Johnston Historical Society announces Operation Fence Me In

On a night when Johnston Historical Society (JHS) members learned volumes about the state’s historic armories, the award-winning non-profit announced plans for a unique fund-raising campaign that has already raised half of its $2,500 goal.

Community College of Rhode Island Professor and noted historian Roberta Mudge Humble delivered an extensive and educational keynote address concerning Rhode Island’s armories. The night’s program featured the state’s 18 armories, especially the Westerly Armory Foundation that Mudge-Humble leads and has helped raise money for necessary renovations and upgrades.

“Roberta’s talk was wonderful, absolutely awesome,” said Anthony Ursillo, a member of the JHS Board of Directors. “Some people never knew that back in the 1930s, for example, the armories were used to conduct registration for the Social Security Administration and later when the draft was instituted, draft boards met at some of the armories.”

Likewise, Mudge-Humble’s question and answer segment of last week’s meeting was as informative as her presentation. She told the group that, in the early 19th century, many militia units throughout New England and the eastern seaboard needed places to store their arms and equipment, provide a place for meetings and to drill the troops.

That was the beginning of a trend of armories and arsenals built during the wars of 1812, the Civil War and World War II. The earliest armory was built 1835-36 and the newest – famed Rodman Hall at URI – in 1928. Eight of the state’s armories are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Following the presentation, JHS President Louis McGowan explained “Operation Fence Me In.”

“The wooden fence that surrounds our property has been in ill repair for quite some time,” McGowan said. “Unfortunately, at this time we do not have the necessary funds to make those repairs.”

McGowan and Ursillo, along with Tim Kee, who is skilled in computer technology, are coordinating a fund-raiser through the highly-popular social media site GOFUNDME.

“GOFUNDME is nowadays a very ‘yup’ way of raising funds,” Ursillo said. “All you need to do is click on the link www.gofundme.com/johnston-historical-society and you can see the other donations as well as people’s comments.”

Ursillo said that “we have taken in amounts ranging from $25 to $50 and we even received a $250 anonymous gift and a total of $705; we’re estimating that repairs or replacing the fence around our property will cost a minimum of $2,500.”

McGowan, meanwhile, wanted it known that the JHS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is located at 101 Putnam Pike in Johnston, and owns and maintains the historic Elijah Angell House and adjacent Museum Barn.