Cranston Historical Society

05/28/2026

Very Limited Parking at Joy Homestead -- Park at Cranston West H.S. where mini bus transports visitors to Joy and back at no charge!

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Thank You Western Cranston Garden Club for spending time beautifying the Joy Homestead herb garden area -- looks awesome for the June 18th 5pm Colonial Family Day Celebration with Pawtuxet Rangers and visitors as part of Cranston 250th. Colonial games, music, tours, food AND CHS usual Washington/ Rochambeau Strawberry Biscuit Tea Day. Since there is no parking at Joy Homestead, we have arranged complimentary parking at Cranston West H.S. where you will be transported by mini bus to Joy and back for this fun event! To volunteer, call Ms. Mary @ Sprague Mansion 944-9226

05/05/2026

On April 25, the Western Cranston Garden Club (WCGC) donated and planted a Red Maple (Acer rubrum) on the grounds at the historic Governor Sprague Mansion. They were able to fill in a spot where a storm took down a tree the previous year. Many members from WCGC, including President Linda Alves and President of Cranston Historical Society Sandra Moyer, participated in a commemorative ceremony after the tree was planted. THANK YOU. 🌳😊

05/05/2026

The APRIL 26 American Girl Doll Afternoon Tea at Governor Sprague Mansion was very well attended. Guests enjoyed a lovely afternoon in the grand ballroom and Sprague dining room -- with tea of the day served and wonderful assortments of petit sandwiches, savory & sweet treats! Our host was Kirsten Lawson, mid-1850s, a Swedish immigrant of strength and spirit, who traveled with her family to Minnesota. Young folks and some adults, too, brought their favorite doll or borrowed one of Ivy's dolls waiting in the grand foyer to join the tea! In the 1790 room, pictures could be taken inside an American Girl Doll box! We thank all who attended and our special Volunteers including Chefs of the Day. It was grand day. T H A N K Y O U. 🌹

05/05/2026

Cranston Historical Society Gives a Hearty Thank You to all the Volunteers that came to help on April 18 for the Spring Sprague Mansion Grounds Beautification Day! 👍🦋 Several volunteers were able to earn Community Hours on that day. Perhaps you need Community Hours -- Call Gov. Sprague Mansion at 944-9226. 😊

04/28/2026

On April 21, as part of Cranston 250 Celebration, author Gerald Carbone was the Cranston Historical Society's guest speaker at their open membership meeting. Guests in attendance learned much about General Greene's life and Revolutionary War achievements. A memorable talk about his book on RIs Nathanael Greene: A Biography of the American Revolution...“Ged Carbone has written a lively, accessible biography of one of the truly great strategists in American history, Major General Nathanael Greene, second only to Washington in the pantheon of heroes of the War of the Revolution.” —John Buchanan, author of The Road to Guilford Courthouse.
"Mr. Carbone was a journalist for twenty-five years, mostly for the Providence Journal and has been recognized as an expert on the life of Nathanael Greene by various historical societies. He has won two of American journalism's most prestigious prizes--the American Society of Newspaper Editors Distinguished Writing Award and a John S. Knight Fellowship at Stanford University. He lives in Warwick, Rhode Island." -- Macmillan Publishers

04/17/2026

Cranston Celebrates 250: April 21 @ 7pm Gerald Carbone at Gov. Sprague Mansion. Cranston has some fabulous events coming up to Celebrate the Birth of our Country! Starting with: April 21st, 7 PM Sprague Mansion, 1353 Cranston St., Cranston. Come listen to Gerald Carbone speak about Nathanael Greene's involvement in the Revolutionary War.

Gerald M. Carbone has published three books about the American and Industrial Revolutions: Nathanael Greene: A Biography of the American Revolution; Washington: Lessons in Leadership; and Brown & Sharpe and the Measure of American Industry. His writing has also been anthologized in Best Newspaper Writing, How I Wrote the Story, and Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance. Carbone has completed a John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University, and earned a master’s degree in Public Humanities from Brown University. Starts at 7pm. Enter 1353 Cranston St.-Grand Ballroom entrance. Accessible & parking in back of Mansion.

Host your next special event at the Governor Sprague Mansion. Call 944-9226 for available dates and how we can help you, The Cranston Historical Society is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) educational and historical preservation organization which includes the Governor Sprague Mansion Museum and colonial Joy Homestead. Celebrating America 250th.
www.facebook.com/cranstonhistoricalsociety

04/08/2026

Join us on April 26 -- American Girl Doll Tea. A lovely afternoon tea at historic Gov. Sprague Mansion. Reserve your places by April 20: 944-9226. Great raffle prizes. You can win your own American Girl Doll! Checks payable to Cranston Historical Society, 1351 Cranston St., Cranston 02920.