This collection contains over 1100 glass plate negatives and 201 print photographs created by and/or collected by James N. Arnold. Arnold's professional work as a historian and writer began in earnest in the 1880s. Arnold traveled throughout Rhode Island collecting and transcribing local church records, pension rolls, burial records and town papers. The images in the collection depict scenes across Rhode Island including beaches, farms and landscapes as well as activities and community events such as ice skating, parades, football games and community gardens.
Image shows children performing a pageant in what is believed to be Davis Park. A child dressed as a nurse kneels next to a baby doll in a basket. Children costumed as a queen, king and a several fairies stand around them. Original box label reads "Fary's - Davis Park". Believed to be Davis Park, Providence.
Image shows children performing a pageant in what is believed to be Davis Park. Children costumed as a queen, bridge, prince, two cooks, and a nurse stand next to a group of fairies. Original box label reads "Fary's - Davis Park". Believed to be Davis Park, Providence.
Image shows children performing a pageant in what is believed to be Davis Park. A child dressed as a nurse kneels next to a baby doll in a basket. Children costumed as a queen, king and a several fairies stand around them. Original box label reads "Fary's - Davis Park". Believed to be Davis Park, Providence.
Image shows children performing a pageant in what is believed to be Davis Park. Children costumed as a queen, bridge, prince, two cooks, and a nurse stand between kneeling children dressed as fairies. The fairies hold their wands up towards the center of the semicircle. Original box label reads "Fary's - Davis Park". Believed to be Davis Park, Providence.
Image shows children performing a pageant in what is believed to be Davis Park. Children costumed as a queen, bridge, prince, two cooks, and a nurse stand between kneeling children dressed as fairies. The fairies hold their wands up towards the center of the semicircle. Original box label reads "Fary's - Davis Park". Believed to be Davis Park, Providence.
Image shows children performing a pageant in what is believed to be Davis Park. Two children dressed a bride and prince kneel on one knee towards each other. They each place a hand on the hand of the king who stand with a queen behind them. Original box label reads "Fary's - Davis Park". Believed to be Davis Park, Providence.
Image shows children performing a pageant in what is believed to be Davis Park. A child dressed as a bride lays on a covered bench. The prince kneels by her side, holding her hand. Original box label reads "Fary's - Davis Park". Believed to be Davis Park, Providence.
Image shows a slightly overgrown path that runs beside a road. A fence encloses a meadow on the right. A large house is in the background. Original box label reads "R.W. Park, [illeg.] Farm, [illeg.], H.H., Ice pictures, Jan. 1915"
Image shows two outhouses in the open backyards of residential buildings. A wooden box overflows with trash in the center of the yard. Other outhouses and houses are in the background. Original box label reads "[illeg.] Price Garden C., 1916"
Image of a table made of boards and sawhorses with food and tableware on top. Long, empty wooden benches are on either side of the table. The setup is in the grass, underneath trees. Original box label read "Exeter, 1914".
Image of rows of trees in an orchard. Several buckets and barrels are seen under one tree. Original box label read "Diamond H., Fog Mill, Reservoir", believed to be Cumberland, Rhode Island.
Image of a field of short grass, with trees and hills seen on the opposite side. Original box label read "Dia. Hill-99", believed to be Diamond Hill, Cumberland.
Image of the remains of a wooden wagon in an overgrown area. A large stone structure with doors or windows built into it is in the background, also overgrown.
Image of an old wooden cottage in a state of disrepair, seen in front of pine trees with a field in the foreground. Original box label read "Exeter, 1914".
Old bank and Masonic Hall, Lime Rock. Image of a brick building along a road. Stables are seen behind the building. A sign on the building points to nearby towns, indicating a location near Cumberland, Rhode Island. It reads "Manville 3 Miles, Albion 2 [1/2], Woonsocket 6 [1/4]."
Image shows an octagon house built on a slight hill located on the former Ochee Spring Quarry in Johnston, RI. The second floor of the house and roof are octagon shaped. Power lines run next to the house and large rocks sit in yard. The house was demolished when the RT 195 ramp was built nearby. VM013_FIC0090 is reproduction in the Rhode Island Photograph Collection.
Image shows gingerbread style cottages in Oaks Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard. A large American flag hangs vertically on the front porch of the center cottage.
Oldest marked grave at North Burial Ground. Image of a row of small gravestones in an unidentified cemetery. A path and other gravestones are seen in the background.
Image shows waterfalls at Niagara Falls. The image is taken at the top of the fall. Two figures are visible on a look out point at the top of the falls.