Charities & Corrections: Life at the State Institutions

A new exhibit at the Rhode Island State Archives, entitled “Charities & Corrections: Life at the State Institutions”, features never before seen images and documents chronicling life at the institutions tasked with caring for the poor, disabled, mentally ill, and the incarcerated.

After the Civil War, facilities for these populations were established in a rural area of Cranston originally known as the State Farm. These included the state almshouse and hospital for mental diseases, the workhouse, the state prison, and youth correctional facilities. The State Institutions at Howard, as they came to be known, were considered state-of-the-art at the time.

The exhibit provides viewers with a unique look into a remarkable period in Rhode Island history.

This free exhibit runs through March 31, 2016. The Rhode Island State Archives is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30 at 337 Westminster Street in downtown Providence. Validated parking available adjacent to the building at InTown Parking.