Photo Gallery MV

Moosup Valley is a dispersed agricultural community that follows the length of Moosup Valley Road from a little west of Route 14 to just west of Cucumber Hill Road at the old Tyler Store. The original Library (foreground of photo ), built in 1900 to house a library given by local historian and store-keeper, Casey B. Tyler, was moved across the road in 1965 and joined to the schoolhouse to create the present Tyler Free Library. ( text from Foster, RI, RIHPC Report, P-F-1, 1982)

This view from the southwest takes in the MV Christian Church and a large barn that is no longer standing. The long carriage sheds behind the Church have also been demolished.

This vernacular, late Greek Revival church was built by local residents for use as a church, meeting place, and school. In 1868 the Moosup Valley Christian Church was organized and began meeting here. In 1931 the Christian Church merged with the Congregational denomination and in 1961 both became part of the United Church of Christ. ( text from Foster, RI, RIHPC Report, P-F-1, 1982)

This one-room schoolhouse with paired entrances, built in 1811 on land given for that purpose by Isaac Blanchard, was closed in 1952. In 1965, the structure built just across the road to house a library given by local historian and store-keeper, Casey Tyler, was moved and joined to the schoolhouse by a large modern addition. The whole building was then opened as Tyler Free Library. ( text from Foster, RI, RIHPC Report, P-F-1, 1982)

This store ( on present-day Plainwoods Road) was built by John Tyler and was a center for community activity throughout the 19th century. The Tyler family, their store, and their cider mill, which operated nearby, gave the name Tyler to this vicinity in the last half of the 19th century. Tyler Store may have been the longest continuously operating store in town. ( text from Foster, RI, RIHPC Report, P-F-1, 1982)

This library was built to house a library given by local historian and store-keeper, Casey B. Tyler. It was moved across the road and joined to the MV Schoolhouse in 1965 to create the Tyler Free Library. ( text from Foster, RI, RIHPC Report, P-F-1, 1982)

Wheaton Harrington was born about 1867. He was the son of William O. Harrington, Civil War veteran and father of Herman Harrington, farmer and Foster Town Clerk in the mid 20th century. The Harringtons were one of Foster's founding families.

The Harrington-Johnson Homestead, on Johnson Road, was the ancestral home of the Harrington family. It was the birthplace of Judge Clarke Howard Johnson, Chief Justice of the RI Supreme Court from 1913 to 1917. The Foster Country Club now occupies the site.

Emory Lyon, Foster Town Clerk, is shown in an inset to the photo. The Lyon family bought land in 1775 from Stephen Fenner, dividing it amongst several sons over the years. The original farm remained in the Lyon family until 1974. ( text from Foster, RI, RIHPC Report, P-F-1, 1982)

This four-story barn is on the Iri Brown Farm (house 1815). It is built into a hillside and accessible on all four levels. It was built at a cost of $3000., used fifty thousand feet of plank, cut on the property, and is unparalleled in Western RI. It was built, tradition says, to keep Iri Brown's grandson, Curtis Foster (b. 1861), " down on the farm" and represents a major and unusual capital investment at that time. It may reflect the influence of Shaker barn construction, which was typified by multiple levels and hillside orientation; several members of the Foster family went to the Shakers in 1826. ( text from Foster, RI, RIHPC Report, P-F-1, 1982)

Moosup Valley

Foster Preservation Society

Moosup Valley National Historic District