Here Are The Oldest Photos Ever Taken In Rhode Island And They're Incredible
By Tammy Laforest
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Published September 05, 2017
Rhode Islanders have been taking photos of the same things for as long as cameras have existed. Our historical records are replete with photos of ornate architecture, lush flower gardens, local celebrities, and the shocking aftermath of natural disasters, proving that we have always enjoyed capturing the same memories generation after generation, even when we had to pay for them to be developed. Take a look at the incredible old photos below.
Providence Athenaeum, 1850
This member-supported library founded in 1836 was beautiful enough to photograph even before the invention of film.
Burnside and the 1st RI Militia at Camp Sprague, 1861
This photo of the First Rhode Island Militia is one of the very first photographs ever taken in the state.
Confederate shell in a tree, 1861
Shocking enough to snap a photo of, this bullet shell was found lodged into a tree at the location of the 7th infantry of Rhode Island.
General Burnside, 1863
General Ambrose Burnside was known for his distinctive hairstyle which would become known as "sideburns." A monument of this war hero stands in Burnside Park in Providence.
Richard Baker Jr. House, Newport, 1870
Proof that we have been snapping photos of the Newport Mansions since the 1800s.
Hand-colored flowers, Newport, 1914
What good would a photograph of flowers be without color? This one snapped in 1914 was colored by hand.
Cargo boat on land after a hurricane, Providence, 1938
This photograph from the 1930s is the equivalent of someone snapping a cellphone photo of weather damage today.
Rhode Island is fraught with fascinating history. Keep reading to learn seven things that happened in Rhode Island that you will NOT find in history books .
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