The founders of the Sons of Jacob, an Orthodox synagogue, had a vision: a soaring edifice in the North End of Providence that would be a symbol of their prosperity and place in the new world.

Having fled the pogroms in Russia and Poland and unrest in Austria in the late 1800s, they were determined to prosper in Providence. Their first synagogue was begun in 1896 when a small group of men met on an upper floor of a house on Shawmut Street and Chalkstone Avenue, right in the middle of a dense Jewish population. Those founders then purchased land on the corner of Douglas and Orms Street, and in 1906 finished construction on the first floor. At a cost of $50,000, they now had a home!

In 1906 Sons of Jacob was not the only synagogue in the neighborhood. The surrounding blocks were filled with Jewish families and businesses, and there were over two dozen houses of worship chartered in the neighborhood, then called the North End and now Smith Hill. However, as the demographics changed, the smaller congregations gave their scrolls to Sons of Jacob and joined themselves to this, more substantial, group.

In 1922, the upper floors were added to accommodate the worshippers; the second floor was for the men, and the third floor for the women, as is the custom for separate seating for men and women in Orthodox congregations. The finished building, designed by Harry Marshak, a local architect, was modeled on a building erected in 1836 in Kassel, West Germany, thus giving another tie to the founders’ former lives. With a substantial building, Rabbi Isaac Blik became the first full-time spiritual leader.

Examine the first floor with its murals around the Ark. Look at the names inscribed on the windows and walls. How proud they were of their new-found success! Go upstairs and marvel at the ceiling medallions depicting the zodiac. The pictures over the front bimah, or speaker’s platform, describe Perkei Avot (teachings of the fathers). The huge chandelier, with its massive weight and brilliant light, adds gravity and grace to the structure. These incredible illustrations, as well as the Zodiac scherenschnitte (cut paper work), were done by Sam Shore, the first president of the synagogue after it moved to Douglas Avenue.

As time went on, the area changed. One factor was the construction of Routes 146 and I-95, when a huge swath of buildings was destroyed and people were forced to move. Another factor was the increasing wealth of the residents, and their desire to live in more up-scale areas. Some went to the suburbs of Cranston and Warwick, and others to the East Side of Providence.

While the people moved, the building remained. The vibrant community was no more. Even while a minyan, the gathering of 10 Jewish men over the age of 13 to have public prayer, continued to be held most mornings, the building gradually deteriorated. Without a thriving community willing to do repairs, problems with the roof and buttresses arose.

The Rhode Island Jewish Museum was founded in an attempt to save the building as an artifact of great cultural importance. It is the last surviving and active synagogue of that era in Providence. When repurposed as a Museum, its legacy will be saved for future generations.

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When Ferris Babcock Dove (1915-1983) and Eleanor Dove (1918-present) opened the Dovecrest Restaurant in 1963, it was the first Native American restaurant in New England. Perched on Summit Road, the restaurant gained national attention for their Indigenous cuisine, including johnnycakes, succotash, as well as more unique dishes like racoon pie, bear, moose, and venison stew. The restaurant remained a fixture in the community for 23 years. In 1969, Princess Red Wing and the Dove family moved the Tomaquag Museum beside the restaurant, to better share Narragansett culture with the restaurant's patronage.

Ferris, also known as Chief Roaring Bull, graduated from Westerly High School and Bacone College in Oklahoma, formerly known as Bacone Indian University. He was a member of the National Guard and a supervisor at Electric Boat. Ferris was also the first Native American postmaster, serving for many years at the Rockville post office and as the President of the Rhode Island branch of the Postmasters League. Ferris was also active in the town of Exeter, serving as the town moderator and tax assessor for a multitude of years.

Ferris was also very involved in Tribal affairs throughout his life. He was the last traditional war chief among the Narragansett Tribe, earning this title through physical and mental feats and performing good acts for the community. He held this role until his death. Ferris also played a critical role in his Tribe's fight for federal recognition, testifying before Congress during the federal recognition process in the 1970s. Ferris died shortly after recognition was granted in 1983. The Dovecrest Restaurant was sold in 1984 and closed its doors forever in 1986.

Eleanor (Spears) Dove, or Pretty Flower, was born in 1918, growing up in, what was then, rural East Providence. In her youth, Eleanor modeled, worked as a caterer, and in a family restaurant. She met Ferris at a dance in East Providence, where she told her cousin, "I'll take the tall one." In 1938 she and Ferris were married at the Narragansett Indian Church. They raised four children in Charlestown prior to purchasing their homestead in Exeter, which became Dovecrest.

Eleanor was an active member of the Narragansett in her own right. Along with being head chef and manager of the Dovecrest, for years she was involved in the Business Professional Women's Foundation, the March of Dimes, and the Narragansett Indian Church Board. Eleanor turned 100 years old on August 1, 2018. Her most important role is mother, grandmother, mentor, and role model to many throughout the Native and non-Native community, a testimony she shared at her 100th birthday celebration.

Although the Dovecrest closed over 30 years ago, the locale is still special to the Narragansett community. Next to the building, the Tomaquag Museum remains open and more active today than ever. The adjacent Nuweetooun School was opened in 2003, educating Narragansett and other children for seven years. The school was headed by Lorén Spears, Ferris and Eleanor's granddaughter, who has served as the Executive Director of the Tomaquag Museum since 2003.

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