Interview with Tall Oak Weeden

Title

Interview with Tall Oak Weeden

Date

December 6, 2011

Transcription

Tall Oak Weeden: Mashapaug Pond, having the water there and having the land where you could raise your own crops, as our people did, you know, because we were agricultural people initially, and all of those things were able to be maintained there. So, that’s why the pond provided all of that back then and that’s what makes it such a tragedy to see the way none of those things are possible now, you know.

Ora Star Boncore: Do you think there’s hope for the future of the pond?

Weeden: Well, that depends on whether the damage is beyond repair or not. I don’t know the extent, the full extent of the damage. When Precious’ oldest living sister was here, she’s 82, she was the one I told you I couldn’t give you the time before because she was here for 2 weeks.

Boncore: Yes.

Weeden: Until early—late—early November.

Boncore: Yes.

Weeden: And so we went over there while she was here cause she lives all the way in St. Louis. Her and her sister that’s in the nursing home who’s only 5 years older than me, just 80. We went over there to try to find where Uncle Jim’s house was on Barrington St., the cherry tree and all.

Boncore: Yes.

Weeden: We couldn’t find it.

Boncore: Oh no.

Weeden: Everything is so altered so much and we went right up to the end of the residential streets that are still there that are not, you know, industrial and we saw the little park area that has been reserved. I guess you’ve seen that.

Boncore: Yes.

Weeden: And that’s the first time I had seen that cause I hadn’t been there since all that happened. And then I saw the warning sign next to the pond. That was an experience I’ll never forget.

Interviewer

Ora Star Boncore

Interviewee

Tall Oak Weeden

Location

105 Upper College Road, Kingston, Rhode Island (Fine Arts Building Parking Lot at the University of Rhode Island)

Files

Citation

“Interview with Tall Oak Weeden,” Reservoir of Memories, accessed March 28, 2024, https://reservoirofmemories.omeka.net/items/show/72.