More From My Postcard Collection
More scans of old postcards I have collected of places I have lived and liked.

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All images and text Copyright © 2001-6 Susan White Pieroth

Jamestown, Rhode Island - Page 1

Sources of history include Greetings from Jamestown, Rhode Island; Picture Post Card Views; 1900-1950, by Sue Maden 1988
Jamestown Visitor Information with Pictures and History

See the History Page on the Jamestown Philomenian Library Website

A map of Jamestown from a 1905 brochure by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. West Ferry was located where the letter 'E' of Jamestown is printed. Dutch Island is not that close. Amaziah's Lane, now called Eldred Avenue of Route 138, leads to the Jamestown Bridge. The Newport Bridge, completed in 1969, is off Taylors Point. The brochure lists the hotels, with capacity, as: Bay Voyage 75; Champlin House 75; Thorndike Hotel 250; Gardner House 300; Bay View 200; Prospect House 50; Tenant Cottage 25; Allen Cottage 30; Bay View Annex 50. Click for a picture and information about the North Pt. (Conanicut) Light, built in 1886.

Left: "Jamestown Ferry and Dutch Island" shows one of the ferries from the West Ferry.

Right: "Ferry Slip West Side, Jamestown" with ferry J. A. Saunders.

"New Jamestown Bridge... July 1940." This real photo card of the bridge was taken before it opened in August of 1940. A new bridge was built in 1992 alongside and access to the old (on right in 1999) removed. On April 18, 2006 demolition was begun.

"Main Street, Jamestown, R. I." before 1907. On the right the hotels are the Bay View and in the distance the Thorndike. This is now Conanicus Avenue. On the left are Bay View bathhouses and the residence of hotel owner W. H. Knowles. Right: a similar vintage showing advertising posters for Hanan Shoes, etc.

Left: "Jamestown Landing - Gardner House and Bay View House, Jamestown, R. I." The use of "House" instead of Hotel dates this as being very early. Right: Thorndike, Gardner and Bay View. Mailed in 1912 before the Thorndike burned down.

"Hotel Thorndike, Jamestown, R. I."

The card on the left was mailed in 1910. This is the earlier building which burned down in 1912. A card below shows the replacement. The three cottages were built by the hotel owner, Horgan, and named for his daughters, Betty, Nina and Myra. They are referred to as "The Three Sisters." Click Here for an brochure, 1893 or earlier, with floor plans.

	"Souvenir of Jamestown, R. I. The Fete Day Parade" This is a private mailing card (pre-1902). The Hotel Thorndike is on the right. Right: a picture labeled 1902 from a brochure. This probably shows the same event.
"The Thorndike Cottages, Adjoining Hotel." From a brochure, mentioned above, which stated, "As a summer resort the location is unsurpassed on the New England Coast..."

Hotels Thorndike, Gardner, Bay View 1912

This real photo postcard was never mailed, but on the back is written, "September 14, 1912, Jamestown, Hotel Thorndike burned Oct. 5, 1912." Shown more clearly in an enlargement of the shoreline (click here) are the "Three Sisters" and the Hotels Thorndike, Gardner, and Bay View, plus the ferry landing.

This card is labeled "Jamestown, R. I. taken from the U. S. S. Brooklyn." On the right is the "House on the Rocks" and just to the left behind is is a ferry near the dock. On the left is Horsehead. The second Thorndike and the Bay View are between. This was probably taken in the mid-1930's. For an enlargement of the shore, click here.

Left: The new Thorndike was built immediately after the first burned in 1912. Right: a view of the shore mailed in June of 1913. The new Thorndike is complete, at least on the outide, less than a year later. This one was torn down in 1938, before the hurricane and tidal wave.

"Gardner House, Jamestown, R. I." This hotel / inn, built in 1883, was between the Thorndike and the Bay View. The stone pillar and utility pole are the same that are visible in the older Thorndike card above. It was torn down by the town about 1941. Right: a 1922 ad.

"U.S.O. Clubhouse, Jamestown, R.I." This was built on the site of the Gardner House, on the corner of Conanicus Avenue and Union Street. Since 1946 it has been used by the town for such things as the Police Station and now the Community Center.

"Bay View House, Jamestown, R. I." mailed in 1907. At the very left is a building, torn down in 1985, with a porch that was replaced later by shops. A condominium made to look like it was built in 1988. The 1999 picture at the right shows the condominium. For another set of old & new pictures, click here.

Left: "Narragansett Ave., and Bay View Hotel, Jamestown, R. I." The card was printed and mailed in 1907. Right: "Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown, R. I." mailed in 1913. On the right is the Bay View House.

This is a 1905 full page ad from New England Magazine. Click the image to see the whole ad. In much flowery language the ad mentions the commodious ferry to Newport; boating; golf; fishing; the cuisine; and "Hops are held at frequent intervals during the summer, when the commodious [they liked that word] dining-room of Bay View is transposed into a magnificent ball room..." Charles T. Knowles was the manager.

"Bay View Hotel, Jamestown, Rhode Island." The tower got shorter and shorter over the years. At the right is a picture taken in 1999. The stores at the left rebuilt. For a better picture of the stores built in 1983, click here.

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