Guide to the Chester E. Smolski photographic slides and publications, 1956-2008

Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-8380
email:digitalcommons@ric.edu

Published in 2021

Collection Overview

Title:	Chester E. Smolski photographic slides and publications
Date range:	1956-2008
Creator:	Smolski, Chester E.
Extent:	3.83 linear feet (10 slide boxes and 2 document boxes)
Abstract:	This collection comprises over 10,000 slides and 370 editorial columns published in Rhode Island newspapers, spanning the 1950s through the 2000s. Materials document the studies and travels of Professor Chester Smolski, who was a Professor of Geography and Director of the Urban Studies Program at Rhode Island College.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Collection number:	MSS.41

Scope & content

This collection comprises over 10,000 slides and 370 editorial columns published in several Rhode Island newspapers, including the Providence Journal and Providence Business News. Materials document the studies and travels of Professor Chester Smolski, who was a Professor of Geography and Director of the Urban Studies Program at Rhode Island College. This collection spans multiple decades, from the 1950s through the 2000s.

Throughout his career, Professor Smolski travelled the world in the course of his research. Although his primary focus was always Rhode Island and especially the city of Providence, his opinions and research were informed by his travels to different cities and countries. This collection documents the places he travelled and lived in photographs and newspaper columns that reflect his interest in urban studies, city planning, and geography.

Significant topics represented in this collection include urban development and suburban sprawl; retail developments, particularly shopping malls; "new towns" formed post World War II, particularly in England and Europe; the impact of urban development on populations and the environment; the revitalization of downtown Providence and the construction of new highways and the train station. Hundreds of slides consist of aerials of Rhode Island, New York City, and the surrounding areas. Subjects of Smolski’s newspaper columns include population growth and decline, jobs, demographics, geography in schools, suburban and city living, and highway construction.

Smolski’s slides and editorials reflect the international nature of his research and his commitment to using that work to inform public discussion on Rhode Island's place in history and the world. Although the subjects and locations represented in the collection are global in scope, the bulk of the collection focuses on Rhode Island, particularly its industry, agriculture, nature, construction, suburban sprawl, and the revitalization of downtown Providence. It also includes many charts and graphs that Smolski used alongside his slides when lecturing about new towns and the benefits of garden cities.

Access Points

Subject Names

Smolski, Chester E.

Subject Organizations

Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance

Subject Topics

Document Types

Arrangement

This collection is divided into eight series.

Series 1. Rhode Island slides
Series 2. United States slides
Series 3. United Kingdom slides
Series 4. Europe, Israel, and the Middle East slides
Series 5. The Americas and Asia slides
Series 6. Unidentified slides
Series 7. Publications
Series 8. Research and other materials

Biographical/Historical Note

Chester "Chet" Smolski (1926-2008) was a Professor of Geography and Director of the Urban Studies Program at Rhode Island College from 1953 to1994. His research focused on urban planning throughout the world. He travelled extensively and devoted decades to research and writing concerning Rhode Island and the revitalization of Providence. As a respected expert on urban geography, urban history and city planning, Professor Smolski used his experience and professional relationships to co-develop and coordinate the Rhode Island Geographic Education Alliance (RIGEA), a project of the National Geographic Society.

