[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] HOST: THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MUSEUMS ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.

GREAT INSTITUTIONS AND SMALLER HIDDEN GEMS, EACH WITH INCREDIBLE STORIES TO TELL.

THEY ARE THE KEEPERS OF OUR HISTORY, ART, SCIENCE AND CULTURE.

INSIDE THESE INSTITUTIONS ARE ARTIFACTS RANGING FROM FIVE YEARS OLD TO 5000 YEARS OLD.

JOIN US ON A JOURNEY TO DISCOVER THE "TREASURES INSIDE THE MUSEUM ."

♪ ♪ HOST: LONG BEFORE OUR ANCESTORS EMIGRATED TO THIS COUNTRY, BEFORE THE COLONISTS AND EXPLORERS, THIS LAND WAS THE HOME OF A NUMBER OF NATIVE PEOPLES LIVING IN THE AREA, INCLUDING THE NARRAGANSETT.

♪ >> THE ONLY FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IS THE NARRAGANSETT TRIBAL NATION.

BEFORE EUROPEAN CONTACT CAME HERE AND DREW IMAGINARY LINES MAKING UP THE STATE, IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER, THE NORTHEAST CORNER, WOMPANOAG PEOPLE, AND THE SOUTHWESTERN CORNER, -- TODAY THEY ARE ONE PEOPLE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE NARRAGANSETT INDIAN TRIBAL NATION.

HOST: IN EXETER, RHODE ISLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF ROARING BROOK IS THE TOMAQUAG MUSEUM.

TOMAQUAG -- >> TOMAQUAG, THE WORD MEANS BEAVER IS IN THE NARRAGANSETT LANGUAGE.

IN THE TOMAQUAG, IT'S LITERALLY THE VALLEY OF THE BEAVERS, IF YOU WILL.

HOST: TOMAQUAG WAS FOUNDED IN 1958 BY PRINCESS RED WING, WHO COMBINED HER CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION FOR EDUCATION TO CREATE RHODE ISLAND'S FIRST AND ONLY INDIGENOUS MUSEUM.

TOGETHER WITH ANTHROPOLOGIST EVA BUTLER, THIS BECAME THE PLACE WHERE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE NARRAGANSETT PEOPLE IS PRESERVED AND SHARED.

>> IT WAS UNUSUAL AT THAT TIME TO HAVE TWO WOMEN FOUND A MUSEUM.

HOST: THE IDEA IT WAS THE TOMAQUAG WOULD BE A MUSEUM EXPERIENCE DELIVERED FROM A FIRST-PERSON VOICE.

AND PRINCESS RED WING WAS THE FIRST AND WHAT WOULD BECOME A LONG LINE OF EDUCATORS.

HER STORY AND LEGACY IS HONORED IN AN EXHIBIT AT THE MUSEUM.

>> YES, WE ARE A HISTORY MUSEUM, BUT WE ARE ALSO A LIVING MUSEUM IN THE SENSE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR HISTORY THROUGH OUR CURRENT TODAY, AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TODAY.

AND THE EDUCATORS ARE SHARING NOT ONLY HISTORY, BUT ALSO THEIR PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES.

YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE IS SHARING, ALMOST ALL OF OUR STAFF IS RELATED TO HIM IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

SO THEY CAN SPEAK TO IT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

IT MIGHT BE THERE GREAT UNCLE, OR A DISTANT COUSIN, OR A RELATIVE IN SOME KIND OF WAY.

SO THE -- THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.

THEY ARE PART OF OUR HISTORY AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.

HOST: THE NARRAGANSETT INDIAN CHURCH HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE TRIBE'S COMMUNITY FOR MANY GENERATIONS.

AN EXHIBIT HERE REFLECTS THAT IMPORTANCE AND COMES WITH AN INTERESTING TALE ABOUT ITS UNIQUE DESIGN.

>> WE ALL HAVE OUR EXPERIENCES THAT ARE CONNECTING US IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO THAT CHURCH.

AND THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE HAD AWAY OF INCORPORATING OUR OWN CULTURAL, SPIRITUAL BELIEFS WITH THE CHRISTIANITY THAT WAS BEING THRUST UPON US.

AND THERE'S A LONG HISTORY AND LEGACY OF INDIGENOUS FAMILIES WHO HAVE BECOME PASTORS.

