Historic Music of Newport

10/19/2026

Newport, Rhode Island, Then & Now: 154 Thames Street

In this 1905 photo, we see Barney's Music Store located at 154 Thames Street. The second floor of the building is a furniture store. On the left side of Barney's is where the Colonial Theatre will be built in a few years.

Today, 154 Thames Street is the home of Bigweathergear.

The 1905 photo of Barneys is from the Providence Public Library Digital Archives.

10/16/2026

From the Historic Music of Newport Archives.

This cover letter, dated August 31, 1903, was written by Bandmaster John T. Freeman, of the 7th Coastal Artillery Corps, at Fort Adams. This letter head includes a photo of Bandmaster Freeman. It is also interesting to note that the band seems to have an exclusive deal to use and promote instruments made by G.S. Conn.

Fort Adams Trust

10/14/2026

This Schottisch was composed in 1856 by N. Dausch. The music was published by T.W. Wood and sold at the City Music Store in Newport, Rhode Island.

The sheet music comes from the Rhode Island Collection at the Providence Public Library.

The photos included in the video are:
0:14 Old Stone Mill Survery, George Mason, 1878 (LOC)
0:37 Stereographic photos of the Old Stone Mill (LOC, NYPL, PPL)
2:06 Naval Academy Cadets at the Old Stone Mill, 1861 (PPL)
2:19 Photos of people relaxing at the Tower (LOC, PPL)
2:42 Panoramic view of Touro Park (LOC)

All of the photos come from:
The The Library of Congress Digital Archives (LOC)
The NYPL The New York Public Library Digital Archives (NYPL)
The Providence Public Library Digital Archives (PPL)

10/12/2026

Newport Then & Now: The Atlantic House Hotel, Corner of Bellevue Avenue and Pelham Street.

The Atlantic House opened to guests on June 10, 1845.

According to an advertisement in the May 1, 1845, Herald of the Times newspaper:
"The house is entirely new, pleasantly situated on the summit of the hill, and commands a very extensive and beautiful view of the country, bay and ocean. It is surrounded by wild piazzas, the halls and parlors are spacious, and the lodging rooms are large and airy. The house will easily accommodate 200 persons."

During the Civil War the Atlantic House became the home of the United States Naval Academy. After the war, the hotel saw a decline and the building was eventually demolished in 1877.

Today that corner is the home of Park Gate Villa, which was built in 1879. Today it is the home of the Newport Elks Lodge #104.

The sketch of the Atlantic House Hotel is from the 1856 Newport City Directory.
The photo of the U.S.N.A. Band in front of the Atlantic House is from the Providence Public Library Digital Archives.

As our holiday weekend campaign comes to a close, we're still working toward our goal of welcoming 50 supporters. If you'd like to help us continue finding historic music, preserving Newport's musical heritage, and sharing the stories of Newport's musicians, please consider becoming a supporter today.

https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/donate-today

10/12/2026

Today is the final day of our Holiday Weekend Supporter Campaign.

Historic Music of Newport works to find historic music, preserve our community's musical heritage, and tell the stories of the musicians who shaped Newport's past.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, these stories and collections can continue to be preserved and shared with future generations.

We're hoping to reach our goal of 50 supporters before the end of the day. If you believe Newport's musical history is worth preserving, please consider becoming a supporter today.

Thank you for helping keep Newport's musical heritage alive.

https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/donate-today

10/11/2026

Thank you to everyone who has supported Historic Music of Newport this holiday weekend.

Every supporter helps us continue finding historic music, preserving our community's musical heritage, and telling the stories of the musicians who shaped Newport's past.

Our goal is to welcome 50 supporters this weekend, and we're grateful for every person who has joined us so far.

If you believe Newport's musical history is worth preserving, please consider becoming one of our supporters today.

https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/donate-today

10/10/2026

A new blog post from guest contributor Caroline Albright!

Learn about three brothers who immigrated to the United States from Germany and came to Fort Adams to serve in the 7th Coastal Artillery Corps Band.

https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/blog/the-feller-brothers

Fort Adams Trust

Explore a family that helped shape Fort Adams' musical legacy and contributed to Newport's vibrant military and cultural life.

10/10/2026

In celebration of the Broadway Street Fair, we are offering a 25% off sale of our limited-edition t-shirts this weekend. We look forward to returning to the Broadway Street Fair next year!

We hope everyone has a wonderful day on Broadway.

Shop Now:
https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/shop/merchandise/t-shirts/limited-edition

10/10/2026

These photographs show the Wetmore Music Book, part of the Historic Music of Newport archives. Owned by the family of Chateau-sur-Mer, this volume contains a collection of music the family enjoyed, bound together in the mid-1850s.

Historic Music of Newport is committed to finding historic music, preserving our community's musical heritage, and telling the stories of the musicians who shaped Newport's past.

This holiday weekend, we're seeking 50 supporters who believe this history is worth preserving. If you value this work, please consider becoming one of our supporters today.

https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/donate-today

10/09/2026

Composed in 1856, Carl Bergmann’s Ocean House Polka is the second movement of his Season in Newport, a musical portrait of the grand hotels that shaped Newport’s social life in the 19th century. The Ocean House stood among the most prominent of these hotels, welcoming summer visitors to the Rhode Island coast.

The photographs and drawings featured in this video come from the Library of Congress and the Providence Public Library Digital Archives, offering a visual connection to the Newport landscapes and architecture familiar to guests during the hotel’s heyday.