Cranston Historical Society

   

        Cranston Rhode Island 02920

            Email                     
    

Tuesday May 20th at 7:30

Evelyn Wheeler, Chairwoman of the Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Commission will be our guest speaker.  

Please join us at the Sprague Mansion.  Free to the public.  Ample off street parking in the lot behind the mansion.  First right from the Cranston and Dyer Avenue light. 

 

Friends of Historic Cranston Cemeteries

 

 

 

Earth Day, April 19th. Friends of Historic Cranston Cemeteries reclaiming the Knightsville Meeting House Cemetery

 

 

 

 

The Sprague Mansion is proud to announce the Rhode Island Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial has officially endorsed our Lincoln birthday events.

 

July 20, 2008 -

Lincoln's War Governor

Takes Command

To commemorate the first Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, a Civil War Military living history - drill - hardtack & coffee is scheduled on the grounds of the Governor Sprague Mansion, 1351 Cranston Street, Cranston, Rhode Island.  Families -- parents & children -- are encouraged to attend and stroll the grounds; brief demonstrations, lectures and camp life will transform the grounds into an afternoon of Rhode Island Civil War History honoring Abraham Lincoln and Governor Sprague.  Featured speakers to be announced.  A flag raising ceremony will take place at 1 pm.

 

Septermber 13, 2008

Celebrating Lincoln's Visit to Rhode Island and Governor Sprague's birthday at the Sprague Mansion.

A highlight of the day will be our special guest Mackenzie Melemed.  He will honor the Governor by playing the "Governor Sprague March"  on the Sprague Mansion's Grand Centennial Piano.
 

email  spraguemansion@verizon.net

The Cranston Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and historic preservation organization. The Cranston Historical Society is categorized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and membership donations and other contributions are deductible for Federal income tax purposes to the extent permitted by law

 

 

EVENTS

Announcing the return of

RORY RAVEN August 6th at 7 PM

Tickets are $12.00

 

 

 

October 4th Craft Show

at the

Sprague Mansion

Sponsored by

The Cranston Herald

 

 

 

 

2008 Annual Appeal Donors

 

We are thankful for the support of all our donors:

 

Alex Amalfitano

Joe and Diane Ascoli

Barbara Barden

Nancy Bordealeau

Patricia Brune

Linda and John Casey

Mrs Mason Cocroft

Albino Conte

Gilda Conti

Martha Cornell

Claire Dailey

Sister Angela Daniels

Frank DelSanto

Maggie Downes

Raymond Durfee

John L Dyer

Frederick Jaggi

Kristen Fraser

Rita Gatta

Nancy Griswold

Jonathan Lewis/ Elizabeth Armour

Sophie P Lewis

Charles M Lewis

John and Ann O'Leary

Roy & Shirley Loiselle

Vincent and Rosemarie Manieri

Father Farrell McLaughlin

Barbara Motta

Sandra Moyer

Eileen Mullen

Gloria Lewis Olsen

Richard Pierce

Emily Pingree

Arnold and Carole Rathbun

Edward and Maria Rondeau

Ann Smith

James and Linda Shaw

Anthony Williams

Herb & Sandra Zakrison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sprague Mansion has been hosting weddings, receptions, showers, bridal parties, corporate meetings and  gatherings for nearly 30 years. 

 

Close to Providence and Warwick

 

 

 A unique & charming ambience will cast a warm glow over you & your guests all during your wedding ceremony & reception

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e are a non profit 501(c)(3) organization

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

email  spraguemansion@verizon.net

 

 

 

 

 

Weddings

Wedding receptions

Location for Wedding photographs

call for information

401-944-9226

We are pleased to link with

 Rhode Island Rentals

IvyRose Flower Shoppe

1680 Cranston St

401-942-9540

Sweet Streams Chocolate Fountains

 

  • ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

 

Join the Cranston Historical Society

Members receive 10% discounts on rental of the Sprague Mansion

 

 

Governor William Sprague of Rhode Island

 

                            Kate Chase Sprague

             ______________

 

 

Cranston Historical Society Newsletters

2007 March

2007 April

2007 May

2007 June

2007 July

2007 August

2007 September

2007 October

2007 November

2007 December

2008 March

2008 April

 

 

 

 

Thomas Fenner House/Sam Joy Place

The oldest house in Cranston (1677)

Fenner Historical Gravesites

 

 

 

Sprague Mansion Circa 1790 1864

 

The Sprague Mansion on Cranston Street has seen its share of Rhode Island history.  It was the home of William Sprague II who was one of the first men to print calico cotton cloth in abundance at affordable prices. 