HOST: LIKE MANY OLD NEW ENGLAND CHURCHES, BUT ALSO SERVED AS A MEETING HOUSE FOR THE NARRAGANSETT, A LEASE TO PRESERVE CULTURE AND TRADITION, AND TO PASS DOWN LANGUAGE.

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES THIS CHURCH DIFFERENT FROM MOST.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE CHURCH YOU SEE THE TWO DOORS AND THE WINDOW AS YOU APPROACH THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH, AS YOU ARE ENTERING.

WHEN YOU ARE INSIDE, THAT IS THE PULPIT RIGHT BEHIND THAT WINDOW, WHICH IS REALLY UNUSUAL.

IN MOST CHURCHES THE PULPIT IS WHAT WE CALL THE FRONT INSIDE THE CHURCH, AND THE DOORS ARE WAY IN THE BACK.

AND HOW IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PASSED DOWN FOR US THROUGH ORAL TRADITION IN THOSE COLONIAL DAYS WHEN WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GROUP IN LARGE NUMBERS, MEET IN LARGE NUMBERS, WE WOULD MEET AT WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE MEETING HOUSE, OR THE NARRAGANSETT INDIAN CHURCH, TO TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL ISSUES OF THE DAY, WHATEVER THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS WERE, WHATEVER NEEDED TO BE DISCUSSED.

AND IF SOMEONE APPROACHED THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE TRIBE FOR THAT SHOULD NOT HEAR WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, YOU JUST BROKE INTO A HYMN.

BECAUSE THE PERSON STANDING AT THE PULPIT WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD NOT SEE OUT ALL THE WINDOWS, OUT THE DOORS, IN ALL THE ENTRY POINTS.

SO ANYONE COULD START A HYMN, AND THAT WOULD LET SOMEONE KNOW YOU NEED TO STOP THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAPPENING.

HOST: WHILE THE NARRAGANSETT CHURCH EXHIBIT IS FRONT AND CENTER, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DIG BACK INTO THE ARCHIVES TO DISCOVER A TREASURE.

>> WE ARE IN THE TOMAQUAG'S COLLECTION ROOM.

AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CULTURAL MATERIALS STORED HERE, A LOT OF DIFFERENT SHAPED BOXES AND DIFFERENT SIZES, DIFFERENT TYPES OF CULTURAL MATERIALS.

ONE OF OUR TREASURES HERE AT THE TOMAQUAG MUSEUM IS THIS VERY OLD WAMPUM NECKLACE.

AND THIS WAS DISCOVERED THIS SUMMER AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH OTHER COLLECTIONS.

A RECENT DONATION BY CHIEF STRONG HORSE BROUGHT THIS VERY INTERESTING, VERY OLD PIECE OF WAMPUM JEWELRY HERE TO THE TOMAQUAG.

WAMPUM IS USUALLY PURPLE, VERY GLOSSY AND SHINY.

BUT THIS JUMPED OUT IMMEDIATELY NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS STRONG, BECAUSE THE SIZE OF THIS.

YOU DO NOT OFTEN SEE THE SIZE OF WAMPUM NECKLACES, AT LEAST NOT TODAY.

SO, IT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM SEVERAL HUNDRED CONTACT PERIOD, TO 1000 YEARS OLD.

WE JUST HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING.

HOWEVER OLD IT IS, IT HAS SURVIVED FAIRLY WELL, ALTHOUGH LOSING ITS COLOR.

IT HAS MAINTAINED ITS SHAPE.

>> WAMPUM ACTUALLY COMES FROM A WORD WHICH MEANS WHITE BEING.

IN THE MODERN WORLD WE THINK OF WAMPUM IS ANYTHING THAT HAS THE PURPLE AND WHITE FROM THIS SHELL.

AND I AM HOLDING HERE A WAMPUM BRACELET BY A NARRAGANSETT ARTIST WHO COLLABORATED WITH US TO MAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL WAMPUM BELT.

AND HOW THAT WAS DONE IS IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE NATIVE COMMUNITY.

WE HAD OVER 45 PEOPLE WHO LEARNED HOW TO CUT AND PROCESS THESE WAMPUM DISCS HERE.

THE REASON THEY ARE DISCS AND NOT BEADS IS BECAUSE BEADS ARE VERY HARD AND WHEN YOU FIRST LEARNED YOU HAVE TO START WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE.

PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY ARE COVERED WITH SOME KIND OF SHELLAC OR SHINE, AND THEY ARE NOT.

