The town of Bristol, Rhode Island, has been celebrating Independence Day in grand fashion since 1785. Americans from near and far have long regarded the town as a center of patriotism and history. With this new pictorial history, Bristol resident and "Fourth of July Historian" Richard V. Simpson presents a lively tribute to his town's heritage. Richard V. Simpson has combined carefully selected images--many rare and previously unpublished--with informative and compelling text to take his readers on a journey through the history of this dynamic and diverse community. Readers are taken inside Hope Street's historic mansions and family-run shops, gaining valuable insight into the lifestyles of Bristolians in the early 1900s. By contrast, the growth and development of the town in the twentieth century is revealed in aerial views taken over a period of fifty years.