From the 1970s to 2000s, he contributed over 370 columns to The Providence Journal and Providence Business News; they reflect the international nature of his research and his commitment to using that work to inform public discussion on Rhode Island's place in history and the world.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	The collection is open for research by appointment.
Use of the materials:	Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Alternate form:	Digitized content may be accessed online through Digital Commons and Artstor
Preferred citation:	Chester E. Smolski photographic slides and publications, MSS.41, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College
Contact information:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Ave Providence, RI, 02908 Tel: 401-456-8380 email:digitalcommons@ric.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Processing information:	The collection was processed between February 2020 and April 2021 by Erica Florenz, a Special Collections Assistant supervised by Molly Bruce Patterson, Digital Archivist & Special Collections Librarian.Each box and carousel that originally held the slides was labelled by Smolski with geographical locations or subjects. Some slide boxes contained color coded keys for slide subjects representing different themes of geography. Most individual slides were clearly labelled and grouped together by location or subject if unlabeled. The newspaper columns and other materials provided were numbered and came with a detailed inventory and were housed in a separate box.Shortly after the collection was donated in 2009, the library’s Digital Initiatives staff digitized, numbered, and rehoused over half of the slides into archival slide boxes in a manner that retained their original order. At this time, handwritten inventories of original slide boxes were created before slides were rehoused.Final processing of the collection began in February 2020. The remaining carousels and slide boxes were inventoried and numbered, and photos were taken of every box to document the collection’s original order. We decided to organize all the slides by geographic location in order to facilitate access and discovery. Slides were sorted and arranged into series by region, then by location alphabetically, and then by slide number. By the end of the final arrangement, there were two slide boxes containing unidentified slides. Newspaper columns were organized by publication and then chronologically.Overall, the collection is in good condition. Slides are now stored in acid free slide boxes. Paper clips and extra Xerox copies provided with original newspaper clippings were removed and discarded, leaving at most one copy per article. We kept the original newspaper clippings but disposed of the What’s News at Rhode Island College because they were already held in the archives. Newspaper clippings and research files were rehoused in acid free folders, labelled, and placed into archival boxes.


ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Erica Florenz.
Encoding:	This finding aid was encoded by Molly Bruce Patterson, 2021
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Location/Existence of copies:

Digitized content may be accessed online through Digital Commons and Artstor

Inventory

Series 1. Rhode Island slides, 1960-1999
This series consists of slides documenting decades of Rhode Island’s changing geography and demographics, with a focus on Providence. In particular, these images document decline the capital city experienced from the 1960s to the 1980s, as manufacturing decreased and retail businesses abandoned downtown for the suburban Warwick and Rhode Island Malls. Images also show revitalization efforts of the 1990s, and how construction of the new train station in Providence and the surrounding highways changed the landscape of the capital city.

Container

Description

Date

Box 1, Slide Box 1, Section 1

Miscellaneous

1965-1995

Box 1, Slide Box 1, Section 2

Aerials

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Rhode Island

1960-1999

Box 1, Slide Box 2, Section 2

Block Island

Subjects:
Block Island (R.I. : Island)
New Shoreham (R.I.)

1973

Box 1, Slide Box 2, Section 3

Bristol

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Bristol (R.I. : Town)

1978-1985

Box 1, Slide Box 2, Section 4

Burrillville

Subjects:
Burrillville (R.I. : Town)

1971

Box 1, Slide Box 3, Section 1

Central Falls

Subjects:
Central Falls (R.I.)

1971-1978

Box 1, Slide Box 3, Section 2

Charts and Maps
Contents Note: Charts, maps, and other statistics related to changing demographics of Rhode Island over the decades.

Subjects:
Rhode Island

Box 1, Slide Box 4, Section 2

Cranston

Subjects:
Cranston (R.I.)

1983

Box 1, Slide Box 4, Section 3

Jamestown

Subjects:
Jamestown (R.I.)

1976-1996

Box 1, Slide Box 4, Section 4

Middletown

Subjects:
Middletown (R.I.)

undated

Box 1, Slide Box 4, Section 5

Narragansett

Subjects:
Narragansett (R.I.)

1976-1978

Box 1, Slide Box 5, Section 1

Newport

Subjects:
Newport (R.I.)

1967-1990

Box 1, Slide Box 5, Section 2

North Kingstown

Subjects:
North Kingstown (R.I.)

undated

Box 1, Slide Box 5, Section 3

Pawtucket

Subjects:
Pawtucket (R.I.)

1965-1978

Box 1, Slide Box 5, Section 4

Providence
Contents Note: This file contains the bulk of slides in the Rhode Island series. Smolski documents the city from the 1960s to the 1980s with the eventual revitalization efforts of the 1990s.

