Historic Preservation: An Overlooked Economic Driver, A Study of the Impact of Historic Preservation in Rhode Island

From the introduction: "No state in America has the concentration of centuries of built history than does Rhode Island. The 1000 square miles that make up the nation's smallest state are home to numerous tribal archaeological sites, the oldest synagogue in America, buildings from the beginning of the industrial revolution, mansions of the Gilded Age, 19th century small town Main Streets, vernacular housing of ethnic neighborhoods, magnificent public buildings, and extraordinary religious, commercial, and institutional structures. The citizens of Rhode Island have long recognized the importance of their built heritage. Less than 50 years after the Declaration of Independence, the Rhode Island Historical Society was founded in 1822 as one of the earliest history organizations in the nation. Thirty years later, the Newport Historical Society was chartered, and in 1884, purchased the Seventh Day Baptist Meetinghouse to preserve an early example of colonial architecture. This commitment to historic preservation continued into the 20th century. In 1918, The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now known as Historic New England) acquired the Arnold House in Lincoln. The Providence home of Declaration of Independence signer and Rhode Island Governor Stephen Hopkins was acquired by the state in 1927. The state's first house museum, the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace in present-day Saunderstown, opened in 1931. Rhode Island's first National Historic Site, the Touro Synagogue, was designated in 1946. In 1956, the State Legislature passed the Rhode Island Antiquities Act, which established the Heritage Foundation of Rhode Island, now known as Preserve Rhode Island. Three years later, the Legislature enacted enabling legislation so that local communities could protect historic properties through historic districts. That same year, Kingston and Wickford became the first towns to do so. Today, there are more than 100 historical and preservation organizations in Rhode Island and 19 communities with local historic district zoning. Because nearly everyone in Rhode Island lives and words in or near historic resources, and because heritage buildings are simply part of everyday life, there is a risk that the significant contributions of historic preservation to the economy and life of the state may be overlooked or taken for granted. This report was commissioned to systematically look at historic preservation in Rhode Island in four broad areas: heritage tourism, the impact of the historic tax credit, life and culture, and sustainability. What was found that the historic resources in Rhode Island are significant contributors to the economy, the quality of life, and the environment of the state. The historic cities, towns, and neighborhoods in Rhode Island attract visitors, residents, businesses, and investment." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior (grant number P17AF00032).

Historic Preservation: An Overlooked Economic Driver, A Study of the Impact of Historic Preservation in Rhode Island

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