HOW YOU GET THIS BEAUTIFUL SHINE ON THE SHELLS IS ACTUALLY FROM SANDING THEM.

YOU JUST KEEP SANDING THEM AND SANDING THEM AND SENDING THEM.

TRADITIONALLY WITH THE TOOL LIKE THIS, WHICH IS A SANDING STONE.

AND HE WOULD BE SHH SHH SHH, ALL UNTIL IT IS SMOOTH.

IT IS A REALLY TIME-CONSUMING PROCESS.

HOST: TEXTILES ARE OFTEN THE MOST DIFFICULT FOR ANY MUSEUM TO PRESERVE.

NONETHELESS, THERE IS OFTEN TRADITIONAL CLOTHING ON DISPLAY AT TOMAQUAG.

THERE ARE ALSO SPECIAL TREASURES THAT ARE CAREFULLY STORED, AND OCCASIONALLY THE STAFF HERE WILL REACH INTO THE ARCHIVES TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE NOT FREQUENTLY ON DISPLAY.

WITH SO MUCH IN THE COLLECTION, IN A MUSEUM THAT IS OUTGROWING ITS SPACE, IT IS NOT ALWAYS AN EASY PROCESS TO RETRIEVE TREASURES LIKE THESE.

>> THIS IS AN 1800'S WEDDING DRESS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COLLECTION, WHICH I THINK IS TRULY BEAUTIFUL.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS CARING FOR A COLLECTION.

IS A BEHIND THE SCENES THING THAT HAPPENS IN MUSEUM, BUT THAT IS WHERE THE TREASURES ARE.

PEOPLE DID NOT REALIZE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION, IT IS HARDER FOR US TO USE THEM AND EXHIBITS.

THIS DRESS HAS BEEN ON EXHIBIT AT TOMAQUAG MUSEUM IN MY HISTORY WITH THE MUSEUM, AND IT IS STRIKINGLY BEAUTIFUL I THINK.

IT HAS THESE BEAUTIFUL WOODEN BEADS ON IT.

IT HAS SOME WOOL GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE AND RED, AND RED IS A VERY POWERFUL COLOR IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT OFTEN STANDS FOR THE RISING SUN AND FOR THE EAST ON OUR MEDICINE WHEEL.

AND WE OFTEN CALL THE EARTH RED EARTH, AND THAT IS THE CLAY AND THE NUTRIENTS AND THINGS FROM THE EARTH.

SO RED HAS A LOT OF SIGNIFICANCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT IS A VERY POWERFUL COLOR.

AND OF COURSE A WEDDING DRESS WILL BE MORE ELABORATE THAN AN EVERYDAY DRESS, JUST AS A WEDDING DRESS IS MORE ELABORATE THAN EVERYDAY CLOTHING.

HOST: WHILE THE STAFF THAT TOMAQUAG KNOWS THE PERIOD THIS DRESS IS FROM, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHO IT BELONGED TO.

>> THIS DRESS ISN'T OLDER AND MUCH MORE TRADITIONAL STYLE DRESS.

I ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER DRESS IN OUR COLLECTION.

AND I CAN TELL YOU A VERY PERSONAL STORY ABOUT THIS DRESS.

THIS WAS MY MOTHER'S WEDDING DRESS.

HOST: THIS DRESS IS ALSO A REFLECTION OF THE TIMES.

>> THIS WAS FROM 1970.

THIS DRESS FITS THE TIME PERIOD.

YOU CAN SEE THE LONG FRINGE AND YOU CAN TELL IT IS A DRESS, BUT A MINIDRESS.

SO IT IS VERY SHORT.

THE FRINGE ON HER AT THE TIME WENT TO ABOUT JUST ABOVE HER KNEE.

HOST: SHE RECOGNIZES A DRESS LIKE THIS PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE.

>> I ALWAYS LIKE IT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE BEEN HERE ALL ALONG AND WE HAVE BEEN LIVING THROUGH ALL THESE GENERATIONS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT STYLE CHANGES.

AND SO, OUR REALITY CHANGES ARE AS WELL.

TODAY YOU GO TO -- OUR REGLAIA CHANGES AS WELL.

TODAY YOU GO TO A POWWOW, THOSE ARE NOT PRE-CONTACT MATERIALS.