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Benefit Street (Providence, R.I.)
Fox Point (Providence, R.I.)
Federal Hill (Providence, R.I.)
Providence (R.I.)

Names:
Arcade (Shopping center : Providence, R.I.)

1960-1995

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 1

Quonset

Subjects:
Aerial photography
North Kingstown (R.I.)

1979

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 2

Rhode Island Desert

Subjects:
West Greenwich (R.I. : Town)

1966-1985

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 3

Roger Williams Park

Subjects:
Providence (R.I.)

1978-1985

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 4

Scituate
Contents Note: This file includes aerial views of the Scituate Reservoir.

Subjects:
Scituate (R.I. : Town)

1963-1971

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 5

South Kingstown

Subjects:
South Kingstown (R.I. : Town)

1968

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 6

Warren

Subjects:
Warren (R.I.)

undated

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 7

Warwick

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Warwick (R.I.)

1971-1978

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 8

Westerly

Subjects:
Westerly (R.I.)

1968-1979

Box 2, Slide Box 2, Section 9

Woonsocket

Subjects:
Woonsocket (R.I.)

1979

Series 2. United States slides, 1956-1999
This series consists of slides from Smolski’s travels throughout the United States.

Container

Description

Date

Box 2, Slide Box 3, Section 1

Arizona

Subjects:
Arizona

1978-1992

Box 2, Slide Box 3, Section 2

Arkansas

Subjects:
Arkansas

1964

Box 2, Slide Box 4, Section 1

California

Subjects:
California
Yosemite National Park (Calif.)

1960-1976

Box 2, Slide Box 4, Section 2

California - San Francisco

Subjects:
Aerial photography
San Francisco (Calif.)

1976-1981

Box 2, Slide Box 4, Section 1

Colorado

Subjects:
Colorado

1963-1988

Box 2, Slide Box 4, Section 2

Connecticut

Subjects:
Connecticut

1960-1979

Box 2, Slide Box 5, Section 3

Washington DC - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1971-1984

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 2

Washington DC - Arlington National Cemetery

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1970

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 3

Washington DC - Capitol Building

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1958

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 4

Washington DC - Jefferson Memerial

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1958

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 5

Washington DC - JFK Memorial

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1970

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 6

Washington DC - Lincoln Memorial

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1958-1971

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 7

Washington DC - Vietnam Memorial

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1970-1978

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 8

Washington DC - Washington Monument

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1971

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 9

Washington DC - White House

Subjects:
Washington (D.C.)

1970-1971

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 10

Delaware

Subjects:
Deleware

1978

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 11

Florida - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Florida

1962-1978

Box 2, Slide Box 6, Section 12

Florida - Daytona "500"

Subjects:
Daytona Beach (Fla.)

1978

Box 3, Slide Box 1, Section 1

Florida - Everglades

Subjects:
Everglades (Fla.)

1978

Box 3, Slide Box 1, Section 2

Florida - Jacksonville

Subjects:
Jacksonville (Fla.)

1978

Box 3, Slide Box 1, Section 3

Florida - Miami
Contents Note: This file includes photos of the Fountainbleu Hotel and Miami Beach.

Subjects:
Miami (Fla.)

1962-1978

Box 3, Slide Box 1, Section 4

Florida - Orlando

Subjects:
Orlando (Fla.)

1978

Box 3, Slide Box 1, Section 5

Florida - Palm Beach

Subjects:
Palm Beach (Fla.)

1978

Box 3, Slide Box 1, Section 6

Florida - St. Petersburg

Subjects:
Aerial photography
St. Petersburg (Fla.)

1978

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 1

Florida - Tampa

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Tampa (Fla.)

