Johnston

From the time it was separated from Providence in

1759, Johnston has grown from a sleepy, rural town to

a busy urban center with more than 30,000 residents and

a diversified economy. Much of this growth took place

between the mid-nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries,

and it is this period that Louis McGowan and the Johnston

Historical Society chronicle in this delightful book.

McGowan and the historical society have assembled

more than 200 wonderful images from their archives and

the private collections of many Johnston residents. The

result is a multi-faceted portrait of the town’s citizens,

landmarks, and historical figures. Some of the famous

figures discussed include Charles Fletcher, who built or

managed the three largest textile mills in Johnston; the

Reverend Samuel Winsor, founder of the Six Principle

Baptist congregation; James F. Simmons, the sole U.S.

Senator from the town, who was forced to resign his

position in disgrace; and Zenas R. Bliss, winner of the

Congressional Medal of Honor and a distinguished U.S.

Army officer.