tained with popular music from the ’40s and
’50s while he worked. A scene of Jonah and
the whale is emblazoned on one wall: Jonah
was modeled after the church’s janitor who
regularly helped Nincheri. Marguerite For-
get, a member of the church choir, was
Nincheri’s inspiration for the angels, repre-
senting virtues like faith and charity.
Nincheri also had a place for those people
he didn’t appreciate.
“In the Revolt of the Angels Against God,
the archangel Michael stabs a fallen angel. The
model for that angel was the Mother Superior,
who Nincheri used to butt heads with,” says
Petrucci. “Another example: Nincheri says to
one of the nuns, ‘Send me your two worst
behaved boys.’ And they were the devils in the
Last Judgment.”
For a working-class community struggling
to make ends meet, the church was a source
of hope. Now, they could see their own faces
spilled across the magnificent cathedral. The
church wasn’t merely a place for the commu-
nity to gather; it was a reflection of it.
For about fifty years, parishioners attended
mass underneath the spectacular frescoes, but
with time, attendance slowly dwindled. The
diocese had to make a difficult decision: They
closed the church.
“It’s not cheap running a place like this. It
can cost more than $10,000 a month to heat
and $2,000 in electricity,” says Petrucci. It
wasn’t economically feasible to keep the
church open.
A group of volunteers and former parishio-
ners came together to rescue the beloved
church. They created the St. Ann Arts and Cul-
tural Center to preserve its historical and artis-
tic value. “At first a lot of people felt we might
be going against the diocese. We weren’t going
against the diocese. We’re trying to save your
memories; we’re trying to save your culture,”
says Wally Rathbun, chairman of St. Ann’s board.
The center, staffed entirely by volunteers,
offers tours of the church and reuses the space
for public and private events. Concerts, dinners,
weddings, parties: St. Ann’s is a venue open to
anyone in the local community or beyond.
The staff also tirelessly maintains the aging
building. From climbing around the perime-
ter of the ceiling to change lightbulbs to stay-
ing in the church during storms overnight to
make sure it isn’t damaged, they are dedicated
to protecting this place.
“This is a living scrapbook of the genera-
tions that came before us,” says Rathbun. “And
this is what we have to hand down to the next
generation. We’re just the caretakers here.”
stannartsandculturalcenter.org
{
THE
LIST
}
By Kaitlyn Murray
Sunshine Joy Distributing
Are you a hippie at heart? Then you’re bound to
think Sunshine Joy is totally far out. The Woon-
socket-based online catalog specializes in “good
vibe gifts,” selling everything from wholesale tap-
estries and tie-dyed clothing items to licensed
Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and Woodstock products.
769-8800, sunshinejoy.com.
A SHORT DRIVE AWAY
{ where to eat }
Antiques Alley
River Falls Housed in a repurposed mill building, this emporium
Hailed as one of the state’s best steak and seafood formerly known as Stillwater Antiques reflects the
restaurants, River Falls sits on the historic banks of history of the surrounding town. Check out cabinets
Blackstone River. Come for the intimate rural atmo- full of vintage memorabilia, Victorian-era furniture
sphere and stay for the legendary prime rib combo and just about everything else from the near or
plates. Or, if you’re lucky, you may even catch one distant past. If you’re an old-fashioned audiophile,
of the midweek dinner specials (how can you pos- they have an impressive collection of vinyl from jazz
sibly pass up opportunities like Ten Buck Tuesday’s to rock. Looking to sell some of your own forgotten
Burger and Brew-haha or Wacky Wednesday Dinner treasures? They will happily put your goods up for
for Two?). 74 South Main St., Woonsocket, 235-9026, consignment. 711 Putnam Pike, Smithfield, 949-4999,
riverfallsri.com. stillwaterantiques.net.
Ye Olde English Fish and Chips
{ things to see and do }
Founded in 1922 by native Brits Harry and Ethel Stadium Theatre
Sowden, this fish and chips joint has been serving Built in 1926, the Stadium is one of the few remain-
the Woonsocket community for almost 100 years. ing examples of the vaudeville era still in operation.
The restaurant’s authentic batter recipe has re- Since being restored in 2001, the iconic Woon-
mained unchanged after four generations of own- socket staple has developed into a community
ers. Everything is made on premises, including the center where famed international artists (think: Liza
chips, which are cut and peeled by hand. Try the Minnelli and Cher) have graced the same stage as
fisherman platter, which includes fresh batter-dipped talented local community arts organizations. Visit
fish served with scallops, shrimp and chips, along the theater’s website to see which acts are on the
with its custom tartar and cocktail sauces. 25 South program for 2020. 28 Monument Sq., Woonsocket,
Main St., Woonsocket, 762-3637, yeoldeenglishfish 762-4545, stadiumtheatre.com.
andchips.com.
Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining
A SHORT DRIVE AWAY
One of Rhode Island’s premier music clubs, Chan’s
Wright’s Dairy Farm and Bakery gives you the best of both worlds when dining
If farm fresh is your thing, Wright’s is a must. Bring out, combining delicious Chinese food with world
the kids and watch the cows during milking time. class jazz and blues music. Menu specialties con-
The milk is pasteurized right on the property, so the sist of roast duck and Shanghai fish while past
freshness of the pastries, milk and ice cream can’t acts have included guitarist Duke Robillard, “The
be beat. You may start out with the best intentions, Voice” favorite Sarah Potenza and singer-song-
but be prepared to leave with armfuls of goodies. writer Leon Redbone. 267 Main St., Woonsocket,
Claire’s Classics include cupcakes, cream and flaky 765-1900, chanseggrollsandjazz.com.
pastries, chocolate chip cookies and blueberry muf-
A SHORT DRIVE AWAY
fins. 200 Woonsocket Hill Rd., North Smithfield, 767-
3014, wrightsdairyfarm.com.
Ravenous
Open since 2012, Ravenous is a family-owned nano-
{ where to shop }
brewery that conjures up big flavors. Its artisan,
Walt’s Clothing handcrafted brews are one-of-a-kind and include
In business since 1971, Walt’s caters to Rhode Island’s the popular Coffee Milk Stout (which pairs well
blue collar workers. Carrying the very best in name with an after-dinner treat like flan or tiramisu) and
brand rain jackets, fleece-lined jeans, worker’s boots the smooth Rhode Haze New England IPA. Tours
and accessories like sunglasses, hats, belts and more, are available upon request, and the brewers make
Walt’s can easily cover all of your working attire and good on their mission to ensure their patrons are
weather-dependent needs. 837 Cumberland Hill Rd., thirsty nevermore. 10 Industrial Rd., Cumberland,
Woonsocket, 765-7582, waltsclothing.com. 216-5331, ravenousbrewing.com.
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY
l MARCH 2020 75