WE ARE A LIVING COMMUNITY THAT EBBS AND FLOWS AND CHANGES OVER TIME.

SO, THIS MAKES ME THINK OF THAT, BECAUSE IT FITS THE TIME PERIODS.

HOST: TEXTILES ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO LIGHT AND CAN ONLY BE EXHIBITED FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME.

FIRST, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS.

THIS ARCHIVIST HAS BEEN WORKING TO IMPROVE HOW COLLECTIONS ARE CATALOGUED.

THE WORK CAN BE MUNDANE AT TIMES, UNTIL YOU DISCOVER SOMETHING YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

>> HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER TREASURE THAT WAS FOUND IN THE TOMAQUAG MUSEUM.

THIS ONE HAPPENS TO BE AUDIO-RELATED.

AND IT CONSISTS OF THREE ALUMINUM CORE LACQUERED DISC RECORDINGS.

THEY WERE MADE IN THE 1940'S.

AND THEY ARE FROM A WOMAN.

HOST: THE RECORDINGS WERE FOUND WITH AN OLD METAL CABINET WAS BEING CLEANED OUT AND THE OFFICE.

>> THE FACT THAT IT HAS THIS THIN LACQUER COATING DEMONSTRATES TO ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUE AND RARE, AND DEFINITELY A TREASURE.

HOST: ANTHONY RECOGNIZED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FIND, BUT ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY MAY HAVE SUFFERED TOO MUCH DETERIORATION TO LISTEN TO.

>> THESE DISCS YOU CAN SEE ARE VERY FRAGILE.

THIS IS THE ALUMINUM CORE I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT.

IT'S BEEN EXPOSED BECAUSE THE ACETATE HAS CHIPPED OFF, AND THE GRAYISH DISCOLORATION COMES FROM CASTOR OIL ADDITIVE THAT WAS USED.

AND THESE ARE USUALLY ONE TIME RECORDINGS QUICKLY MADE, USUALLY REFERENCE RECORDINGS.

THEY ARE NOT MASS-PRODUCED, THIS IS A ONE-OF-A-KIND RECORD.

HOST: THE RECORDINGS WILL BE CAREFULLY STORED UNTIL A SAFE METHOD OF PLAYBACK CAN BE DETERMINED.

FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER CULTURAL TREASURES TO SEE AT TOMAQUAG.

>> THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES.

I JUST LOVE IT BECAUSE IT IS EASTERN WOODLAND BEAD WORK.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT IT HAS SUCH LAYERS IN THE COLORS OF THE BEAD WORK.

IT IS AN OLD PIECE, IT IS ON VELVET, PROBABLY MADE IN THE LATE 1800S.

I LOVE THE DETAIL HERE.

JUST SUCH LAYERS OF DETAIL.

THERE ARE SEVERAL COLORS OF BLUE HERE THAT MAKES THE FLORAL DESIGN POP.

AND IT REMINDS PEOPLE THAT THE NARRAGANSETT TRIBE AND OTHER NEW ENGLAND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, EVEN AROUND THE GREAT LAKES, THEY WERE WOODLAND TRIBES AND THAT INFLUENCES HOW WE SEE AND HOW WE BEADED.

SO, WOODLAND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES REPRESENTED THE FLORALS AND A LOT OF THEIR BEAD WORK AND I THINK THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

HOST: BEADING IS AN ART THAT IS STILL PRACTICED TODAY.

TOMAQUAG RECOGNIZES CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND EXHIBITS THEIR WORK IN THE MUSEUM.

>> DEBBIE MOOREHEAD SPEARS IS AN INDIGENOUS ARTISTS.

AND SHE AND HER CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBIT HERE AT THE MUSEUM HAS SOME REALLY SPECIAL LARGER PIECES BUT ALSO PORTRAITS IS A LARGE PART OF WHAT SHE DOES.

AND SHE DOES BEAUTIFUL ONES.

A LOT OF THE ONES ARE REFLECTIVE OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

THIS PIECE HERE IS DEPICTING A DUGOUT CANOE WITH TWO INDIGENOUS MEN ON THE CANOE.

WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT HOW THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTHEAST FROM MAINE DOWN, ALL THE TRIBAL PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED TO THE WATER.

FROM THE CANOES TO THE WAY WE LIVED ON THE BEACH.

THE WATER IS A PART OF WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE INTERACT AS A TRIBAL COMMUNITY.

