rhode island - archives & historical societies

The area now known as the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was inhabited for thousands of years by various native American tribes. Their archives and artifacts represent the earliest records of human activities. Those archives and artifacts may be held by various descendants of tribes, formally in tribal archives and museums, as a collective memory in the oral tradition, or in non-tribal museums and collections. The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology has a very strong collection.

State government manages formal archives at various departments with content spanning from about 1620 and up to the present. Informal state archives are contained at the Rhode Island Historical Society and at numerous locations throughout the state.

The thirty-nine cities and towns within the five counties that create the political boundaries of Rhode Island were incorporated and settled at different times, and have histories unique to their localities. Each of those cities and towns has public records available for review and in various conditions of organization. Generally, the primary source for local government records will be the town or city clerk offices. In addition, affiliated public libraries may also receive and maintain local historic archives. Public and private institutions of learning also house archives related to their activities and Rhode Island houses of worship may also contain important archival records.

There are numerous historical societies in Rhode Island that work to preserve family records and local history collections. The methods used to maintain those records vary greatly. However, with the digital information age, numerous projects have begun that may make it possible to more easily gain access to records and increase the flow of knowledge.