The local legends, historical happenings, and backyard secrets of West Warwick, Rhode Island, are the focus of
Our Town, an ongoing Rhode Island PBS community project. Rhode Island PBS premieres the documentary
Our Town: West Warwick on Wednesday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Earlier this summer, neighbors in West Warwick became storytellers and filmmakers to capture the stories they wanted to tell in
Our Town: West Warwick. These stories have been woven together into a visual tapestry of nostalgia, humor, enterprise, history, even a surprise or two, all representing life in West Warwick through the eyes of those who know and love it. West Warwick residents and friends involved in the production will be in the studio to share their experiences working on the project. Volunteers will also answer phones during this fund raising special to benefit Rhode Island PBS.
Among the stories that will appear in the film is a segment about
“The Divide” that occurred in 1913, when the struggle between a strong Republican leadership in Warwick and a group of Democratic businessmen in West Warwick resulted in a “revolt” of sorts, led by a prominent mill owner.
Other segments include:
“The Mills” were the cornerstone of life in West Warwick in the early 1900s, providing income, housing, and fulfilling the American dream for many different immigrant populations. This segment describes the relationship between the families and the mills that were the foundation for the town of West Warwick.
“Bradford Soap Works” is the world's largest custom manufacturer of specialty bar soap, and one of the oldest manufacturers in operation in Rhode Island. The segment visits the history of this Original Bradford Soap Works, founded in 1876, and still manufacturing soap today from their granite mill building in West Warwick on the banks of the Pawtuxet River.
“St. James Church” delves into one family’s history with the church from its early years to the day the Catholic church closed its doors. In the 1900s, churches formed the centerpiece of immigrant community life, the site for prayer services, for schooling, and for social gatherings that united families.
“The House on Maple” features excerpts of a book by the same title, written by life-long West Warwick resident, Edna Butler Holdsworth. In the segment, Edna’s descendants read excerpts from her book, sharing what it was like to grow up as the daughter of immigrant mill workers in the heart of a West Warwick mill community.
“The Railroad” recounts the connection generations of one West Warwick family had to the railroad. West Warwick was on the main railroad corridor for the Northeast region, making it a great job for local residents. Describing a typical day, the segment explores different jobs railroad workers might have, and the type of living the railroad provided to families, as the town’s second main source of income.
“Hometown Hero” profiles George Luz. He was a typical West Warwick resident who grew up in a family of 12 during the depression, working as a shoe-shine boy and sign boy for the town shops, doing anything he could to help his family put food on the table. In 1942, Luz joined the Army’s Airborne division and headed off to fight for his country. Luz’s unit landed in Normandy and became well known for their actions in WWII. Upon his return, Luz and his unit became the subject of a book, and eventually the HBO mini-series, Band of Brothers.
“Union Cornet Band” may have been called the main entertainment for the town of West Warwick in the early 1900s. A group of town residents shared their love for music by playing at dozens of community and private events. A family member of one of the band’s original members provides a unique look into the history of the band, and displays some of the original instruments and costumes of the Union Cornet Band.
“The Jaycees” profiles the leadership group that has helped build self-esteem and leadership skills in West Warwick’s young men, as well as provide the community with a group of volunteers to help make West Warwick a better place. This segment also traces how the Jaycees were instrumental in bringing a central library system to town, spearheading the fundraising effort that made construction possible.
“A Central Library” takes a look at how the current library system in West Warwick was established, born from several smaller libraries throughout the mill communities. The segment also reviews how the library has changed over the years, in preparation for its 50th anniversary.
“Theater and Arctic” explores the role theater played in the town’s early history. The main theatre in the Arctic section of West Warwick has deep roots in the town, but has also evolved and survived while some of the other businesses have not.
“Fire Department” and
“Police Department” segments trace the evolution of the town’s public safety units.
“Historical Society” takes a look back at how the West Warwick group got started.
“Community: Then and Now” celebrates the resiliency and unifying community spirit of town residents, despite the changes to West Warwick over time.
Part fund-raiser, part community builder, part historical and cultural documentary, and part “day-in-the-life” video scrapbook,
Our Town: West Warwick is the fourth documentary in the Our Town series. The first film,
Our Town: Glocester, premiered in December 2014;
Our Town: North Kingstown premiered in September 2015, and
Our Town: Portsmouth debuted in December 2015.
The purpose of
Our Town is to share the charm and character of Rhode Island towns and villages - in particular, untold or uncelebrated stories that capture the essence of life in the town. Building community by enhancing connections and relationships between Rhode Island PBS and town residents, the stories are told by resident storytellers and videographers, who choose the stories they want to tell about their town. The role of Rhode Island PBS is to offer technical advice and then stitch together the stories into a one-hour film. Next in the series will be
Our Town: Westerly, now in production and set to premiere in December.
For information about joining the Rhode Island PBS
Our Town project, visit ripbs.org/our-town, or call Jodi Mesolella (project director) at 401-222-3636, extension 209, Nicole Muri (producer) at extension 225, or email ourtown@ripbs.org.
WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) content over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; on Massachusetts cable: Comcast 819HD (check local Comcast listings for standard definition channels) and Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 36. WSBE Learn transmits SD on digital 36.2, Cox 808, Verizon 478, Full Channel 89, and Comcast 294 or 312.
Our Town: West Warwick is made possible in part by support from the following West Warwick businesses:
November 3 - Navy Heroes of Normandy
The Manhattan Project in World War II was an enormous undertaking that required the efforts of many of the world's most brilliant scientists. Thousands of physicists, mathematicians and engineers were needed to design, build and test the world's first atomic weapon. The United States government did everything in its power to attract these individuals to the top-secret program. One of those assigned to the project was the filmmaker's uncle, John Edmund Gray. Regarded as a pioneer in the field of nuclear energy John Gray was front and center as the evolution of that power from wartime use to peaceful means came to fruition.
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the green 29th Infantry Division faced some of the most brutal fighting on Omaha Beach. In June of 2014, a handful of remaining members of the 29th Infantry Division made a final trip back to Normandy to recognize the 70th anniversary of D-Day. The World War II Foundation was along as these veterans shared their stories and looked over the bluffs of Omaha Beach one last time. The aging veterans also visited the Normandy-American cemetery to say their final goodbyes to their friends who never left Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Local villages and towns also honored the men of D-Day with dozens of celebrations around Normandy.
The Nazis had outlawed the annual Christmas-related celebration of St. Nicholas Day when they occupied Luxembourg in 1940. Even though American GIs had liberated the town of Wiltz in late 1944, the citizens had no resources left with which to mark their very special holiday. So a group of soldiers of the battle-weary 28th Infantry Division got together and brought back hope and joy back to a small town. One GI, Corporal Richard Brookins, played the role of Saint Nick, costume and all. His sleigh was a U.S. Army jeep. Brookins and the men of the 28th passed out candy and baked goods to the children of Wiltz.
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