The town of Bristol, Rhode Island, has been celebrating Independence Day in grand fashion since 1785. Americans from near and far have long regarded the town as a center of patriotism and history. With this new pictorial history, Bristol resident and
"Fourth of July Historian" Richard V. Simpson presents a lively tribute to his town's heritage. Richard V. Simpson has combined carefully selected images--many rare and previously unpublished--with informative and compelling text to take his readers on a journey through the history of this dynamic and diverse community. Readers are taken...

In this sequel volume, authors Nancy J. Devin and Richard V. Simpson continue to uncover the fascinating history of Tiverton and Little Compton, Rhode Island, in historic photographs. By viewing this impressive collection of carefully selected images, readers will learn more about the communities' unique and engaging heritage. Tiverton and Little Compton Volume II includes images of the rugged Bridgeport area, General LaFayette's quarters, and the United Congregational Church. Also featured is the village of Adamsville with its unique Spite Tower and country store. The tenacity of Little...

During the 318 years since the town's founding, Bristol
has endured a number of severe natural disasters and other
devastating trials, only to triumph in the end. At first
bombed, raided, and burned by the British, in later years
Bristol saw the collapse of her banks and the painful demise
of local industry. In addition, disastrous storms have pounded
her shores, at one time destroying the town's commercial
fleet. Through all this, however, Bristol has endured, a
testament to the tenacity of the town's colorful citizens.
From adventurous privateers and...

From pre-colonial times through World War II, the town
of 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...

With Tiverton and Little Compton, authors Nancy Jensen Devin and Richard V. Simpson invite you to travel historic roads, to explore late-nineteenth-century life in town, on the farm, on the sea, and at leisure. The reader will delight in sweeping views of the Sakonnet River and the Portsmouth shore from Fort Barton, and ride in a one-horse carriage down Main Road to Little Compton and the industrious fishing village at Sakonnet Point. A series of views from the Portsmouth Hummock offers a spectacular perspective of the Tiverton shore, where breakers crash majestically along the rocky coast....