Hale House Open for the Season
2026-08-05 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-12 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-19 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-26 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-09-02 13:00 - 16:00 UTC
Back by popular demand! This season, Hale House opens its doors on June 17 with an exhibit that debuted in 2025. “Marketing Matunuck” traces the rise of summer homes, hotels, and vacation culture in Matunuck through vintage postcards, maps, and memorabilia.
Open Hours: Wednesdays, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. from June 24 – September 2 or by appointment
Postcard courtesy of South County History Center

Demonstration of Value & Splatter Painting on Watercolor
2026-08-05 16:00 - 18:00
Registration required. Click here to RSVP!!

Exodus to the Shore: Resorts for Ordinary People
2026-08-12 17:30 - 19:00 | South Kingstown Land Trust Barn, 17 Matunuck Beach Rd., South Kingstown, RI, 02813
Venue Change!
We’ve had such a great response to Exodus to the Shore Resorts for Ordinary People that we’ve outgrown our original venue.
The program will now be held at:
South Kingstown Land Trust Barn
17 Matunuck Beach Road
South Kingstown, RI
The date and time are the same. Only the location has changed.
We’re excited to see everyone there!

The lecture explores how Rhode Island’s shoreline evolved into a destination for ordinary vacationers during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As transportation improved and leisure time increased, thousands of people flocked to coastal communities for fresh air, recreation, and summer living, leading to the growth of beaches, resorts, cottages, and seasonal neighborhoods throughout the state. Using communities such as Matunuck and other Rhode Island shore resorts as examples, the presentation examines how these popular summer destinations developed and how many eventually evolved into the year-round coastal communities we know today.
Registration is required. Click here to RSVP!!

Plein Air Painting Demonstration
2026-08-26 16:00 - 18:00