1978

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 2

Georgia

Subjects:
Georgia

1962-1978

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 3

Hawaii

Subjects:
Hawaii

1999

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 4

Idaho

Subjects:
Idaho

undated

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 5

Illinois

Subjects:
Illinois

1970-1993

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 6

Indiana

Subjects:
Indiana

1962-1993

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 7

Iowa

Subjects:
Iowa

1964-1993

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 8

Kansas

Subjects:
Kansas

1963

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 9

Kentucky

Subjects:
Kentucky

undated

Box 3, Slide Box 2, Section 10

Louisiana

Subjects:
Louisiana

1970-1985

Box 3, Slide Box 3, Section 2

Maine

Subjects:
Maine

1963-1977

Box 3, Slide Box 3, Section 3

Maryland - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Maryland

1977-1985

Box 3, Slide Box 3, Section 4

Maryland - Baltimore
Contents Note: This file includes images of Baltimore's Inner Harbor

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Baltimore (Md.)

1978-1990

Box 3, Slide Box 4, Section 1

Maryland - Columbia (New Town)
Contents Note: This file includes photos of the indoor mall of Columbia, Maryland, a planned new town developed in the 1960s.

Subjects:
New towns
Columbia (Md.)

1970-1989

Box 3, Slide Box 5, Section 2

Maryland - Greenbelt (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Greenbelt (Md.)

1970-1971

Box 3, Slide Box 5, Section 3

Massachusetts - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Massachusetts

1960-1980

Box 3, Slide Box 6, Section 1

Massachusetts - Boston

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Boston (Mass.)

1976-1995

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 2

Massachusetts - Cambridge

Subjects:
Cambridge (Mass.)

undated

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 3

Massachusetts - Cape Cod

Subjects:
Cape Cod (Mass.)

1967-1976

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 4

Massachusetts - Gloucester

Subjects:
Gloucester (Mass.)

1976

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 5

Massachusetts - Lowell

Subjects:
Lowell (Mass.)

1976

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 6

Massachusetts - Mansfield

Subjects:
Mansfield (Mass.)

1976

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 7

Massachusetts - Nantucket

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Nantucket (Mass.)

1978

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 8

Massachusetts - Tannery

Subjects:
Tannery (Mass.)

1976

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 9

Massachusetts - Worcester

Subjects:
Worcester (Mass.)

1979

Box 4, Slide Box 1, Section 10

Michigan

Subjects:
Michigan

1963

Box 4, Slide Box 2, Section 1

Minnesota

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Minnesotta

1962-1964

Box 4, Slide Box 2, Section 2

Mississippi

Subjects:
Mississippi

1978

Box 4, Slide Box 2, Section 3

Missouri

Subjects:
Missouri

1964-1988

Box 4, Slide Box 2, Section 4

New Hampshire

Subjects:
New Hampshire

1962-1978

Box 4, Slide Box 2, Section 5

New Jersey

Subjects:
New Jersey

1956-1979

Box 4, Slide Box 3, Section 2

New Mexico

Subjects:
New Mexico

1993

Box 4, Slide Box 3, Section 3

New York State

Subjects:
New York (State)

1962-1992

Box 4, Slide Box 3, Section 4

New York City - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Aerial photography
New York (N.Y.)

1966-1987

Box 5, Slide Box 1, Section 2

New York City - Aerials

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1971-1992

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 2

New York City - AT&T Building

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1982

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 3

New York City - Bridges

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 4

New York City - Central Park

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 5

New York City - Chrysler Building

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977-1980

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 6

New York City - Cloisters

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 7

New York City - Columbia University

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1970-1977

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 8

New York City - Coney Island

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)
Coney Island (New York, N.Y.)

undated

Box 5, Slide Box 2, Section 9

New York City - Co-Op City

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1970-1971

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 1

New York City - Empire State Building

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1967-1986

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Seciton 2

New York City - Flat Iron Building

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 3

New York City - The Gugghenheim

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

undated

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 4

New York City - "Liberty Lady" (Statue of Liberty)

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 5

New York City - Maps

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1984

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 6

New York City - MOMA

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 7

New York City - Queens

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)
Queens (New York, N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 8

New York City - Rockefeller Center

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1983

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 9

New York City - Roosevelt Island

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)
Roosevelt Island (New York, N.Y.)

