Of Historical Stereo Views of 19th Century Providence

Presented by Ned Connors

On May 24th WaterFire and the Rhode Island Historical Society will present a 3D projection program of late 19th-century stereo views of the Providence waterfront and downtown, along with some modern day equivalent 3D views.

 

Join us at the RISD Auditorium for a half-hour narrated tour of the city’s river edge at a time before automobiles, when commercial schooners docked at wharves on the Providence River and industrialization of Rhode Island’s capital city earned us a ranking among the highest in per-capita income in the country.

 

See Turk’s Head and Market Square, horse-drawn trolleys at Washington Block and Exchange Place in the 1880s, and steamships plying their routes to Newport and beyond.

 

When stereo photography first emerged, it was a popular parlor entertainment. New technology allows us to take these historical 3D images and project them for public viewing. Luckily, Providence was a popular subject and by the 1870s local photographers were shooting urban street and waterfront scenes for an enthusiastic market.

 

Join historian Ned Connors for a narrated tour of 19th-century Providence; you’ll see the present-day venue of WaterFire magically come alive in three dimensions just as it was 125 years ago. Seeing these historic photographs with the added realism of 3D is a remarkable experience. 

 

WHEN:  Shows begin at 7:30pm, 9pm, 10pm and 11pm. We’ll loan you the special 3D glasses for free!  There is no charge for the show, but contributions are welcome! 

 

WHERE:  The RISD Auditorium is the large brick building directly facing the river on the east shore between Washington Street and College Street, just off Market Square. 

 

With a special thank you to the WaterFire and Providence Preservation Society volunteers and Ned Connors.

 

The Providence Preservation Society’s superb architectural guide book and walking tour collection "Guide to Providence Architecture" written by Mack Woodward ($30.95) and the informative Providence restaurant guide “*91 Best Restaurants” written by Deborah Moxham and John Schenck ($14.95) will be available for sale in the RISD Auditorium Lobby.