The Hive RI's Historic Lafayette Mill Tour

Press Release

Revisiting the Past

North Kingstown, RI – May 12, 2014: The Hive RI will host an historic lecture & walking tour by local historian, Tim Cranston, at the Lafayette Mill complex on Monday, June 2nd, from 5 to 8 p.m., to educate the public on the historical role the mill played in American history. Join us, as we flip through the pages of history, and learn the roots of our community!

Tim Cranston is a North Kingstown historian who has been writing a weekly column in the North East Independent for 11 years. He won two RI Press Association Spirit of RI awards and two Preserve RI education awards. His work as an historian and preservation advocate, through his non-profit corporation, Swamptown Enterprises, has made him an invaluable resource and asset throughout the region.

Tim will focus on 7 areas during the tour:

1) The history of industry at the Lafayette Mill site

2) The story of Robert Rodman, his acquisition of the mill site, and his 1876 expansion

3) Building by building description of what went on in each structure during the Mill’s peak years

4) An overview of the mill related buildings adjacent to the mill site and the mill’s connections to the Newport & Wickford rail line

5) The differences between the management/operation plans for South County textile mills vs. larger mills in northern RI and the rest of New England

6) The “back story” of the South County textile mill industry; what I call “That dirty little niche”, the negro goods trade

7) Lafayette mill in the 20th & 21st century and beyond

The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Hive RI (on the back corner of the Rodman building, diagonally across the waterfall). Also, Tim Cranston’s book, Walking in Olde Wickford-The History of Old Wickford One House at a Time, will be available at The Hive RI for purchase. This is a perfect time to get the book and learn more about North Kingstown’s history!

RSVPs, and/or directions: contact tuni@trsstrategies.com

Based in the historic Lafayette Mill complex in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, The Hive RI coworking space provides inexpensive working space, conference and meeting areas and professional amenities such as copy machines, printers as well as high speed internet. Local artists, businesspeople, lawyers, engineers and other professionals come together at The Hive RI to work independently, but not alone.The Hive RI is open from 9-5, Monday through Friday, welcomes walk-ins and offers affordable rates for daily, weekly and monthly use. The Hive RI hosts weekly lunchtime networking events and is also available for group events at non-working hours. Please visit http://www.thehiveri.com or call us at 401.295.5941 for additional information.

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