1975-1977

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 10

New York City - Seagram Building

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 3, Section 11

New York City - St. Patrick's Cathedral

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

undated

Box 5, Slide Box 4, Section 1

New York City - Trump Tower

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

undated

Box 5, Slide Box 4, Seciton 2

New York City - Washington Square Park

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1977

Box 5, Slide Box 4, Section 3

New York City - Welfare Island (Roosevelt Island)

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)
Roosevelt Island (New York, N.Y.)

undated

Box 5, Slide Box 4, Section 4

New York City - Woolworth Building

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1984

Box 5, Slide Box 4, Section 5

New York City - World Trade Center

Subjects:
New York (N.Y.)

1968-1980

Box 5, Slide Box 4, Section 6

North Carolina

Subjects:
North Carolina

1960-1978

Box 5, Slide Box 4, Section 7

Ohio

Subjects:
Ohio

undated

Box 5, Slide Box 5, Section 1

Oregon

Subjects:
Oregon

1990-1994

Box 5, Slide Box 5, Section 2

Pennsylvania

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Pennsylvania

1960-1965

Box 5, Slide Box 6, Section 1

South Carolina

Subjects:
Aerial photography
New towns
South Carolina

1962-1985

Box 6, Slide Box 1, Seciton 2

South Dakota

Subjects:
South Dakota

1963

Box 6, Slide Box 1, Section 3

Tennessee

Subjects:
Tennessee

1960-1964

Box 6, Slide Box 1, Section 4

Texas - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Texas

1960

Box 6, Slide Box 1, Section 5

Texas - Dallas

Subjects:
Dallas (Tex.)

1981

Box 6, Slide Box 2, Seciton 2

Texas - Fortworth

Subjects:
Fortworth (Tex.)

undated

Box 6, Slide Box 2, Section 3

Utah

Subjects:
Utah

1963

Box 6, Slide Box 2, Section 4

Vermont

Subjects:
Vermont

1967-1983

Box 6, Slide Box 2, Seciton 5

Virginia

Subjects:
Virginia

1960-1985

Box 6, Slide Box 2, Section 6

Washington

Subjects:
Washington

1965

Box 6, Slide Box 2, Section 7

West Virginia

Subjects:
West Virginia

1965

Box 6, Slide Box 3, Section 1

Wisconsin

Subjects:
Aerial photography
Wisconsin

1962-1964

Box 6, Slide Box 3, Section 2

Wyoming

Subjects:
Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park

1963-1964

Series 3. United Kingdom slides, 1966-1983
This series includes many photographs of English new towns. In 1968 Smolski received a grant from the National Science Foundation to live in Stevenage for a year and research new towns at the London School of Economics.

Series 3. Subseries 1. England, 1966-1983

Container

Description

Date

Box 6, Slide Box 4, Section 1

Miscellaneous

Subjects:
England
Hadrian's Wall (England)

1968-1973

Box 6, Slide Box 5, Section 2

Basildon

Subjects:
Basildon (England)

1969

Box 6, Slide Box 5, Section 3

Blackpool

Subjects:
Blackpool (England)

1968

Box 6, Slide Box 5, Section 4

Bracknell

Subjects:
Bracknell (England)

1968

Box 6, Slide Box 5, Section 5

Brighton

Subjects:
Brighton (England)

1972

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 1

Cambridge

Subjects:
Cambridge (England)

1968-1973

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 2

Chester

Subjects:
Chester (England)

1968-1973

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 3

Corby

Subjects:
Corby (England)

1968-1973

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 4

Cornwall

Subjects:
Cornwall (England : County)

1973

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 5

Coventry

Subjects:
Coventry (England)

1968

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 6

Crawley

Subjects:
Crawley (England)

1966-1969

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 7

Durham County

Subjects:
Durham County (England)
Hadrian's Wall (England)

