Support Us

Dear Members & Friends,

The Block Island Historical Society thanks you for supporting our organization. We have weathered the recent Covid-19 pandemic through the support of our members and the tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers.

Our Executive Director, Pam Littlefield Gasner, has served the Society for the past thirty-six years (1985­–2021) and recently retired to spend time with her family. The Block Island community has long recognized Pam as the key representative of the Society’s mission to preserve and protect the Island’s unique history and material culture. During her tenure Pam spearheaded the creation of many summer exhibits including two funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Rugged and Refined (1988) brought attention to the plight of the Southeast Lighthouse before its historic relocation. Manisses: Prehistoric Block Island (1992) revealed important archaeological findings that formed the foundation for our present understanding of Native American life on Block Island. More recently the Society has worked with scholars at the University of Rhode Island whose research focuses on the oldest Town records and Native American life on Block Island, including the topic of slavery that was prevalent in that era. An upcoming traveling exhibit will feature that research.

In 2020–2021 the Historical Society embarked upon a major realignment of our exhibit spaces and refined the chronology of the galleries in our museum. We also refreshed the Museum Shop with many new items and continued our summer program series that cover the breadth of Block Island history.

Our future is in your hands. With your support we will continue to create exhibits that tell the unique story of Block Island History. Whatever your area of interest, you will find exhibits in the Society’s museum that are stimulating, informative, and engaging. Please join and support us as we move beyond the constraints of the Covid-19 pandemic into a bright and shining future.

Please support our mission by making a generous donation.

Gratefully,
Bob Champagne-Willis, President

Donations

Donations to our Annual Fund are always very much appreciated. Fill out the form below, and your donation will be processed securely through PayPal.

We have recently received a $43,000 matching grant from the Champlin Foundation to restore the original windows and install custom storm windows on the Historical Society building. That’s great news, but to get the matching funds, we need your donations! If you’d like to have your donation matched, please check “I would like to designate this donation to a specific fund” below and choose “Window Fund.” We received in early 2020 a $9500 grant in from the 1772 Foundation/Preserve R.I. to restore the cupola and four windows.

Membership

Join the Society and be part of our mission to celebrate and preserve the history of Block Island! We offer a variety of different membership levels; choose the one that’s appropriate for you. All members receive free admission to the Museum, as well as discounts on event tickets.

Make a Purchase

We periodically offer items from the museum shop for sale via Instagram and Facebook. If you see something you like, make your purchase here and we’ll ship your item right away.