In 2009, Richard Gere starred in a movie called Hachi: A Dog's Tale. The movie is a bittersweet…read moretale of a dog so loyal that it spent almost ten years waiting at a train station for its master, who had died at work. This actually happened in Japan in the 1930s (The dog, Hachiko, passed away -- still waiting -- on March 8, 1935). The historic old Woonsocket, Rhode Island railroad depot was the 2009 American movie stand-in for the 1930s Japanese station where Hachiko waited for his master for ten years. The Japanese erected a statue of Hachiko at their Shibuya train station and the mayor of Woonsocket thought that his town should have one too. The statue is in the same spot that the dog appeared in the Richard Gere film. After watching Hachi: A Dog's Tale and visiting the statue of Hachiko in Tokyo, I had to come and visit the Statue of Hachiko at the Woonsocket Depot. There are several free parking lots in the downtown Woonsocket area. We parked at 170 Main Street and walked over. Hachi was right there and a little informational plaque next to him. Staff were setting up the Christmas Village for the Polar Express train ride. An Army veteran who was working on some construction across the street offered to take our photo and was very friendly. The Woonsocket Depot is a decorated brick building which was the finest on-line passenger depot on the Providence and Worcester Railroad line. It replaced the original 1847 depot which was destroyed by fire. The Depot also serves as office space for RI DOT staff and is home to the Blackstone Valley Polar Express.

most certainly -the- most unsettling cemetery i've ever been to. every so often footsteps would…read moreinterrupt the dead silence, only for no one to be around. unfortunately (or fortunately), the ghost of freddy fingernail failed to show.

A very very creepy…read moreplace There are lots of haunted and creepy places in Rhode Island. It's well known to paranormal investigators because of all the weird, old and bizarre houses, woods and of course graveyards. Of all the spooky places in the state perhaps the old Elder Ballou Cemetery has the reputation as being the creepiest of the creepy. All kinds of strange things have occurred and still occur here. Or so people say. The most consistent story is seeing some old fellow dressed in a grey suit walking around. He never says anything, just sort of appears and disappears and it seems like he is looking for something. Other people hear moans and cries of pains or see vague apparitions and faces appearing out of nowhere. Even people driving by of the road have stopped because they hear strange noises coming from the graveyard. What makes this place rather unique is that people see and hear things in the daylight and not just the dark of night. I have to admit I am quite skeptical of such things but this is definitely a really, really creepy place. It's sort of on a small rolling hill so it is hard to see and it has a nice variety of the morose and lugubrious gravestones, some worn virtually away while other old ones look almost brand new. Perhaps the creepiest thing are the "holding tombs". You just don't see them around anymore. These were crypts where the dead bodies were kept until the families could find the money, space or time to give the deceased a proper burial. Many now had bars in front of them. Not sure if there are to keep people out of keep something else in. No, I didn't see any ghosts or really see anything out of the ordinary except for a really creepy, old cemetery. The mosquitoes were really bad but I suspect they were real ones and not zombie mosquitoes. I remain extremely skeptical of ghosts and their kin but this is a very cool and historic place. One that is exceptional creepy and weird at the best of times and a place I would rather not be in the dark of night.

A unique piece of local history! This tower structure dates to the early 19th century and is…read morebelieved to have been used as a well that collected rainwater to use in the mansion that it was attached too. The tower was moved and restored at its current location after the original building it was part of burnt down in the 1980s. The small central district of Millville is listed on the historical register with the tower as the artifact.

Recently went to a murder mystery event here and had a blast. It was so much fun walking through…read morethe museum, which I never knew existed. Seeing the historic importance, the displays and fascinating information. I really loved just looking at the displays, absorbing the culture and history and seeing the varied rooms (loved the church!!!) So thrilled they held this event here so I could see this lovely museum!

