The Redwood Library and Athenaeum, located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, was chartered in 1747 by Abraham Redwood (1709-1788) and a group of forty-five other proprietors. The Library was built by architect Peter Harrison (1716-1775) and opened in 1750. The Redwood Library and Athenaeum is a library, museum, and historic building that stays true to its 1747 charter by maintaining a cultural and educational institution for “propagating Virtue, Knowledge and useful Learning.” It also is the oldest continuously operating library in its original building in America.
Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Collection on the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, RLC.Ms.030, Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
This collection consists of newspaper clippings and photographs concerning the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. All of the materials found within this collection are from external sources and were not created by the Library itself. Institutional records of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum can be found in the unprocessed collection: RLC.Ms.001 Redwood Library and Athenaeum records.
Newspaper clippings from 1821 through 1990 concern the Library, its events, and collections. Of particular interest are newspaper clippings detailing the Library’s bicentennial anniversary and celebration in September 1948. Lastly, the photographs found within this collection are from the October 12, 1980, wedding of James W. Loss and Katie Burnett, which was held at the Library.
This collection is arranged in alphabetical order by document type.
Acquisition information is unknown, but it is likely that many of these materials were collected by Redwood Library staff over the years.
Prior to the processing of this collection in November 2013, the majority of the materials currently found in this collection were housed within the Library’s steel cabinet drawers. These materials were then gathered together to create this collection on the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Future additions are expected.
Redwood Library and Athenaeum records, RLC.Ms.001, Redwood Library and Athenaeum.