Newport and the Cup: Images from the Photographic Collections of The Newport Historical Society, is a compilation of eight oversized black and white photographs capturing moments of the America’s Cup, raced off Newport’s waters from 1930-1983. The photographs have been mounted gallery-style in an exhibit at the newly redecorated Newport Visitors Center.

Images include:

o   Puritan, an 1885 America’s Cup defender

o   A line-up of J-class America’s Cup yachts circa 1930

o   Rainbow, defender of the 1934 America’s Cup, under construction at Bristol’s Herreshoff Manufacturing Company

o   Ranger, defender of the 1937 America’s Cup

o   Endeavor II, 1937 America’s Cup challenger sailing past Fort Adams

o   A signed photograph featuring crew from Colombia, defender of the 1958 America’s Cup with yacht designer Olin Stephens on board

o   Spectators at Castle Hill watching an America’s Cup parade, 1962

o   British yachts Sovereign and Kurrewa V during a 1964 America’s Cup trial race

“Our exhibit at the Newport Visitors Center allows us to reach a much larger and more diverse audience than we ever could alone,” says Ruth Taylor, Executive Director of the Newport Historical Society. “Newport’s history is so interesting and multi-faceted; there is something there for almost any interest. When we let visitors know how much accessible history there is in Newport, it gives them more reasons to come, and to stay!”   

Discover Newport President and CEO Evan Smith is equally enthusiastic about the center’s newest exhibition. “We’re grateful for the Historical Society’s work in preparing this beautiful collection,” he says. “We’re hopeful our visitors are inspired by Newport’s past as they make their own history here in our unforgettable destination.”

The exhibit will be on display throughout the summer.