1968

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 8

Hatfield

Subjects:
Hatfield (England)

1968-1972

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 9

Harlow

Subjects:
Harlow (England)

1968-1973

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 10

Hemel

Subjects:
Hemel Hempstead (England)

1968-1971

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 11

Hitchin

Subjects:
Hitchin (England)

1972-1980

Box 6, Slide Box 6, Section 12

Kent

Subjects:
Kent (England)

1969-1980

Box 7, Slide Box 1, Section 1

London

Subjects:
London (England)

1967-1983

Box 7, Slide Box 3, Section 2

Milton Keynes (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Milton Keynes (England)

1973

Box 7, Slide Box 3, Section 3

Peterlee (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Peterlee (England)

1968-1973

Box 7, Slide Box 3, Section 4

Plymouth (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Plymouth (England)

1968-1973

Box 7, Slide Box 3, Section 5

Portsmouth

Subjects:
Portsmouth (England)

1973

Box 7, Slide Box 3, Section 6

Skelmersdale (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Skelmersdale (England)

1968-1973

Box 7, Slide Box 3, Section 7

Southampton (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Southampton (England)

1968-1973

Box 7, Slide Box 4, Section 1

Stevenage (New Town)
Contents Note: The Smolski family spent a year living in Stevenage. Along with photographic slides, there are charts, maps, and graphs related to his research.

Subjects:
New towns
Stevenage (England)

1969-1980

Box 7, Slide Box 5, Section 1

Stonehenge

Subjects:
Megalithic monuments
Stonehenge (England)
Aerial photography

1969-1970

Box 7, Slide Box 5, Section 2

York

Subjects:
York (England)

1967-1969

Box 7, Slide Box 5, Section 3

Washington (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Washington (England)

1973

Box 7, Slide Box 5, Section 4

Welwyn

Subjects:
Welwyn (England)

1968-1973

Series 3. Subseries 2. Scotland and Wales, 1968-1980

Container

Description

Date

Box 7, Slide Box 5, Section 5

Scotland - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Scotland

1968

Box 7, Slide Box 5, Section 6

Scotland - Cumbernauld (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Cumbernauld (Scotland)

1968

Box 7, Slide Box 5, Section 7

Wales

Subjects:
Wales

1968-1980

Series 4. Europe, Israel, and the Middle East slides, 1968-1980
This series includes images from the European countries Smolski visited during his travels and research. There is a focus on the new towns of Europe created in the aftermath of World War II, particularly in Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Soviet Union. Roman architecture and engineering are highlighted in images of an ancient mortar-less aqueduct in Spain and Roman roads still standing throughout Europe. The Professor also followed Pope John Paul II on a tour through France and visited Vatican City. Ancient architecture and Biblical holy sites are the focus of many slides from his time in Israel.

Container

Description

Date

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 1

Andorra

Subjects:
Andorra

1969

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 2

Belgium

Subjects:
Belgium

1968-1969

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 3

Bulgaria

Subjects:
Bulgaria

1969

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 4

Denmark

Subjects:
Denmark

1969

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 5

Egypt

Subjects:
Egypt

undated

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 6

Finland

Subjects:
New towns
Finland

undated

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 7

France - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
France

1968-1973

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 8

France - Amboise

Subjects:
Amboise (France)

1969

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 9

France - Arles

Subjects:
Arles (France)

1969

Box 7, Slide Box 6, Section 10

France - Biarritz

Subjects:
Biarritz (France)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 1

France - Camargue

Subjects:
Camargue (France)

1972

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 2

France - Cannes

Subjects:
Cannes (France)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 3

France - Carcassonne

Subjects:
Carcassonne (France)

1972

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 4

France - Evry (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Evry (France)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 5

France - La Grande Motte

Subjects:
La Grande Motte (France)

undated

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 6

France - Le Mirail

Subjects:
Le Mirail (Toulouse, France)

