Cranston in Providence County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)

Oak Lawn Library

— Cranston Discovery Network —

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 19, 2026

1. Oak Lawn Library Marker

Inscription.
This building served as the education center of Oak Lawn starting in 1838 as a schoolhouse and then served as the Oak Lawn Library since 1895. The library was operated by the Oak Lawn Public Library Association until 1968 when it joined the Cranston Public Library System.

Schoolhouse and Church as seen from Locust Glen, 1893 Originally established in 1889, the library collection had been previously housed in the Baptist Church, under the guidance of Reverend William Briggs.

Jonathan Comstock, G. Elmer Lamphere, and the Mobile Library Using their own vehicle, Jonathan Comstock and G. Elmer Lamphere started a mobile library service to deliver books to local farms for the families in Oak Lawn in 1922

Libarary Association 1889 A call for membership and donations of materials for the established Oak Lawn Library, housed at the Oak Lawn Baptist Church.

The Old School House The exterior of the library was one long building circa 1940s when it was under the supervision of Librarian Harriet Shaw.

Interior of Library circa 1945 under Librarian Mrs. Shaw Mr. Laurence Shaw was the first librarian in 1896. His

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wife, Mrs. Harriet Shaw, was the longest serving librarian from 1934-1968.

Coffe's Stone Once used as a corn grindstone at a nearby mill by the slave named Coffe, the stone now covers the water well which was used during the schoolhouse years.

Erected by Cranston Discovery Network.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1838.

Location. 41° 44.983′ N, 71° 29.179′ W. Marker is in Cranston, Rhode Island, in Providence County. It is on Wilbur Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 230 Wilbur Ave, Cranston RI 02921, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Providence.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in New England,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

Oak Lawn Library image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 19, 2026

2. Oak Lawn Library

are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Clarence Surprise Square (approx. 3.2 miles away); Print Works (approx. 3.2 miles away); Spragueville (approx. 3.2 miles away); RI Freedom Monument (approx. 3.3 miles away); World War II, Korean Conflict and Vietnam War Memorial (approx. 3.3 miles away); Vietnam War (approx. 3.3 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 3.3 miles away); Viet Nam Memorial Quadrangle (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cranston.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 29, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.