Extraordinary Women of the East Bay Exhibit

March 13, 2019

Roger Williams University Archivist Heidi Benedict has created a special exhibition that recognizes and celebrates sixty women who have made a difference in their East Bay communities. Women from Barrington, Bristol, Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton, and Warren are recognized, and sixteen local historical societies, museums, and libraries have contributed to the exhibit.

Featured women include the first woman to register to vote in Rhode Island, Mary Jolls Merchant DeWolf, lighthouse keeper Ida Lewis, ice-cream shop owner Annie Dodge Gray, LGBTQ rights activist Julia Pell, Queen Sachem of the Pocasset’s Weetamoo, and baseball player Lizzie Murphy.

Spanning more than three centuries of Rhode Island’s history, the exhibit contains banners with photographs and biographies of the women, artifacts from their lives, and includes a searchable online database containing short biographies of the women. Heidi has also created an online exhibit featuring photographs and in-depth biographies of each woman.

Linden Place Mansion, 500 Hope Street, Bristol, will host the exhibit during Women’s History Month from March 5 – March 30, with an opening reception and panel discussion on Sunday, March 3 from 2-5 pm.

The Edward King House, 35 King Street, Newport, will host the exhibit from April 4-30, with an opening reception and panel discussion on Wednesday, April 3, from 5-8 pm.

The exhibit will move to the Roger Williams University Library for the month of May.

Made possible by a generous grant from the Heritage Harbor Foundation, admission to the exhibit, receptions, and panel discussions are free.