Lone Ranger

See now, a little advance notice on that one would have been nice.

Again, I have to recommend this book, not just to people from Newport or the islands, but to everyone here on UrbanPlanet. These pictures of downtown Newport are AMAZING. It's unbelievable to me how developed, how compact, how urban Newport was at the turn of the century. Brimming with life, bustling with use. In a word, beautiful. The city of Newport, as a city, was so ... so ... so healthy. The pictures of Thames St are heartbreaking. For anybody who knows what Thames St is like now, to see what it was like back then ... god. Why, why, why does America's Cup have to exist? They smashed that road through the heart of town like a battering ram. They gutted the city with it. It's almost enough to make you cry. By comparison, what we have left of downtown today, in some ways, feels like a cheap mockup. Not to denigrate the value of what's there now. I don't mean that at all. But there was so much more. Other pictures of note are those of the destruction left in the wake of the '38 hurricane. We hear a lot about what that hurricane did to downtown Providence. I'd never considered its impact on Newport before. Yeah it hit hard. Hard.

Is the Market on the Boulevard planning on making a comeback? I happen to know that they continue to retain a PO box. And I know they operated not only as a market and deli but also as a caterer. It occurs to me, as the PO box remains open and (ahem) continues to receive a good deal of mail, that the catering business is probably still in operation, even though the market & deli are gone. But does that leave open the possibility that they would reopen the popular market & deli if they could find a suitable location?

It's over for the Patriots, but there is the matter of one minor game left to play, which I assume you'll be hearing about. Supersomethingorother.

Nature was cruel to me. I love cats, yet I'm wildly allergic to them. And when my allergies get rockin', I'm a veritable basket case.

Pawtucket should just annex Central Falls.

Well it's very interesting to me to see the degree of change that took place in Newport in less than 70 years. A LOT of change -- not much of it for the better. But I'm not sure how much of this would surprise you. I expect that you've seen many of these very photos before. Looking at these before & after scenes, I find myself musing how easy it is to stripmaul (!) a place and how hard it is to repair that damage afterward. BTW, what's going on next to Arnold Art? Edit: and the Sovereign on Thames is going to be an abomination. I already want it razed.

Any more pictures of ComCast Center in progress?

I deem this news to be officially off-topic. I was given a gift today, a book called Newport Revisited by Rob Lewis and Ryan Young. Mostly pictures, all black & white, mostly pre-urban-renewal, very little commentary except for the obvious remarks to situate the viewer (in place and time). Utterly fan-freaking-tastic. Numerous aerial shots, very interesting. Somebody knows how I like to be tickled. Gusterfell, it includes the picture of the Audrain Building that you posted for me.

I bet the upper floors of the Carnegie Abbey tower will have a fantastic view of the skyline.

OK, so I guess this means that Seelbinder should pay to repair the damage his cranes did to the depot. AND WE WANT ALL THE BRICKS BACK IN THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES.

Just go on your penguin plunge anyway. If that doesn't numb the pain, I dunno what would.

Very nice name.

And with that, Louisiana gets my vote for best capitols ... It's a personal thing, but I hated my time spent in the South. But if I had known that Louisiana had such great capitols, I would have made a special trip down there just to see 'em. Hey, nobody told me.

Why wouldn't they buy it? Makes sense to me.

Sorry if this is outta leftfield, Jen, but were you raised Catholic or something?

He won't ride that argument very far -- no pun intended.

Glad you liked it, Jerry. Mikey says it's of dubious literary value. Welcome, Eric.

Put it this way: if Mikey has 10 minutes to spare, I'd love to see him do better than I did. Congrats, Unka Cotuit.

Man, everybody's a critic.

Well sir, safe to say, you & I sometimes clash. Your opinions offend me, my opinions you trash. And we've both butted heads oft'n enough on this site That at times, I'm ashamed to think neither part right. But I find I respect you, in a weird sort of way: Though I might not agree, you believe what you say. And I have to confess, I admire the way you Have the courage to voice the unpopular view. As for me, well, whatever conclusions you reach, Grant me only this much: I believe in free speech, And I'd hope that (as much as I proffer my own) I equally let other viewpoints be known. If there's one thing I'd wish said of me, it's that Both in word and in deed, I'm a true democrat: So let's bury the hatchet: if we've need of a reason, We'll let bygones be bygones for the sake of the season. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Jerry. Now if ya'll will excuse me, I've gotta run. I've got some serious last-minute shopping to do.

Wow is that good. Is it Garris, or is it Washington St? It's Garris.