Charles Whipple Greene Museum Is Open!

The Charles Whipple Greene Museum was first established as the "antiquarian room" at the January 8, 1889 dedication of the George hail Free Library. It was set aside to house a collection of historic artifacts, antiques and curiosities. According to a January 22, 1899 article from the Providence Sunday Telegram, the idea of an antiquarian room is  due to the efforts of Judge Benjamin M. Bosworth and Theo Warren.  Mr. Warren became the chairman of the newly established Antiquarian committee, which consisted of the chair and two other members.

 The collection can be divided into domestic artifacts, military, maritime, and Warren items from the schools and fire department. Documents and manuscripts are also included: two journals of Luther Cole, who participated in the California Gold Rush, a section of a whaling log of the ship Chariot, a George Washington signature and the papers of L. E. Simmon, a naval officer and Warren resident who was also the son-in-law of James Maxwell.

Local Warren authors are also a part of the collection. Hezekiah Butterworth wrote books for young people as well as poetry. The museum houses many of his works, particularly the series ZigZag travel series.  Books by other notable Warren authors such as Walter Stanley and George H. Coomer are also collected.

Don't have time to drive to the museum for an in-person viewing? Check out our virtual tour at: https://georgehail.org/charles-whipple-greene-museum