Take a fascinating journey through the history of Foster, Rhode Island with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.
Foster
, originally incorporated as part of Scituate in 1731, became a separate community in 1781.
The town was named in honor of Theodore Foster, a coauthor of the
Bill of Incorporation
. By 1820, the population topped out at 2,900 and then sharply declined. The building of the
Scituate Reservoir
between 1915 and 1925 contributed to this decline as the
Providence and Danielson Railway
decided not to relocate trolley service to the area. The population would not surpass the 1820 figures until 1975, when it reached 3,000. Today, Foster is known for its simple, country lifestyle; friendly and neighborly residents; and plentiful open spaces with clean air and clear streams.
Author Raymond A. Wolf is a member of the
Scituate Preservation Society
, the
Foster Preservation Society
, and the
Rhode Island Historical Society
. Besides the
, over a dozen residents of Foster graciously loaned their collections of postcards, photographs, and documents to bring this book alive.