About Us

Founded in 1912 primarily to ensure the preservation of the Jamestown Windmill

People

The Society has approximately 430 Members and an all-volunter no paid staff of 35 Committee and Program Workers, 15 Officers & Directors, and about 150 volunteers. Committee Organization.

Properties

The Society maintains a museum at 92 Narragansett Avenue, a vault in the basement of Town Hall at 93 Narragansett Avenue, the Old Jamestown Windmill on North Road, and the Quaker Meetinghouse at North Road and Weeden Lane.  The Society supports the conservation of the historic 1776 battlements in the Town’s Conanicut Battery Historic Park off Beavertail Road.

Collections

JHS has in excess of 30,000 photographs, letters, documents and memorabilia catalogued. Much of the Collection is about the ferry service and Jamestown Bridge. Most of the photograph collection has been digitized, and the objects have been photographed.
 
Our Images can be used in accordance with our Image Use Policy, which can be examined here.

Facilities

JHS has an environmentally controlled vault, located in the basement of the Town Hall, to house valuable collectibles. It has storage space and work stations and has all the latest water and fire protection systems as well as the latest temperature and humidity control systems.

Officers and Directors

  • Current:2018-2018
    PRESIDENT
    Mary Heath

    VICE PRESIDENT
    Gabe Highstein

    SECRETARY
    Delia Klingbeil

    TREASURER
    Rosemary Enright

    DIRECTORS
    Stephanie Amerigian, Suzi Andrews, Fred Brown, Bob Flath, Madeline Gromada, Gabe Highstein, Polly Hutcheson, Marcia Lindsay, Larry McDonald, Dianne Rugh, Bill Salmons, Linda Warner, Dan Wright
  • Immediate Past Officers & Directors
    PRESIDENT
    Mary Heath

    VICE PRESIDENT
    Jim Buttrick

    SECRETARY
    Heidi Keller Moon

    TREASURER
    Rosemary Enright

    DIRECTORS
    Stephanie Amerigian, Suzi Andrews, Eric Archer, Fred Brown, Bob Flath, Gabe Highstein, Polly Hutcheson, Delia Klingbeil, Marcia Lindsay, Larry McDonald, Dianne Rugh, Bill Salmons, Linda Warner, Dan Wright

Programs and Exhibits

The Society creates summer exhibits for its Museum and maintains display cases and exhibits in the Jamestown Philomenian Library and the Lawn Avenue middle school.

Publications

A newsletter is published bi-annually and research papers are published from time to time.  History articles appear monthly in the Jamestown Press.

Funding

Funding for the Society's operations is from member dues, event revenue, publication and souviner sales, donations from individuals and foundation grants.

Special Projects

2005 - The JHS purchased at auction the Town's first land title: a 1657 document dividing the island among the first 100 owners.
 
2006 - The JHS developed and adopted a Long Range Plan to restore the 1886 Museum building, build an environmentally controlled vault, open a museum workshop in the Town's school.
 
2007 - The JHS implemented a Capital Campaign and raised over $500,000 to repair / restore the Museum , build an environmentally controlled vault for valuables in its collection, and to add to its endowment to help pay for operations and programs.
 
2008 - The JHS completed all its Museum restorations and finished the vault in the basement of Jamestown town Hall.