Thank you. Thank you, and good evening. It is a good evening. Mr. Speaker, mr. Senate president , members of the general assembly, distinguished guests, my special guest, my family. My husband, my son, and my daughter. [applause] and of course, my fellow Rhode Islanders. [applause] tonight, i stand before you filled with optimism for our future. Yearht, we begin this stronger than we have been in decades. [applause] four years ago, our Unemployment Rate was the highest in america. Today, it is in line with the Natural National average. The people filing for Unemployment Insurance last year was the lowest in 50 years. [applause] our economy has more jobs than in nearly any other time in our states history. [applause] we cut our deficit in half, we are the first state in america to teach Computer Science in every public school. [applause] numbers, you the can see it all around us. Cranes rising over providence, johnston, and kingston. [applause] construction crews fixing roads in every p
Mrs. Pratt had five of them. The largest collection outside of russia, more than the queen of england owns and she had them here in this house. Later on she donated them to the Virginia State museum. So today you could see them in one of the rooms down there. She predeceased mr. Pratt by a number of years. He lived here by himself up until 1975 when well into his 90s he died and at that point he gave the house to the National Park service. Realizing its historical importance. Thanks to the jens rossty of this man that we are able to show the house to you. I hope you enjoy it. If the you have any questions ask me and of course, we have a lot of interesting things going on on the front grounds today as well. So please take advantage of those as well. The gardens were on the front of the house. Entirely obliterated. If you look at pictures, we have one on the fireplace, of that side of the house during the war, youll see no garden. After the war was over in the 1920s they then moved the g
That is the southern terminus of our National Scenic byways and National Heritage area. We are pleased that the books tonight focuses on both our northern terminus and southern terminus. You will hear a little bit about gettysburg which is our northern terminus, northern part of the National Heritage area. You will also hear a little bit about charlottesville. Monticello out jeffersons driveway, you are driving on the scenic byway. And you are driving 180 miles north to gettysburg. Mile plotst 180 of land, we have 11 sites. Monticello, madisons willin montpelier, brent talk about these places. We wnant to thank the charlottesville convention bureau, one of our wonderful partners. Kurt, the executive director is here tonight. Thank you. Without further ado, i will introduce our guest. Brent glass, the director emeritus of this and sony National Museum of american the smithsonian National Museum of American History. A National Leader in the interpretation and promotion of history, brent
Charlottesville, and that is the southern terminus of our National Scenic byways and National Heritage area. So we are pleased that the book tonight focuses on both our northern terminus and southern terminus. You will hear a little bit about gettysburg, which is our northern terminus, the most northern part of the National Heritage area. And of course, you will hear a little about charlottesville as well. If you we often talk is head out monticello jeffersons driveway you are driving on the scenic byway. And you are driving 180 miles north to gettysburg. Which is the other end of the National Heritage area. And within that 180mile plot of land, we have 11 sites. Of course, monticello, madisons home in montpelier, brent will talk about these places. We want to thank, of course, the Charlottesville Albemarle convention bureau, one of our wonderful partners. Kurt, the executive director is here tonight. Thank you. Without further ado, i will introduce our guest. Brent glass is the direct
And let me just leave you my definition of leadership as i think about stewart udall. Leadership demonstrates an unwavering philosophical underpinning of service to others. Anchored in humility, courage, humanity, and gratitude. And if you were to take a look at those whom we have honored as a people in your National Park system, theres a lesson there. There are those who have given of themselves, who have given of themselves, that in the end as the people of the nation, those are whom we honor most of all. Its interesting. Just take a look at those individuals by name. Those have been of service to others. That is the american legacy. To honor those who have given to others. Lastly, before we open it up to questions, on this centennial. Yes, august 25th is a big day. And i know you historians like to traffic in facts. So contrary to popular belief, i was not there for the signing of that act in 1916. Ive been around a long time but not that long. With respect to the centennial and the