SO, THIS PIECE IS A REFLECTION OF THAT, SORT OF IN A PAST TIME, BUT ALSO USES DRIFTWOOD OF TODAY AND BRING INTO TODAY'S CULTURE AND WHAT WE DO TODAY STILL WITH FISHING, HUNTING AND GATHERING, THOSE SORT OF THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TODAY.

♪ HOST: ANOTHER TRADITION IS THE WEAVING OF BASKETS.

>> WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL ARRAY OF BASKETS USING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS, BUT I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT OUR STAMP DESIGN BASKETS, BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY UNIQUE TO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TRIBES LIKE THE NARRAGANSETT, THE MOHICAN.

AND THE STAMPING ON HERE IS DONE WITH NATURAL DYES, ROOTS AND TUBERS, THINGS LIKE BLACK WALNUT AND BERRIES LIKE CRANBERRIES THAT ARE USED WITH A MORTAR AND PESTLE AND TURNED INTO A DYE.

IN THIS CASE IT IS SHOWING THE FOUR DIRECTIONS.

IT HAS THE SYMBOLISM HERE IN THE STAMPING.

IT IS USUALLY -- USING NATURAL MATERIALS TO MAKE THE STAMPS, AND THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY UNIQUE ABOUT THESE BASKETS.

WE HAVE A VARIETY OF STAMP DESIGNS THAT REPRESENT PEOPLE, THE NATURAL MATERIALS, EVERYTHING FROM FIDDLE HEAD FERNS TO FLOWERS, TO THE MORE SYMBOLIC OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS, TO WATERWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO EACH OF THE STAMPS HAVE THEIR OWN MEANING AND EACH SECTION OF A STAMP MAY MEAN SOMETHING DIFFERENT BASED ON THE ARTIST WHO CREATED.

>> THE BEST -- CREATED IT.

>> THE BEST PART OF WORKING IN A MUSEUM IS LEARNING.

YOU ARE CONSTANTLY LEARNING, LEARNING SOMETHING NEW, LOOKING AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE.

HOST: AMONG THE TREASURES ON EXHIBIT AT TOMAQUAG IS A COLLECTION FROM ANOTHER NOTABLE NARRAGANSETT, CHIEF STRONG HORSE.

BORN CANDACE SMITH IN 1921, HE BATTLED POLIO AND WAS NOT ABLE TO WALK UNTIL HE WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.

BY AGE NINE, HIS PERSONALITY HAD EARNED HIM THE NAME STRONG HORSE.

AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, HE JOINED THE MILITARY AND FOUGHT IN WORLD WAR II.

WHEN HE RETURNED HOME, HE WAS APPOINTED AS SUB CHIEF TO THE NARRAGANSETT TRIBE AND REMAINED ACTIVE UNTIL 2003.

CHIEF STRONG HORSE IS REVERED FOR HIS EFFORTS TO PRESERVE NARRAGANSETT TRIBAL CULTURE AND ASSIST IN RECEIVING FEDERAL RECOGNITION IN 1983.

HIS HEADDRESS AND THE OTHER PIECES IN THIS COLLECTION WILL KEEP HIS STORY ALIVE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

>> TODAY IS THAT SPECIAL DAY.

HOST: STORYTELLING AND THE PASSING OF ORAL HISTORIES FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT ARE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE NARRAGANSETT CULTURE.

VISITORS TO TOMAQUAG CAN EXPERIENCE THAT FOR THEMSELVES, AS THEY DID AT THIS RECENT WINTER MOON CELEBRATION.

>> ♪ >> ♪ >> I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY AND WE ARE LIVING CULTURE.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS U.S. HISTORY WITHOUT INDIGENOUS HISTORY, AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS RHODE ISLAND HISTORY WITHOUT NARRAGANSETT AND OTHER FIRST PEOPLE OF THIS LAND'S HISTORY.

HOST: AS ONE IS WASHED OVER WITH TRADITIONAL NARRAGANSETT SOUNDS, SURROUNDED BY CULTURAL PIECES IN THIS MUSEUM, YOU ARE REMINDED OF THE MISSION OF TOMAQUAG.

TO EDUCATE AND PROMOTE DIALOGUE REGARDING INDIGENOUS HISTORY, CULTURE, ARTS, AND MOTHER EARTH.

