.

April 30, 2012

portsmouthhistorynotes Bridges, Bristol Ferry Area, Portsmouth History Leave a comment

The Portsmouth Historical Society has items from the opening festivities of the Mt. Hope Bridge in 1929.  Those items include an invitation, guest badge and photographs of the construction and ribbon cutting.  A front page newspaper article from the time helped us to understand how elaborate the ceremonies were.  Senator William H. Vanderbilt presided over the pageant.  Beginning at 10 in the morning a parade began in Bristol – a “tableau”  depicting Roger Williams organized by the Rhode Island Historical Society.  The Newport Historical Society organized a tableau and parade depicting John Clarke and they marched from the Aquidneck Island side.  At 11 AM “Roger Williams” met “John Clarke”  and unfurled flags at the center of the bridge and exchanged greetings. There was an Indian ceremony in which Governor Case and Senator Vanderbilt became members of the Algonquin Council.  Vice President Charles Curtis signaled from Washington, D.C. at noon to begin the dedication of the bridge.  The program lists events such as a christening of the bridge, ribbon cuttings and acceptance of bridge certification.  The ceremony was even broadcast on WEAN at the old Outlet Building in Providence.

Part of the elaborate ceremonies at the Opening of the Mt.Hope Bridge in 1929.

Catboat Bristol Ferries

April 22, 2012

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Captain Hicks used a catboat to ferry bicycles and their riders.

Even in the late 1800’s sailboats were used as ferries.  Captain Oliver G. Hicks bought a large wide catboat for bicycle traffic.  The boat could carry up to 16 bikes.

(image from a book in the collection of the Portsmouth Historical Society)

Sakonnet River Bridge

April 22, 2012

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Sakonnet Bridge Under Construction. (PHS collection image)

Sakonnet Bridge (image from G. Schmidt collection)

The Sakonnet River Bridge opened in 1956 as a replacement for the Stone Bridge that was damaged in many storms.  The bridge has not been maintained well and a new bridge is under construction.  Note the railroad bridge to the left.

Horse Powered Bristol Ferry

April 22, 2012

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Horses powered Bristol Ferries in the mid 1800's.

In 1824 the Rhode Island Steam & Team Boat Company was chartered  to use either steam or horsepower to ferry from Portsmouth to Bristol.  The boat was like a square paddlewheel boat with rounded ends.  Two pairs of horses on both sides of the ferry provided the power as they moved on a large round disk.  This was hard work and horses had to be replaced frequently. Ferry Farm was home to the horses.  The horses proved to be an expensive way to power a boat and by 1845 the horse powered ferries were replaced by the steamboats or even sailboats when people were in a hurry.

(Image from book in PHS collection)

Railroad Bridge

April 22, 2012

portsmouthhistorynotes Bridges, Portsmouth History, Sakonnet River , 1 Comment

The Portsmouth Historical Society displays a piece of the railroad bridge. It may be a piece of the swinging mechanism.

The Sakonnet River Rail bridge was built in 1899.  It was a “swing” bridge with part of the bridge staying anchored and the other part swinging back to allow boats to pass through.   The bridge was damaged and closed in 1980 when it was damaged by a heavy train load.  A barge ran into the open bridge in 1988 and it was removed in 2006 to 2007.  The Portsmouth Historical Society has a circular piece of bridge in the Old Town Hall.

The bridge rail bed swings open so ships may pass through.

Hog Island Shoal Lighthouse

April 21, 2012

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Treacherous shoals are marked by this 1901 lighthouse near Hog Island.  There was a small light boat on the spot that the Old Colony Steamship Company used to aid their vessels.  A larger boat, the Eel Grass Shoal Lightship, LV 12, was used beginning in 1886.

This 1901 Lighthouse replaced a light boat on the Hog Island Shoals. (Image G. Schmidt collection)

Musselbed Shoal Lighthouse

April 21, 2012

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Musselbed Shoals is a dangerous spot for navigation through the channel from Narragansett Bay to Mount Hope Bay.  It is evan noted  on colonial era maps.  In 1871 a beacon was placed there followed by a new light in 1873.  This structure was damaged by ice floes.  A new structure with built with more protection, but ice floes in 1919 -1920 damaged this one as well.  The light was abandoned in 1938 and the lighthouse was severely damaged by the Hurricane of 1938.  Later the building was torn down and an automatic light was installed that remains today.

Musselbed Shoal Lighthouse operated until 1938 when it was replaced by an automatic light

The “Bristol”

April 21, 2012

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Steamboat ferries operated out of Bristol Ferry Landing

The Bristol was a steam powered ferry that transported automobiles.

from 1905 until the Mount Hope Bridge opened in 1929.  The Bristol was a double ender type ferry that carried automobiles.

Bristol Ferry Landing

April 21, 2012

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The Bristol Ferry Landing area was a transportation hub for Aquidneck Island travelers. (Image - G. Schmidt)

The Bristol Ferry area of Portsmouth was a transportation hub even in colonial times. It was a train station, a ferry landing, a loading dock for animals headed to market, a stage coach stop, a trolley car stop and a landing place for steam boats. To accommodate travelers, the village area at Bristol Ferry included places to eat and spend the night.

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