1972

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 7

France - Orléans

Subjects:
Orléans (France)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 1, Section 8

France - Paris

Subjects:
Paris (France)

1969-1980

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 2

France - Normandy

Subjects:
Normandy (France)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 3

France - Rouen

Subjects:
Rouen (France)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 4

France - Sarcelles

Subjects:
Sarcelles (France)

1973

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 5

France - Versailles

Subjects:
Versailles (France)

1969-1973

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 6

Germany - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Germany

1969-1972

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 7

Germany - Black Forest

Subjects:
Black Forest (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 8

Germany - Celle

Subjects:
Celle (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 9

Germany - Dachau

Subjects:
Dachau (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 10

Germany - East and West Germany

Subjects:
Germany (East)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 11

Germany - Ettal

Subjects:
Ettal (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 12

Germany - Munich

Subjects:
Munich (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 13

Germany - Neugablonz (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Neugablonz (Kaufbeuren, Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 2, Section 14

Germany - Oberammergau

Subjects:
Oberammergau (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 1

Germany - Salzgitter (New Town)

Subjects:
New towns
Salzgitter (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 2

Germany - Wolfsburg

Subjects:
Wolfsburg (Lower Saxony, Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 3

Germany - Wurzburg

Subjects:
Festivals
Würzburg (Germany)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 4

Greece

Subjects:
Greece

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 5

Iceland

Subjects:
Iceland

undated

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 6

Israel - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Israel

1970-1980

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 7

Israel - Bethlehem

Subjects:
Bethlehem

1980

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 8

Israel - Jaffa

Subjects:
Jaffa (Tel Aviv, Israel)

1980

Box 8, Slide Box 3, Section 9

Israel - Jerusalem

Subjects:
Jerusalem

1980

Box 8, Slide Box 4, Section 2

Israel - Masada

Subjects:
Masada Site (Israel)

1980

Box 8, Slide Box 4, Section 3

Israel - Tel Aviv

Subjects:
Tel Aviv (Israel)

1980

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 1

Italy - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
New towns
Italy

1969-1975

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 2

Italy - Pisa

Subjects:
Pisa (Italy)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 3

Italy - Pompei

Subjects:
Pompeii (Extinct city)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 4

Italy - Rome

Subjects:
Rome (Italy)

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 5

Italy - Vatican City

Subjects:
Vatican City

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 6

Monaco
Contents Note: Professor Smolski attended and photographed the Monaco Grand Prix.

Subjects:
Grand Prix de Monaco (Automobile race)
Monaco

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 7

Netherlands

Subjects:
New towns
Netherlands

1969-1971

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 8

Poland

Subjects:
Poland

undated

Box 8, Slide Box 5, Section 9

Portugal

Subjects:
Portugal

1969

Box 8, Slide Box 6, Section 1

Soviet Union
Contents Note: Smolski visited and photographed Soviet new towns.

Subjects:
New towns
Soviet Union

1969-1976

Box 8, Slide Box 6, Section 2

Spain - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
New towns
Spain

1969-1980

Box 8, Slide Box 6, Section 3

Spain - Avila

Subjects:
Avila (Spain)

1969-1980

Box 8, Slide Box 6, Section 4

Spain - Barcelona

Subjects:
Barcelona (Spain)

1980

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 1

Spain - Burgos

Subjects:
Burgos (Spain)

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 2

Spain - Costa del Sol

Subjects:
Costa del Sol (Spain)

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 3

Spain - El Escorial

Subjects:
San Lorenzo del Escorial (Spain)

1969-1980

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 4

Spain - Granada

Subjects:
Granada (Spain)

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 5

Spain - Madrid

Subjects:
Madrid (Spain)

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 6

Spain - Pyrénées

Subjects:
Pyrenees

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 7

Spain - Segovia
Contents Note: Images include the Aqueduct of Segovia.

