Last Chance To See Middletown Public Library's Women's Exhibit

MIDDLETOWN, RI — East Bay residents have only a few days left to see the special exhibition recognizing 60 women who have made a difference in their Rhode Island communities at the Middletown Public Library. The exhibition "Extraordinary Women of the East Bay: An Exhibition of Images, Artifacts, and Biographies" will run through Friday.

Roger Williams University archivist Heidi Benedict created the exhibition that includes women from Barrington, Bristol, Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton and Warren. Sixteen local historical societies, museums and libraries contributed to the exhibit.

Featured women include the first woman to register to vote in Rhode Island, Mary Jolls Merchant DeWolf, lighthouse keeper Ida Lewis, ice-cream shop owner Annie Dodge Gray, LGBTQ rights activist Julia Pell, Queen Sachem of the Pocasset's Weetamoo and baseball player Lizzie Murphy.

Benedict has also created an online exhibit featuring photographs and in-depth biographies of each woman. The month-long exhibit was made possible by a grant from the Heritage Harbor

Foundation, admission to the exhibit, receptions, and panel discussions are free.

Learn more about the exhibit here.