Chester "Chet" Smolski (1926-2008) was a Professor of Geography and Director of the Urban Studies Program at Rhode Island College from 1953 to 1994. His research focused on urban planning throughout the world. He travelled extensively and devoted decades to research and writing concerning Rhode Island and the revitalization of Providence. Professor Smolski drew on his professional relationships as well as his background in urban geography, urban history, and city planning to co-develop and coordinate the Rhode Island Geographic Education Alliance (RIGEA), a project of the National Geographic Society.
From the 1970s to the 2000s, Smolski contributed more than 370 columns to The Providence Journal and Providence Business News. These columns reflect the international nature of his research and his commitment to using that work to inform public discussion of Rhode Island's place in history and the world.
This collection comprises 10,620 slides and 370 published editorial columns. The vast majority of the photographs are original images taken by Professor Smolski, but they also include maps and charts reproduced for his lesson plans. The editorial columns were published in several Rhode Island newspapers, including the Providence Journal and Providence Business News. These materials document the studies and travels of Professor Chester Smolski, who was a Professor of Geography and Director of the Urban Studies Program at Rhode Island College. This collection spans multiple decades, from the 1950s through the 2000s.
Topics represented in this collection include urban development, suburban sprawl, retail development (particularly shopping malls), "new towns" formed post World War II, the impact of urban development on populations and the environment, the revitalization of downtown Providence (R.I.), the construction of highways, and aerial photography. Newspaper column subjects include population growth and decline, jobs, demographics, geography in schools, suburban and city living, highway construction, and the revitalization of Providence (R.I.) in the late 20th century.
Series 1: Photographic materials; circa 1958-2000. 2.97 cubic feet This series is composed of 10,620 35 mm slides. Most of the images are original photographs taken by Chester Smolski in the United States, especially Rhode Island, and internationally during his travels. Some slides contain reproductions of maps, charts, magazine covers, and/or other materials that may be under copyright.
Series 2: Publications; circa 1970-2008. .6 cubic feet This series contains editorial columns authored by Smolski on the topic of urban geography, urban renewal, and other related topics. There is an emphasis on Providence, Rhode Island as it relates to the cities revitalization between the 1970s and 1990s.
Series 3: Research and other materials; circa 1973-2009. .2 cubic feet This series contains a mixture of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, notes and other materials pertaining to the professional life of Chester E. Smolski.
Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The collection is open for research. Select items in the collection have been digitized and are available in RIC Digital Collections (digitalcollections.ric.edu). Additional digitized materials are available for viewing in the Special Collections Reading Room.
Chester E. Smolski papers, MSS-0041, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College
This collection has been arranged into the following series:
This collection was donated by Theresa Smolski in 2009, and a deed of gift was signed at that time. The Smolski family also donated $3,000 to support the processing of the collection.
Shortly after the collection was donated in 2009, the library’s Digital Initiatives staff numbered and rehoused most of the slides into archival slide boxes. The slides were numbered in a way that maintained their original order. Handwritten inventories of the original slide boxes were created before the slides were rehoused. In 2010, Special Collections at James P. Adams Library received a $10,000 grant from the Rhode Island Council on the Humanities. This grant funded the processing and digitization of the collection.
In 2020, processing resumed, which included rehousing and numbering slides that had remained in their original boxes and carousels. At this time, a decision was made to reorder the entire collection by geographic location to facilitate discovery. This work was performed by Special Collections Assistant Erica Florenz under the supervision of Special Collections Librarian Molly Bruce Patterson.
In 2025, Special Collections staff determined that the collection should be reorganized to restore the original order established by Chester Smolski. This reorganization was carried out from 2025 to 2026 by students in the Special Collections Digital Initiatives Unit under the supervision of Andrew J. Davis.
The finding aid for the collection was updated to reflect the new organization by Davis in 2026.
In 2010, Special Collections at James P. Adams Library received a $10,000 grant from the Rhode Island Council on the Humanities. This grant funded the processing and digitization of the collection.
Digitized materials are available in the Rhode Island College Institutional Repository:
This series is composed of 10,620 35mm slides. Most of the images are original photographs taken by Chester Smolski in the United States, especially Rhode Island, and internationally during his travels. Some slides contain reproductions of maps, charts, magazine covers, and/or other materials that may be under copyright.
This series contains editorial columns authored by Smolski on the topic of urban geography, urban renewal, and other related topics. There is an emphasis on Providence, Rhode Island as it relates to the city’s revitalization between the 1970s and 1990s.
This series contains a mixture of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, notes and other materials pertaining to the professional life of Chester E. Smolski.