Our mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and share Block Island’s past to enrich the present and inspire the future.
The Block Island Historical Society Museum, Gallery & Shop is located in a three-story building with a red mansard roof at the intersection of Old Town Road and Ocean Avenue. The intersection is known as Bridgegate Square.
The building is the headquarters for the Historical Society. It is listed as part of the National Register in the Old Harbor Historic District and was originally the home and farm of Gideon Rose. In 1871 it was rebuilt as a summer hotel called the Woonsocket House. The Historical Society purchased the
building in 1945 and continued to rent rooms to summer visitors until the 1970s.
The Museum has an extensive collection of significant artifacts related to Block Island’s history, from Manissean stone tools and points to early New England maritime and farming displays, colonial memorabilia, and enlarged vintage photographs capturing life during the Victorian age. Two floors of exhibits include fine furniture, Victorian collectibles, textiles, quilts, boat models, tools, fishing gear, historic maps, and other interesting displays.
Staff Directory
Administrative Director Hannah Blackwood hannahb@blockislandhistorical.org
Education Director Janet Dionis janetdionis@gmail.com
Collections Administrator Dr. Benjamin Hruska bhruska@asu.edu
Museum Shop Associate Chandler Lawing
Museum Shop Associate Angus Brouillard
Docent Kathy Lang
Museum Volunteers Amy Jaffe Sharon Lehman Sue Hagedorn Trudy O’Toole Wendy Mills Eliot Nerenberg Thomas McMillan III
Board of Directors
President Robert Champagne-Willis
Vice President Martha Ball
Secretary Sharon Lehman
Treasurer Shirlyne Gobern
Gerry Abbott
Mary Anderson
Joe Buda
Allison Dodge
Paige Gaffett
Sue Hagedorn
Wendy Mills
Kristine Monje
John Mott