Coming from Pawtucket, the home of the American Industrial Revolution, I'd never made the trek all…read morethe way out to Woonsocket to check the museum out. But my now LA-based daughter was visiting, and wanted to see the Welcome blanket exhibit since her friend had one on display. (I'm not certain how a museum here is the recipient of 330 handmade quilts and blankets - 99 of which are on display - that will be distributed by Dorcas House to new immigrants, but it's pretty cool right? Maybe because southern New England was the center of US cloth manufacture through the early-mid 20th century?) Ad for the Museum itself: the cultural component of this mill community is front and center. The space is set up in a number of immersive dioramas - rooms and areas visitors walk through to get an experience of those who lived there. The first stop is a farm cabin in Quebec in snowy winter where (push the doorbell) a family decides to move south in the hope of a better life working in the mills. In the replica of a French Canadian Catholic Church we read about religious life in America, and sit in pews near the actual mosaic altar boys to learn a bit about the wave of immigration and the mill worker experience, there's a credit union (kind of explains the Bailey Savings & Loan in It's a Wonderful Life). There's a school room, complete with a teacher/priest and books in the desks in French and English. On the stairs to the second floor, pass posters and stories about others groups of immigrants to the area, along with the rooms upstairs: Woonsocket baseball players, tenement houses, mill and factory memorabilia, and a room set up with the equipment workers toiled at. Oh - dint miss the display of a union hall! My daughter buzzes through art museums. We were here for about 2 hours. And then we got to the room with the blankets. Quite a relevant history lesson here!

I'm challenging myself to visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island this year. This…read morelibrary was the fourth one I visited, but this time with a friend who grew up in Woonsocket. She mentioned they had new furniture such as the big personal armchairs. I really liked that at the back of the library they have lots of natural light coming in through the windows and lots of plants right below. I was also entertained by the book they had with maps of all the cities in Rhode Island--I was able to find my house and see the landmarks they had years ago and are still around today. They have a good selection of books and movies. The outside of the building looks really nice and there is plenty of parking.

A moment in…read moretime The Woonsocket Harris Library was the very first library in the state of Rhode Island. It was built in 1868 and occupied the bottom floor of the old Harris Building. The library was founded by Edward Harris and Abe Lincoln actually gave a famous anti slavery speech in this building in 1860. It became obvious that the venerable old library was far to small to meet the needs of the people of Woonsocket so a new library was built in 1973. A much more modern facility that was extensively renovated in 2001, the library is clean, friendly and very efficient. Not the fanciest or most aesthetically beautiful library but the Harris Library does posses it's own unique charm. Nicely laid out and spacious, it has more of a small town library feel rather than one in a city. On the side of the library is a time capsule and monument meant to be opened in about one hundred years. I'm not sure what exactly was put in the capsule but I suspect the contents will give a good chuckle to the future library patrons that happen to be around when the capsule is finally opened.

The house is beautiful and full of original furniture. Our guide Elizabeth was very professional,…read moreknowledgeable and friendly. She loves history and answered all our questions. Enjoyed the tour immensely! I would recommend this tour as a DONT MISS!

Last Friday, we had the pleasure of touring the historic Lippitt House in Providence--and it was…read moreabsolutely amazing! What made the experience truly unforgettable was our guide, Elizabeth Gilbert (not the author of Eat, Pray, Love, but THE Elizabeth Gilbert who brings history to life). Her tour was informative, engaging, and full of fascinating details that transported us straight into the elegance of Victorian times. If you're visiting magical Providence, don't miss this gem. It's a beautiful step back in time, guided by someone who clearly loves what she does.

I paid a deposit $1700+ for my mother's headstone to be put down by Mom's anniversary (which they…read morepromised would be done) to only get a call days before that it could not be put down. I understood due to snow! So no fuss! I get an email days later (1/23/2024) saying the headstone is complete (red flag - it should have been complete when they told me it could not be put down) and to confirm everything was correct. I replied with the changes I wanted immediately (1/23/2024) and I have not heard a word from them. Several email messages, phone calls (voicemail full), visits to the office and even a call to the cemetery - NOTHING! Even the folks at the cemetery say something is going on. DO NOT consider these folks for service. I'm ready to take legal action

Lawn hardly ever mowed! Thank God wet to graveside to only find our picture on ground in grass how…read moreit came unglued don't no been going & calling no response! Paid for picture to be on stone should last long time! Not a few yrs!