August 19, 2024
By: NBC 10 News
(WJAR) — Sen. Jack Reed highlighted the use of federal funding to preserve the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House in Newport on Monday.
The house is considered one of the oldest in Newport and the state.
According to Reed’s office, he secured about $400,000 in federal funding to fix issues with the building’s structure, increase accessibility, install plumbing, electrical upgrades, safety features and help with a Newport Historical Society project
The home has many brushes with historical moments.
“The Wanton-Lyman-Hazard house has many important stories to tell about Newport, our nation’s founding, and our evolution as a community and society,” Sen. Reed said. “I am proud to deliver this federal funding to ensure the history of enslaved and freed Africans in Newport does not gather dust in the attic. We must preserve and share this history and make it accessible to the broadest audience possible.”
Part of the funding will go towards elevating stories about slavery in Newport, according to a release.
Officials said that theWanton-Lyman-Hazard House has been closed to visitors for years due to the condition and limited accessibility to the home.
Once preservation work is completed, theWanton-Lyman-Hazard House will serve as a collaborative space for local Black history organization, Sen. Reed’s office said.
“I am incredibly grateful to Senator Reed for being an early believer in and champion for this project and for creating a designated space for Black history in Newport,” said Rebecca Bertrand, executive director of the Newport Historical Society. “Our collections and properties, including the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, have long contained the artifacts of this critical chapter in our history. I invite the community to join us in the pursuit of a better understanding of our shared past and how it informs our lives today, and we look forward to welcoming many visitors to the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House in the future.”
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