Jamestown Bridge Project (Mss. Gr. 93)

Historical Information

The Jamestown Historical Society sponsored the Jamestown Bridge Oral History Project as part of The Jamestown Bridge from the New Deal to the 1990s: From "The Bridge to Nowhere" to Obsolescence project to educate Rhode Island citizens and visitors about the role that the Jamestown Bridge has played in the social, economic, and political history of Rhode Island.

Sue Maden, Project Director, and John Ragland, a former carpenter who worked on the bridge during its construction conducted the project as part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the bridge in 1990. In addition to the interviews, a twelve minute video tape narrated by John Ragland called “A Construction Diary” was produced, a 64 page book with 60 illustrations chronicling the history of the bridge from its inception to 1990 was published, lectures on the Jamestown Bridge sponsored by historical societies, libraries, schools, and senior citizen group were held, and from June to October of 1990 an exhibit was on display at the Jamestown Historical Society and then the North Kingstown Free Library.