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Cultural data sources
include inventories of scenic areas or visually significant landscapes,
historic surveys or reports, and significant locally identified
features that contribute to a unique sense of place. Many of these
studies were included in the 1992 South Kingstown Comprehensive
Plan. The others were obtained from state agencies and the South
Kingstown Planning Department. Where possible, original photographs
or other media was also collected. Unfortunately, much of this material
has been lost.
The
Rhode Island Landscape Inventory
Department of Environmental Management, 1990
The Landscape Inventory was a statewide "windshield"
survey of mostly rural scenic landscapes. It built on a 1965 report
by the Statewide Planning Program outlining historic and scenic
areas. The Inventory divided the state into four physiographic
regions and rated landscapes over twenty acres as distinctive, noteworthy,
or common. The assessment was performed by a landscape architect
with initial input from local planning boards.
The Inventory provides no protection for identified landscapes.
Although only 150 copies of the report were produced, the main data
from the Inventory was digitized into RIGIS and are specifically
mentioned in the Comprehensive Plan. A limited number of
the slides taken during the Inventory are included in this
website.
South
Kingstown Historic Zoning District
South Kingstown Historic District Commission
The Kingston Historic District was established by authority of the
Town Council in 1959. The District roughly corresponds to the National
Register Historic District, although the boundaries differ slightly.
District boundaries are enumerated precisely in the Comprehensive
Plan. Buildings in the District are protected from alteration or
demolition by a historic overlay district in the zoning code. The
Historic District Commission oversees applications for building
permits.
National
Register of Historic Places and Districts
National Park Service
Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966,
the National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official
list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Properties and
districts are nominated for the Register by the Rhode Island Historical
Preservation and Cultural Heritage Commission. Detailed nomination
forms are prepared by trained architects and historic preservationists.
Although the National Register provides no protection for listed
sites, it mandates review in federally funded projects and makes
owners eligible for investment tax credits. (1)
A RIGIS data layer of historic sites and districts was created in
1989 and updated in 1995. Sites designated through 1992 are listed
in the Comprehensive Plan. Selection of pictures from the
RIHPC's archives are included in addition to downloadable copies
of National Register nomination forms.
Properties
Considered Eligible for National Register
Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
In the mid-1980s, the Historical Preservation and Natural Heritage
Commission completed preliminary surveys of historic properties
in Rhode Island's towns. From these reports, a smaller list of properties
that appear to meet the criteria for National Register designation
has been maintained. This list is intended primarily for planning
purposes, to make property owners and local governments aware of
the historic value of the property. Because the sites are not listed
on the National Register, there is no protection offered. A RIGIS
data layer of eligible properties was created in 1992. Sites inventoried
through 1992 are listed in the Comprehensive Plan. The RIGIS
data does not match exactly with the town list; a combination of
both lists is used for this project.
Rhode
Island Cultural and Designed Landscapes, forthcoming
Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
This survey consists of two separate studies conducted between 1988
and 1994. Designed landscapes are those motivated by a conscious,
aesthetic-driven design effort while vernacular or cultural landscapes
are those where human intervention had a significant role in shaping
land-use. Vernacular landscapes in the survey were limited to agricultural
landscapes, rural road, and mill villages. The list of sites was
derived primarily from the Commission's survey files and like them,
offers no regulatory protection of private property. The study has
yet to be formally published. A preliminary list of these sites
is listed in the Comprehensive Plan. A selection from the
remaining images taken during the two surveys are included in this
website.
Rhode
Island Scenic Roadways
Scenic Roadways Board, RI Department of Transportation
In 1984, the Rhode Island General Assembly established a system
of scenic roads and the Scenic Roadways Board to review nominations
from municipalities. The program is intended to identify and protect
scenic and culturally significant routes through the scenic designation.
Scenic status confers no protection, but as part of the program,
stewardship plans are created as planning documents to preserve
the character of roadways. Rhode Island currently has seven scenic
roadways, including Ministerial Road in South Kingstown. Information
from the Ministerial Road Stewardship Plan is included in this website.
Inventory
of Roadways with Scenic Character, 1996
Scenic Roadways Board, RI Department of Transportation
In order to provide a preliminary list of roads with scenic character,
the Scenic Roadways Board undertook a survey of the state's roads.
Using both expert identification by a landscape architecture firm
and input from local planning officials, the report rated roadways
on visual, historic, and natural character criteria. After it was
completed, the Inventory was not endorsed by the Scenic Roadways
Board because of a conflict with one of the towns. (2)
Nevertheless, the report is a valuable reference for local planning
agencies.
An
Inventory and Analysis of the Village and Rural Qualities of South
Kingstown
Coastal Resources Center, residents of South Kingstown
In conjunction with the Coastal Resources Center at the University
of Rhode Island, the planning department of South Kingstown initiated
an inventory using citizen volunteers of the village and rural aspects
of the town's eleven districts. District groups were led by a staff
member of CRC and charged with identifying the geographic boundaries
of village centers, rural areas, and other land-use patterns. In
addition, groups were directed to identify important areas of rural
and village character, access to recreation, and potential threats
and opportunities for these areas. Each district produced a paper
map and written report. The South Kingstown Planning Department
produced a GIS coverage of the village, rural, and other areas,
but the rest of the data has remained in written form. Contemporary
photographs of key sites are included in this website.
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Cultural
Data Sources