Guide to the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Division of Tourism photographs , 1950-1980

Rhode Island State Archives
Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-222-2353
Fax: 401-222-3199
email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov

Published in 2009

Collection Overview

Title:	Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Division of Tourism photographs
Date range:	1950-1980
Creator:	Rhode Island Port Authority and Economic Development Corporation
Extent:	9.53 cubic feet other
Abstract:	The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Division of Tourism photographs consist primarily of 8x10 black and white (silver gelatin) photographs and 8x10 corresponding negatives (safety film) from ca. 1950-1980.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Rhode Island State Archives
Collection number:	1996-14

Scope & content

The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Division of Tourism photographs consist primarily of 8x10 black and white (silver gelatin) photographs and 8x10 corresponding negatives (safety film) from ca. 1950-1980. Negatives exist for approximately 40% of the images. The collection also includes some 5x7 and 3x5 black and white photographs, color negatives (mostly 35mm), a small amount of color photographs and some black and white halftone negatives for publication use. Captions penned by the department are included in many of the files (95%). The captions provide interesting and historical information geared towards tourism and travel. The bulk of the photographs were shot during the 1960's and 1970's with some in the 1980"s though very little documentation accompanies the images. Subjects in the photographs include points of interests in the various municipalities within the state such as monuments, tourist destinations (Burlingame State Park, Roger Williams Park, Goddard Park), events (Newport Jazz Festival, Boat Shows, Tuna Tournaments), aerial shots, and houses of worship among others.

A substantial amount of photographs from accessions 1997-136 and 1998-127 are of manufacturing and industrial parks and sites, highway projects (interstate 95) and large scale building projects (Midland and Warwick Malls). It appears that a portion of the shots employed the use of actors as many activities appear to be posed. Accession 1998-127 consists of 4x5 black and white negatives and photographs. A small amount of photographs predate 1950. Accession 1999-03 includes many of the same themes, some of which are duplicates from previous accessions.

Access Points

Subject Organizations

• Rhode Island Port Authority and Economic Development Corporation

Subject Topics

• Rhode Island
• Tourism.
• Culture and tourism.
• Travel.
• Parks--Rhode Island.
• Newport Jazz Festival.

Subject Topics

• Government, Politics and Law
• Rhode Island/Local Interest

Document Types

• black-and-white photographs
• color photographs
• black-and-white negatives
• color negativesq
• gelatin silver negatives
• halftone negatives

Arrangement

The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Division of Tourism photographs are arranged chronologically by accession. The records are annged in the following series:

• Series 1. Photographs, 1950-1980

This collection (specifically accession: 1996-14) was originally arranged by subject into two series. One series contained the negative and one positive image while the other series contained copies of the photograph. Overtime many of the files became mixed, and many of the folders were out of subject order when received by the Archives. The folders were left as is and numbered 1 through 280 and all information, including original folder title, was entered into a database. Some of the files were consolidated to prevent duplication of subjects. The database can be searched by title description, by geographical location, and by the scope note. A user copy of each file containing Xerox copies of the photographs was created to preserve the original photographs. In cases where there were multiple copies of the photographs, a photograph is used instead of a Xerox copy. Many of the original files also contain the corresponding negative. In those files that contain only negatives, the user file contains a note indicating that only negatives exist for that particular subject image. Files numbered 277 though 280 have no corresponding user files. This information is also indicated in the appropriate scope note.

Duplicate images existed and were purged where they were identified although some may exist within different folders within different accessions. Also where no folders existed, they were created with imposed folder titles in brackets by the processor.

Historical note

The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation acquires and develops real and personal property and provides financing to others. It provides, promotes and encourages the preservation, expansion and sound development of new and existing industry, business, commerce, agriculture, tourism and recreational facilities. The agency’s statutory authority exists in Title 42, Chapter 64 of the Rhode Island General Laws.

Prior to its name change in 1995 (Public Law Chapter 370, art 12, § 7.) the agency was known as the Department of Economic Development (1974 Public Law Chapter 100). Within that agency was the Economic Development Council whose purpose was to investigate and study the economic conditions of the state and the factors affecting it, such as the industrial structure, the labor force, the number of unemployed, the population and its age and geographic distribution, shifts in the defense program, technological and scientific developments, financial problems of the state and municipalities, and sensitivity of the state economy to domestic and foreign developments.

A division of the Department was the Division of Tourism and Promotion (now the Division of Tourism) whose purpose was to work with tourism and promotion agencies around the state in promoting the state as a tourist destination. The agency was authorized to make grants to recognized tourist promotion agencies, to assist in the financing of their operational costs for the purpose of making studies, surveys and investigations and in planning and carrying out of their promotional programs and projects.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	No special restrictions unless otherwise specified.
Use of the materials:	Copyright is in the public domain unless otherwise specified. We reserve the right to restrict reproduction of materials due to preservation concerns.
Preferred citation:	Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Division of Tourism photographs, 1996-14, Rhode Island State Archives.
Contact information:	Rhode Island State Archives Rhode Island State Archives 337 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903 Tel: 401-222-2353 Fax: 401-222-3199 email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Transferred from Chester Browning, Office of Public Information, Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals on February 28, 1996. There have been three additional accruals to these records. No additional accruals are anticipated at this time.
Accruals:	Accession 1997-136. Received: June 11, 1997Accession 1998-127. Received: September 18, 1998Accession 1999-03. Received: July 9, 1999
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Kate Telford.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Kate Telford 2009 May 28
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

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