Johnston Historical Society

05/26/2026

Historical Advertising:

Friendly Fruit and Deli, 681 Killingly Street. From the Providence Journal, February 12, 1981.

This little market seems to have only been in business from 1977 to 1982 (or at least, those are the years in which ads appeared in the Journal). PMA Industries, "an integrated technology and production company... specializ[ing] in professional audio, video, lighting, staging and technology services including systems design, sales, installation, service and rentals" occupies the address today.

05/26/2026

Acquisitions and Items from our Collections:

An exhibit we've put together of photos and ephemera related to the Johnston High School Class of 1963.

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

On nice days we work, on rainy days, we research. This lot was extremely overgrown in 2015, it was on our "someday" list because we knew it would take all summer to rehab. JN07, also known as the "Cedar Lot" is on George Waterman Rd/Vacca Street. No, nobody is buried in the crypt along the road. We were contacted by a group from Citizens Bank in 2017 who offered to help us clear the lot. We jumped at the offer. Once cleared, there was a year's worth of repair work to be done. We got it done! Once cleared and repaired, however, these lots must be maintained. A group of us raked and blew leaves for a few hours the other day. Next, the grass and thorny green stuff will try once again to take over and must once again be thwarted. For more photos on just how bad this lot was, see the first comment.

05/13/2026

05/09/2026

From Images of America: Johnston (1997):

“St. Peter's, an English-style, stone church was built in 1855 on the northern end of Killingly Street from plans by noted Rhode Island architect Thomas Tefft. Pictured here about 1915, it replaced an earlier wood-frame structure built in 1846 and still standing across the street. The stone church burned in 1972, but the congregation joined with St. Andrew's in Providence and still exists.“

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05/07/2026

JN024 in northwest Johnston, also known as "Woodlawn," contains about 175 graves. This lot was last years project, being finished up this year because no work could be done during the harsh winter. This beautiful willow stone for James Randall, son of James and Amey Randall, tells us that James was "drowned in Providence" on June 30, 1841 at age 13. The attached Providence Journal article from July 2, 1841 tells us that the accident happened "in the harbor, near the Stonington Depot." That report is also carried by the Norwich Courier newspaper in CT. There was a railroad that ran from Providence to Stonington beginning in 1837. It seems that this depot may have been at Fox Point.

05/04/2026

Did you know that we publish a newsletter three times a year? Advertise your business to your fellow townspeople by taking out an ad. Send a message with your contact information to get started.

12/26/2025

Historical Advertising:

Ceramic City, 87 Putnam Pike. From the Providence Journal, January 9, 1976.

It appears Ceramic City moved a few times, then went out of business around 2008. 87 Putnam Pike is now the home of the Johnston Child Care Center.