Below is a just a small sample of the artifacts with local East Providence ties on display at the museum.

Civil War Sword

This sword was carried by Captain James B. Hudson during his years of service during the Civil War. Captain Hudson made his home on Water Street in the section of town called Watchemoket along the bank of the Seekonk River. In addition to the sword the museum also has a framed Testimonial of Honor recognizing his service during the war. It is signed by the then Governor Ambrose Burnside.

Captain Hudson’s granddaughter remembered visiting his house as a small child. She fondly recalled these visits because the house was located right on the river, which at that time was unpolluted.

Crescent Park Iron Clock Top

The iron clock standing at the entrance to the Crescent Park Carousel today has had a long and traveled history. The clock started out in the 1890’s in front of Sullivan’s Bar at the lower end of Warren Avenue beside the ramp to the old Washington Bridge. The building, which still stands, back then was across from the Railroad station. Across the top of the clock was a wrought iron decorative frame which held the sign, “Sullivan Bros”.

During the 1920’s the ownership of the building changed and the bar became a restaurant, the Washington Lunch. At that time the glass sign insert was changed to “Washington”. In the 1930s and ’40s the Jacques family owned the restaurant and the sign was changed to “Jacque’s Lunch”. The sign was very ornate and could be lit up.

In the 1950’s the Pascalides family owned Giovanni’s Restaurant in Riverside near the Square and were instrumental in having the clock moved to the Square. Unfortunately someone drove into the clock and the ornate sign frame was broken. A new rectangular two-sided sign was made and the name Riverside Businessmen’s Assoc. was inserted. Later the clock was moved to the Carousel and the sign was removed and is now in the Hunt House Museum in a new wooden frame which lights up.

Essex Chemical Sign

In 1930 the Rumford Chemical Company built a new building on the eastern edge of their property abutting the Newman Cemetary to accomodate their manufacture of sulphuric acid. For many years the sulphuric acid division of the Company was the largest factory of its kind east of the Mississippi River.

In 1948 the entire Rumford Company was bought by Hayden Chemical Company and in 1950 the Rumford Baking Powder division of Hayden Chemical was bought by Hulman and Company of Terre Haute, Indiana.

The sulphuric acid plant was purchased from Hayden and became known as the Essex Chemical Company.

In 1975 Essex Chemical ceased operations in Rumford.

Horse Weight

Joseph Butterworth operated a large blacksmith shop in Providence and a smaller one on Pawtucket Avenue near the intersection of Taunton Avenue in East Providence.

Among the many artifacts from the East Providence shop that Joseph had made was this heavy iron weight. It was kept in the carriage or wagon and if there was no hitching post available when stopped somewhere the weight would be put on the ground and the reins tied to a rope attached to it. An early version of the “parking brake”.

Hunt’s Mulberry Ware China

 

 

 

 

 

The two pieces of Mulberry Ware China were once part of a dinner service owned by the family of Allin Hunt who lived in and inherited the John Hunt House through his father from his grandfather John Hunt Jr. Allin died in the millrace in front of his home in 1844 – a mystery that was never solved. Parts of the millrace are still visible.

The china pattern is Oriental in design and named Vincennes and was made in the Samuel Alcock china factory in England which made and exported china to America between 1832 and 1851.

The Windsor Chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

This English made eighteenth century Windsor chair was taken as part of the prize from a British merchant ship captured off the West Indies during the American Revolutionary War by Capt. Zebediah Shepardson. The Captain was in charge of the sloop “Resolute”, which was licensed as a privateer by the Town of Rehoboth, in the Colony of Massachusetts.

Captain Shepardson came home to Rehoboth after the War was over, brought the chair with him and gave it to his daughter Elona. She married Caleb Abell, owner of the Caleb Abell house on what today is Greenwood Avenue in Rumford. The chair remained in the house and was passed down to descendants until it was acquired by Elsie Bushnell Williams. Elsie returned it to “Rehoboth” so to speak when she presented it as a gift to the Historical Society. The Abell House still stands on the corner of Huntington Drive and Greenwood Avenue on the original Ring of the Green. The chair left the house during the Civil War when the house was sold to the Hill Family.