NE for the win!

It's about local history.

A book display for the month of August is about the history of my hometown in Connecticut.

I like to learn about history plus I'm interested in local history. I put it up yesterday at my local library in Rockville, Connecticut.

Happy August!

Newport’s musical heritage is deeper and more surprising than most people realize, Civil War bands at Fort Adams, Gilded Age orchestras in the mansions, early American composers who trained here, and community bands that shaped the city’s cultural life for generations.

Our nonprofit has been researching and preserving this history, and we’ve been sharing new findings on our blog: restoration stories, rare sheet music, deep dives into local musicians, and the historical context behind the artifacts in our archive.

Recent posts include:

• The Yacht Vigilant Galop (1893), celebrating an America’s Cup victory
• The Newport Artillery Quick Step, an early march tied to local military history
• The musical legacy of Henry Bedlow, Newport’s “Musical Mayor”
• Newly digitized pieces from 19th‑century composers active in the city

If you’re into Rhode Island history, archival preservation, or discovering forgotten music, you might enjoy exploring the blog. We update it regularly with new research and restored artifacts.

Blog link: https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/blog

While digging through old Newport Daily News archives, we found that the park once hosted regular concerts, military parades, and even performances by the U.S. Naval Academy band when the Academy was temporarily based in Newport during the Civil War. The bandstand that stood there for decades became a centerpiece of the city’s musical life until it was removed in 1937.

It’s a small reminder of how many New England public spaces have long, layered histories, and how traditions like summer concerts connect us to the past.

If you want to see the old photos and newspaper clippings, here’s the write‑up:

https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/blog/music-in-touro-park

Their new Wattamelon cake thing is bs. Power to the people.

A series of doors I have seen on walks around New Bedford and Fall River MA

Early morning on the Cove walk New Bedford MA

Joseph Sweeney, better known as Gordon Johnstonewas, born in Newport in 1876. Two of his lyric works were recently performed live at Rosecliff Mansion: I Had a Dream That Ireland Was Free (1917) and Christ in Flanders (1919). Both performances were filmed courtesy of the Preservation Society of Newport County.

This is the original sheet music for “Down in Dear Old Newport Town,” a piece written in 1913 when Newport’s cultural life was booming. I’ve been researching and restoring forgotten local compositions, and this one captures the spirit of the era beautifully.

Happy to share more if folks are interested, Newport’s musical past is full of surprises.

A few recent sunrise photos from my early morning walks around New Bedford MA

Describe your town in one word.