♪ HOST: THESE ARE THE ARCHIVES OF THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OBJECTS, BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND MAPS, AS WELL AS MILLIONS OF FEET OF MOTION PICTURE FILM.

IF YOU NEED TO RESEARCH THE HISTORY OF AN OLD WRITER -- RHODE ISLAND COMPANY OR ARE JUST TRYING TO LEARN A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR OWN FAMILY, CHANCES ARE THE ANSWERS ARE SOMEWHERE IN THESE STACKS.

RICHARD RING IS THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR COLLECTIONS AND INTERPRETATION.

THAT MAKES HIM THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THIS STUFF.

>> RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS THE PRINCIPAL REPOSITORY FOR THE ENTIRE STATE'S HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE.

>> WE HAVE COLLECTED DIARIES FROM MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN, FROM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

WE HAVE THE RECORDS FOR YOUR HOUSES, SANBORN MAPS, GENEALOGIES.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS IN WHICH OUR COLLECTIONS TOUCH THE INTERESTS OF ALL RHODE ISLANDERS.

AND WE ARE A PLACE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR YOU CAN COME IN AND EXPLORE THAT HISTORY.

>> TO MY LEFT YOU HAVE THESE GREY BOXES WHICH DO NOT SEEM VERY INTERESTING TO THE UNINITIATED.

BUT TO A LIBRARIAN, AN ARCHIVIST, THESE BOXES ARE LITERALLY TREASURE BOXES.

AND WHEN YOU OPEN THIS UP, YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS INSIDE.

THIS IS A BOX OF THE CARRINGTON PAPERS.

THEY TREATED TO THEM FROM CHINA.

AND THESE ARE LETTERS TO THEIR FACTORIES IN CHINA.

CONSTANTLY IN CORRESPONDENCE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT COMMODITIES ARE OF USE TO TRADERS IN CHINA, AND WHAT COMMODITIES WE COULD BUY THAT COULD BE OF USE AND INTEREST TO THE HOME.

>> THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY BEGAN IN 1822 WITH THE EXPRESS MISSION TO COLLECT THE COLONIAL HISTORY AND THE HISTORY AROUND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

HOST: SINCE THAT TIME, THE MISSION HAS EXPANDED TO COLLECT ALL HISTORY UP TO AND INCLUDING THE PRESENT DAY.

WITH SUCH A LARGE VOLUME OF MATERIALS COMING IN, THE STAFF HERE HAS HAD TO EXAMINE EACH DONATION CAREFULLY.

>> IN ONE PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THE NARRAGANSETT PARK RACETRACK PHOTO ARCHIVE.

A GENTLEMAN TALKED TO ME ABOUT ONE THING, BUT HE HAPPENED TO HAVE THIS OTHER THING.

AND I WAS MUCH MOR INTERESTED IN THAT OTHER THING.

AND SO, THAT LED TO THE ACQUISITION OF THIS AMAZING PHOTO RECORD OF WHAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST TRACKS IN THE 20TH CENTURY, CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST PROFITABLE.

AND BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO NEWPORT, A LOT OF MOVIE STARS AND MILLIONAIRES CONGREGATED AT THE NARRAGANSETT RACETRACK IN THE 1930'S, 1940'S AND EVEN THE 1950'S.

SO, TO HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL THOSE HORSES, THE JOCKEYS, SOME OF WHOM ARE STILL ALIVE, THAT RODE IN THE TRACK IN THE 1960'S AND 1970'S, IS JUST ABSOLUTELY IRREPLACEABLE.

SO, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF RECORDS WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

THE 20TH CENTURY IS THE CENTURY THAT WE NEED TO START WRITING THE HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND.

>> SINCE THE MIDDLE OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS BEEN COLLECTING FILM AND RECORDED MEDIA.

AND THAT WAS FILMS COME FROM OUR NEWS STATIONS, THEY COME FROM HOME VIDEOS, THEY COME FROM B-ROLLS OF FILMS THAT WERE MADE HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

IMAGINE LOOKING FOR A KEY EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN 1978.

LET'S SAY YOU WANT TO FIND OUT HOW THE BLIZZARD WAS COVERED.

THAT IS THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT BECAUSE OUR NEWS STATIONS SAW FIT TO SAVE AND PROTECT THE FILM THAT THEY HAD, IT IS NOW WITH THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND THOSE ARE STORIES WE CAN TELL BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS FILM COLLECTION.

BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN AS ACCESSIBLE AS THIS TODAY, AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

>> OF THE MATERIAL IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU SAW ON TELEVISION BROADCAST THAT NIGHT.

IT IS ALL THE RAW MATERIAL THAT WENT INTO MAKING THOSE NEWS BROADCASTS.

SO, SOMETIMES IT IS A LONGER INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE, SOMETIMES IT IS SCENIC FOOTAGE, SOMETIMES IT IS SILENT, SOMETIMES IT IS SOUND, BUT IT IS BASICALLY ALL THE PIECES THAT WENT INTO MAKING THE BROADCAST.

I WAS DIGGING THROUGH OUR COLLECTIONS AND I FOUND SOME MATERIAL RELATED TO 1 SESAME ST LAUNCHED ON RHODE ISLAND PBS.

AND I FOUND SOME FILMS THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE DEDICATION OF THE RHODE ISLAND PBS TV STATION.

AND THE WAY THAT THESE FILMS COME OUT OF OUR COLLECTION IS THEY ACTUALLY START -- THIS IS THE WAY THEY COME BACK FROM THE TELEVISION STATION.

THEY COME BACK AS THE SMALL ROLLS, WHICH THEN NEED TO BE PREPPED INTO SOMETHING.

LIKE YOU CAN SEE HERE, THEY CAN BE PUT UP AND ONTO THE MACHINE FOR VIEWING.

THE FIRST STEP IS SOME PREPARATION THAT HAPPENS ON MY PART.

SPLICING, MAKING SURE THE FILM IS THE ONE I LOOKING FOR, CHECKING ALL THESE PLACES TO MAKE SURE NOTHING HAS DEGRADED OVER TIME.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A 52-YEAR-OLD PIECE OF FILM RIGHT NOW.

HOST: THE FILMS THEN GET TRANSFERRED TO A DIGITAL FORMAT, AND THEY END UP ON TELEVISION, IN DOCUMENTARIES, EXHIBITED PUBLICLY, OR FIND A HOME ONLINE.

MUCH OF THE ARCHIVES AT THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAVE BEEN DONATED OVER THE YEARS.

OCCASIONALLY, THOUGH, SOMETHING BECOMES AVAILABLE THAT THEY FEEL COMPELLED TO ADD TO THE COLLECTION.

>> OCCASIONALLY WE RUN ACROSS SOMETHING IN THE TRADE WHICH WE SIMPLY CANNOT PASS UP.

AND SO THIS LITTLE HUMBLE VOLUME, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A LATER BINDING, IT WOULD NOT BE ISSUED IN A BINDING.

THIS IS A SMALL BOOK PRINTED IN PROVIDENCE FOR CHILDREN.

AND THIS IS CALLED "A BOYS AND GIRLS BOOK OF SPORTS."

BOOK IS THE FIRST DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME OF BASEBALL.

AND IT'S THE EARLIEST PRINTED DESCRIPTION THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE KNOW, THAT EXISTED IN RHODE ISLAND OF THE GAME OF BASEBALL.

IN BASE, THE PLAYERS DIVIDE THEMSELVES INTO TWO EQUAL PARTIES AND CHANCE DECIDES WHO SHALL HAVE THE FIRST INNINGS.

FOUR STEAKS ARE PLACED FROM 12 TO 20 YARDS ASUNDER.

AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE DIAGRAM HERE.

AND IT HAS THIS DESCRIPTION OF HOW TO PLAY THE GAME.

I WOULD CALL THIS THE ZYGOTE OF OUR NATIONAL SPORT.

[LAUGHTER] >> SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE FILES ARE THINGS LIKE A LETTER AND SIGNATURE FROM QUEEN MARY.

THEY ARE THINGS FROM ROGER WILLIAMS.

HOST: WHETHER RESEARCHING A COLONIAL MANUSCRIPT LOOKING FOR A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE FROM THE 1950'S, THAT SEARCH IS LIKELY TO BEGIN HERE IN THE READING ROOM.

THE STAFF HERE CAN HELP YOU GET STARTED NAVIGATING THROUGH THE STACKS OF PRINTED MATERIAL OR DIRECT YOU TO THE RIGHT RESOURCES.

YOU MIGHT NOT ALWAYS FIND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, BUT CHANCES ARE YOU COULD DISCOVER SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.

A TREASURE INSIDE THE MUSEUM.

♪ [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

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