Subjects:
Aqueducts
Segovia (Spain)

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 8

Spain - Toledo

Subjects:
Toledo (Spain)

1980

Box 9, Slide Box 1, Section 9

Spain - Valle de los Caidos

Subjects:
San Lorenzo del Escorial (Spain)

1969-1980

Box 9, Slide Box 2, Section 1

Sweden - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
New towns
Sweden

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 2, Section 2

Sweden - Farsta

Subjects:
Stockholm (Sweden)

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 2, Section 3

Sweden - Linköping

Subjects:
Linköping (Sweden)

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 2, Section 4

Sweden - Malmö

Subjects:
Malmö (Sweden)

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 2, Section 5

Sweden - Skarholmen

Subjects:
Skärholmen (Stockholm, Sweden)

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 2, Section 6

Sweden - Stockholm

Subjects:
Stockholm (Sweden)

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 2, Section 7

Sweden - Täby

Subjects:
Täby (Sweden)

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 3, Section 1

Switzerland

Subjects:
Switzerland

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 3, Section 2

Turkey

Subjects:
Turkey

1969

Box 9, Slide Box 3, Section 3

Yugoslavia

Subjects:
Yugoslavia

1969

Series 5. The Americas and Asia slides, 1960-1992
This series consists of slides of Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Mexico, India and Japan. Smolski pays particular attention to the waterways on the Canada-United States border and the capital of Brazil, which make up the bulk of this series.

Container

Description

Date

Box 9, Slide Box 3, Section 4

Brazil

Subjects:
New towns
Brazil

1974

Box 9, Slide Box 4, Section 2

Canada - Miscellaneous

Subjects:
Canada

1960-1973

Box 9, Slide Box 4, Section 3

Canada - Montréal

Subjects:
Montréal (Québec)

1975

Box 9, Slide Box 5, Section 2

Canada - Niagra Falls

Subjects:
Niagara Falls (Ont.)

1964

Box 9, Slide Box 5, Section 3

Canada - Ontario

Subjects:
Ontario

1960-1966

Box 9, Slide Box 5, Section 4

Canada - Québec

Subjects:
Québec (Province)

1965

Box 9, Slide Box 5, Section 5

Canada - Toronto

Subjects:
Toronto (Ont.)

1979

Box 9, Slide Box 6, Section 2

Dominican Republic

Subjects:
Dominican Republic

1992

Box 9, Slide Box 6, Section 3

India - Chandīgarh

Subjects:
India
Chandīgarh (India)

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 6, Section 4

Japan

Subjects:
Japan

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 6, Section 5

Mexico

Subjects:
Mexico

undated

Box 9, Slide Box 6, Section 6

Venezuela

Subjects:
Venezuela

1974

Series 6. Unidentified slides
Box 10

Series 7. Publications, 1970-2008

Container

Description

Date

Box 11, Folder 1

Providence Business News

1980s

Box 11, Folder 2

Providence Business News

1990s

Box 11, Folder 3

Providence Business News

2000s

Box 11, Folder 4

Providence Sunday Journal

1970-1992

Box 11, Folder 5

Providence Journal Evening Bulletin

1970s

Box 11, Folder 6

Providence Journal Evening Bulletin

1980s

Box 11, Folder 7

Providence Journal Evening Bulletin

1990s

Box 12, Folder 1

Providence Journal

1970s

Box 12, Folder 2

Providence Journal

1980s

Box 12, Folder 3

Providence Journal

1990s

Box 12, Folder 4

Other publications

1980-2000

Series 8. Research and other materials, 1973-2009

Container

Description

Date

Box 12, Folder 5

"1997 Doings"

1997

Box 12, Folder 6

"1998 Doings"

1998

Box 12, Folder 7

Charts and Maps

Box 12, Folder 8

RI Geography Education Alliance (RIGEA)

Names:
Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance

1992-2000

Box 12, Folder 9

Research (1 of 3)

1973-1990

Box 12, Folder 10

Research (2 of 3)

1979-2008

Box 12, Folder 11

Research (3 of 3)

1986-2004