From pre-colonial times through World War II, Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, has served as a stage for the dramatic evolution of American
history.
Dispossessed citizens from the Massachusetts Bay Colony came to
Portsmouth in the spirit of religious and political tolerance, paving
the way for the establishment of a large Quaker settlement in town.
Revolutionary leaders such as George Washington, Lafayette, and
Rochambeau visited the summer residences of wealthy Newport merchants in
Portsmouth, including the home of Tory, Metcalf Bowler. During the Civil
War, the Melville area of Portsmouth was the site of a hospital for
wounded Union soldiers and Confederate prisoners, and was an active stop
on the Underground Railroad. Prior to World War II, John F. Kennedy
received his PT boat training in Portsmouth, and Raytheon has kept many
employed in the defense industry ever since.
Authors Nancy Jensen Devin and Richard V. Simpson are area historians
who have combined the photograph collections of the Portsmouth
Historical Society with many previously unpublished images from local
families' albums to produce this remarkable new photographic history of
the town. Mr. Simpson is the author of Bristol in the Images of America
series, and Ms. Devin is the creator of a popular multimedia
presentation called The Story of the Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
The authors' affection for the area and knowledge of its history are
evident in this exciting tribute to the town and the people of
Portsmouth.
