Archives & Manuscripts

The Archival & Manuscript Collections at the Redwood Library & Athenaeum are primarily concerned with Newport and Rhode Island history from the colonial period through the twentieth century. Collections include the personal papers of James H. and Candace Van Alen, signed letters from national, literary, and local figures like Thomas Jefferson, Edith Wharton, and Gideon Wanton, autographs and manuscripts compiled by avid collectors Ralph E. Carpenter and Emma Cullum & Kathleen Cortazzo, and additional material documenting the activities of members, donors, and Newporters since before the Redwood Library was established. There are also a number of bound manuscripts held at the Redwood Library, which are some of our most valuable treasures.