Rhode Islanders have been taking photos of the same things for as long as cameras have existed. Our historical records are replete with photos of ornate architecture, lush flower gardens, local celebrities, and the shocking aftermath of natural disasters, proving that we have always enjoyed capturing the same memories generation after generation, even when we had to pay for them to be developed. Take a look at the incredible old photos below.

Providence Athenaeum, 1850

Flickr/Boston Public Library This member-supported library founded in 1836 was beautiful enough to photograph even before the invention of film.

Burnside and the 1st RI Militia at Camp Sprague, 1861

Smithsonian/National Portrait Gallery This photo of the First Rhode Island Militia is one of the very first photographs ever taken in the state.

Confederate shell in a tree, 1861

Library of Congress/No known restrictions/Call number LOT 4167, no. 16 Shocking enough to snap a photo of, this bullet shell was found lodged into a tree at the location of the 7th infantry of Rhode Island.

General Burnside, 1863

Library of Congress/No Known Restrictions/Call Number LOT 14043-2, no. 90 General Ambrose Burnside was known for his distinctive hairstyle which would become known as “sideburns.” A monument of this war hero stands in Burnside Park in Providence.

Richard Baker Jr. House, Newport, 1870

Library of Congress/Call Number Unprocessed in PR 13 CN 2010:100, P79.552 Proof that we have been snapping photos of the Newport Mansions since the 1800s.

Hand-colored flowers, Newport, 1914

Library of Congress/No Known Restrictions What good would a photograph of flowers be without color? This one snapped in 1914 was colored by hand.

Cargo boat on land after a hurricane, Providence, 1938

Library of Congress/No known restrictions/Call Number LC-USF34-040310 This photograph from the 1930s is the equivalent of someone snapping a cellphone photo of weather damage today.

Rhode Island is fraught with fascinating history. Keep reading to learn seven things that happened in Rhode Island that you will NOT find in history books.

Flickr/Boston Public Library

This member-supported library founded in 1836 was beautiful enough to photograph even before the invention of film.

Smithsonian/National Portrait Gallery

This photo of the First Rhode Island Militia is one of the very first photographs ever taken in the state.

Library of Congress/No known restrictions/Call number LOT 4167, no. 16

Shocking enough to snap a photo of, this bullet shell was found lodged into a tree at the location of the 7th infantry of Rhode Island.

Library of Congress/No Known Restrictions/Call Number LOT 14043-2, no. 90

General Ambrose Burnside was known for his distinctive hairstyle which would become known as “sideburns.” A monument of this war hero stands in Burnside Park in Providence.

Library of Congress/Call Number Unprocessed in PR 13 CN 2010:100, P79.552

Proof that we have been snapping photos of the Newport Mansions since the 1800s.

Library of Congress/No Known Restrictions

What good would a photograph of flowers be without color? This one snapped in 1914 was colored by hand.

Library of Congress/No known restrictions/Call Number LC-USF34-040310

This photograph from the 1930s is the equivalent of someone snapping a cellphone photo of weather damage today.

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