Blowing in the Wind: Climate Clues from Our Whaling Past with Dr. Caroline Ummenhofer and Dr. Timothy Walker

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025 Richard I. Burnham Resource Center | 82 Touro Street, Newport Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID 6:30pm to 7:30pm doors open at 5:30pm for a complimentary reception Dr. Timothy Walker......More

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025 Richard I. Burnham Resource Center | 82 Touro Street, Newport Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID 6:30pm to 7:30pm doors open at 5:30pm for a complimentary reception Dr. Timothy Walker, Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and oceanographer Dr. Caroline Ummenhofer from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, highlight how weather records contained in ship logbooks from American whaling voyages can be used to assess shifting wind and weather patterns. A treasure trove of unexploited ship logbooks spanning the period 1790 to 1910 exists in several New England archives, such as the Providence Public Library, New Bedford Whaling Museum, Nantucket Historical Association, and Falmouth Historical Society. The logbooks, often covering multi-year voyages to some of the most remote waters around the globe, contain systematic daily weather observations, such as wind strength/direction, rainfall, and cloudiness. Our results demonstrate that the historical records provide an important long-term context for changing wind and weather patterns over the world’s oceans lacking observational records during the 18th-19th centuries. We will discuss challenges and opportunities for climate research through data rescue and digitization of these under-utilized historical ship logbooks.   Book now! 

“The Wondrous Mrs. Claus" Holiday Booking Signing with Author Pamela McColl

Thursday, December 11, 2025 The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport 12pm to 2pm | Book Signing Event   “The Wondrous Mrs. Claus: A Literary & Pictorial Review of the Christmas Character” Mrs. Claus made her debut on the written page in 1849. Over the past two cent......More

Thursday, December 11, 2025 The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport 12pm to 2pm | Book Signing Event   “The Wondrous Mrs. Claus: A Literary & Pictorial Review of the Christmas Character” Mrs. Claus made her debut on the written page in 1849. Over the past two centuries, as this literary and pictorial review discovered, the Christmas character was continually reimagined for juvenile and adult works of fiction, in poetry, lyrics and for musical, theatrical and film productions. This publication is the first to extensively chronicle Mrs. Claus, as presented and published through the years. Discover the enchanting Mrs. Claus & learn about the creative talents who brought the character to life over the past two centuries. The author shares hundreds of references to the character offering the reader insights into what makes Mrs. Claus the first lady of Christmas.  A perfect gift for any lover of literature, the history of beloved characters, and of course, the holidays. Please join us at the Colony House on Thursday, December 11th, from 12:00-2:00pm, where you can purchase a copy of The Wondrous Mrs. Claus & have it signed by the author! Also available will be Pamela McColl & Lindsey Stewart’s companion publication, What Would Mrs. Claus Do? Where There Is a Wish, There Is a Way.

The Colony House, Washington Sqaure, Newport

The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook Signing with Author Becky Diamond

Friday, December 12th, 2025 The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport 3pm to 6pm | Book Signing Event Although most Americans have heard of sugar plums thanks to the famous holiday poem A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore, many have likely never have h......More

Friday, December 12th, 2025 The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport 3pm to 6pm | Book Signing Event Although most Americans have heard of sugar plums thanks to the famous holiday poem A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore, many have likely never have had the pleasure of tasting one of these luxuries or even know what they really are (hint: they are not sugar-dusted plums). With origins that date back to the nineteenth century and even earlier, the recipes featured in The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook have been adapted for today’s ingredients and appliances, allowing cooks to recreate them in their own modern kitchens. Each recipe will provide a colorful glimpse into the era, featuring the fascinating history behind every confection, its ingredients and baking methods. There will also be sidebars throughout, offering tidbits of Christmas lore of the era. A perfect gift to bring sparkle to the holiday season for anyone who enjoys food, history, culture and Christmas traditions, The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook is a unique way to revitalize any baker’s holiday repertoire while looking to past foodways for inspiration. With all the opulence and enchanting allure of the Victorian period, this nostalgic book is chock-full of delicious holiday treats. Please join us at the Colony House on Friday, December 12th, from 3:00-6:00pm, where you can purchase a copy of The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook, meet the author, and sample some of the delicious treats from the cookbook!

The Colony House, Washington Sqaure, Newport

Christmas in Newport at The Colony House

Saturday, December 13, 2025 12pm to 2pm The Colony House | Washington Square   Christmas in Newport presents four readings of the poem “A Visit from St. Nicolas” and pictures with Santa on Saturday, December 13, from 12:00pm-2:00pm at the Colony House, Washington Squar......More

Saturday, December 13, 2025 12pm to 2pm The Colony House | Washington Square   Christmas in Newport presents four readings of the poem “A Visit from St. Nicolas” and pictures with Santa on Saturday, December 13, from 12:00pm-2:00pm at the Colony House, Washington Square, Newport. Readings will take place at 12:00pm, 12:30pm 1:00pm with a reading in Spanish at 1:30pm. Christmas in Newport at the Colony House is a free event open to the public. Don’t forget to bring your camera for pictures with Santa Claus!

The Colony House, Washington Sqaure, Newport

"Jamestown: Architecture, Landscape, and the Making of a Rhode Island Paradise" Book Signing with Author John Tschirch

Friday, December 19th, 2025 3pm to 5pm | Book-signing event The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport   Jamestown, Rhode Island, set in the shimmering waters at the entrance to Narragansett Bay, is marked by cliffs and fields looking out to the sea- a vision of para......More

Friday, December 19th, 2025 3pm to 5pm | Book-signing event The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport   Jamestown, Rhode Island, set in the shimmering waters at the entrance to Narragansett Bay, is marked by cliffs and fields looking out to the sea- a vision of paradise, a place of natural abundance and scenic beauty. For centuries, builders devised architecture that seamlessly rose from and merged back into stony coast and rolling meadows. This island is home to a timeless landscape of pastoral richness and picturesque views its buildings are a testament to those who sought their fortunes and fulfilled their fantasies, within sight of the mainland, but a world apart. In each case, there is a remarkable relationship between the island’s topography and its architecture. Through maps, paintings, poetry and prose, this book illustrates the vibrant heritage of Jamestown, its role as a place of refuge and retreat through the ages, a paradise shaped by the visions and labors of its inhabitants. John Tschirch’s Jamestown: Architecture, Landscape, and the Making of a Rhode Island Paradise is a highly visual and new study of the rustic and whimsical shingled houses of Jamestown, Rhode Island, from the colonial era to the development of the town as a picturesque resort set in a coastal landscape. Please join us at the Colony House on Friday, December 19th, from 3:00-5:00pm, for a book signing where you can purchase your copy of Jamestown: Architecture, Landscape, and the Making of a Rhode Island Paradise, and have it signed by the author!

The Colony House, Washington Sqaure, Newport