Sentimental Sunday; Oaklawn Baptist Church

Oaklawn Baptist Church, 1879

My earliest school days were spent in the historic village of Oaklawn in Cranston, Rhode Island. Although I never attended this church pictured here, I did belong to a Brownie troop that met in the parish hall attached to the back of the church. This church, the Oaklawn Baptist Church (1879), is famous for the May Day Breakfasts. I created this collage for a friend, who when he grew up, moved to Georgia and stayed there. By the miracle that is Facebook, he and I have reconnected. He is still a Baptist so I knew he would want to show his children that the church he worshiped in is still standing.

What I didn't know is that this church was built on part of the land where an early Quaker Meeting House stood. In the first Cranston Images of America book, there is a photo of the plain brown building that was that meetinghouse. I took a couple of photos of where that might have been and I will post them at a later date. There is still a close relationship between the Friends and several generations of Baptists that lived here. Isn't that great history?

It is easy to feel sentimental about this little village. I went to private preschool in Oaklawn in a lady's house and I still remember that they picked me up at my house, in a big black car. Our earliest memories must be important for a reason. 

When you return to a place that you have not visited in a long time, it can be stressful or calming. Feeling calm, I took other photos for Sentimental Sunday blog posts, but for today, you can enjoy this classic New England experience.