 

 

 

 

 It was the setting for the funeral of Amasa Sprague after his murder in Johnston on New Year's Eve 1843.  His murder changed capital punishment in Rhode Island when a rush to judgment may have put the wrong man to death on the gallows.  This was the home of Col Amasa Sprague. He and his brother William Sprague 4 were the richest men in America at the time of the American Civil War. The A.  & W. Sprague Company was printing calico cloth in the millions of yards. The Bell of Washington Kate Chase, and her father Secretary of the Treasury (later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) visited here before she married Senator William Sprague.   This house was the site of the where Col Amasa Sprague thought of incorporating the Union Horsecar Railroad the fore runner of the Rhode Island Transportation Bus Line and here he decided to build the Narragansett Trotting Park because he did not like the corruption and gambling that was happening to the sport of the trotting horses at Washington Park.  After the fall of the A. & W. Sprague Company in 1873 the Narragansett Park changed hands many times and served Rhode Island well as a back drop for much history including the Rhode Island State Fair until 1899. 

With all this cigar smoke and politics and murder at the mansion some say the house is haunted.   It could be.

 

 

 

 

More information about the Sprague Mansion link here

 

Sprague Mansion is handicapped accessible.

 

To rent the mansion for your wedding reception, shower or  party call 401-944-9226.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy Brook Farm 

 

156 Scituate Ave

Rich in history of Cranston, the Joy Homestead was the first home of the

 Cranston Historical Society. No longer the headquarters the homestead serves a greater function for the Society, it is used as the background for teaching elementary school children life as it was in the 1770's. Volunteers from the Society and children participate in various domestic arts from the period. These crafts include spinning wool, weaving and braiding, cooking and games of the period.

For twenty three years the Cranston Historical Society has used the historic sites of the Sprague Mansion and Joy Homestead as background to address central themes and issues of American history, local history and government.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cranston Historical Society is grateful to our friends and neighbors the Cranston Print Works for their friendship and support.  The Cranston Print Works and the Sprague Mansion are forever linked in history. 

 

 

 

 

Cranston Village

 

 

The Cranston Print Works is an employee owned company and the oldest operating fabric finisher in the United States.  We support our friends at the Cranston Print Works and urge our crafting friends to buy Cranston Village, VIP fabric for their projects.

 

 

 

We are also grateful to the staff and our at the

 

Cranston Herald

 

 

In an effort to expand our membership and raise funds for the operating expenses of the Sprague Mansion and Joy Homestead, we starting new member associations for businesses and organizations.  This membership, available in five levels, will provide valuable benefits to organizations.   The clubs are named for five prominent industrialists who once lived in our properties.

 

Governor William Sprague Club

$3000 and up

Entitles members to 3 rentals of the Sprague Mansion

 

Amasa Sprague Club

$2000 - $2999

Entitles members to 2 rentals of the Sprague Mansion

 

Col. Byron Sprague Club

$1000 - $1999   

Entitles members to 1 rental of the Sprague Mansion

 

Samuel Joy Club

$500- $999

Entitles members to 25% discount on rental of Sprague Mansion

 

Job Joy Club

$100 - $499

Entitles members to 10% discount on rental of the Sprague Mansion

 

All business members, regardless of the level, will be listed in our monthly newsletter which is distributed to all members as well as the public libraries and other historical societies.

If you own your business business or are an employee of a civic minded company that you think would like to join and support the Cranston Historical Society and the historic Sprague Mansion, please contact our resident manager at 401-944-9226 for more details and an application.

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From the archives of the Sprague Mansion

"Echoes of Cranston"  Articles by members of the Cranston Historical Society that appeared in the Cranston Herald in the 1950's.

 

1951 Pippin Orchard-Gladys Brayton

 

 1953-Dec 30 "The Print Works Bell" - Wilfred  Stone

 

 1953-Mar 5 "Stoneville and the Stones"-Wilfred Stone

 

 1953-Mar 9 "Dead Man's Switch"

 

 1953-April 16 "King-Randall Historical Cemetery, Valley Street"

 

 

Please visit our links:

Historic Houses of New England

 

 

KNIGHTSVILLE

 

Cranston of Old

Joys at Swan Point Cemetery
Sprague Data base

Sprague Family forum

Knight Family

Fenner Family

The Randall Family

Stone Family

Web pages of our friends 

General Nathanael Greene Homestead in Coventry RI

Voices and Visions of Pawtuxet Village

Historic Pawtuxet Village

Pawtuxet Rangers

Rhode Island Reds Hockey Team

Big Bear Trading Company 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 Images of Cranston by Lydia Rapoza and Bette Miller on sale at Sprague Mansion

Visit our Gift Shop

 

 

This reference book of Cranston History is available for sale on the internet at

Half.com

 

 

 

See mystery pictures

 

The Cranston Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and historic preservation organization. The Cranston Historical Society is categorized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and membership donations and other contributions are deductible for Federal income tax purposes to the extent permitted by law


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