To illustrate just how rural this area was at the time, (and how suitable it was for the Cistercians,) here are some digitized glass plate negatives from the Edward Ozog Photograph Collection and the James N. Arnold Image Collection at the Providence Public Library:

In March 1900, John Mary Murphy left for Rhode Island with "companions and all the cattle and furniture and books and vestments and pots and pans- in fact, everything that was left of Petit Clairvaux except the shell of the building" (Merton, 1949, p. 177). Interestingly, it is still possible to view John Mary Murphy's naturalization record, which shows his arrival date of March 1st, 1900. I have included a screenshot below. 

References:

Amadeus, M. (1937). The Right Reverend Dom M. Edmond Obrecht, O.C.S.O.: Fourth abbot of Our Lady of Gethsemani (1852-1935). Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani. https://archive.org/details/rightreverenddom0000mari/mode/2up 

Bertonière, G. (2005). Through faith and fire: the monks of Spencer 1825-1958. Yorkville Press.

Le Monastère des Trappistes à Tracadie Détruit Par le Feu (1896, October 15). Journal des Campagnes, 9. https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3633195?docsearchtext=%22petit%20clairvaux%22 

Merton, Thomas (1949). The waters of siloe. Harcourt, Brace and Company New York.

Raymond, M. (1949). Burnt out incense. P.J. Kennedy & Sons New York. https://archive.org/details/burntoutincense00mray 

Saint Joseph’s Abbey. (2000). Saint Joseph’s Abbey a brief history. Saint Joseph’s Abbey Spencer, Massachusetts. 

Saint Joseph's Abbey. (1975). Consecration of the abbey church of Our Lady of Saint Joseph Spencer, Massachusetts the first of August one thousand nine hundred & seventy-five on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of our community at Petit Clairvaux, Nova Scotia one thousand eight hundred & twenty-five. Saint Joseph's Abbey Spencer, Massachusetts.

Schrepfer, L. (1947). Pioneer monks in Nova Scotia. St. Augustine's Monastery.

Early Establishment

The displaced community immediately encountered more hardships after leaving Nova Scotia. When John Mary Murphy arrived with a small group of community members in March, 1900, they found that the property that had been "transferred to the Cistercian Order on terms so favorable that it was regarded... more as a donation than a sale" (Murphy, 1905, pp. 72-73), was strewn with trees, rocks, and brush. More worrisome was the large swampland that surrounded the fields, which soon drowned three cows before it was drained. In fact, the property (called the Bishop Harkins Brook Farm, the Abigail Whipple Homestead, or the Five Barns, as it was called by the locals) was known to be of poor quality. 

Regardless, the first order of business was to start clearing the land and begin to plant crops that would sustain the community over the coming months. However, when the first spade struck earth, it was discovered that granite lay only a few inches below the surface. In the monastery's annals, the phrase "this farm, a stony waste, does not pay" appeared frequently (Merton, 1949, p. 178) and locals in the area deemed the property "useless land" ("Cumberland Monks Lay", 1925, p. 67). However, progress was made, four acres of farmland were cleared, and vegetable patches and apple orchards were planted. 

In his journal, Fr. Joseph Conaghan (1853-1926), wrote:

For some weeks past my occupation consisted in clearing the fields of our farms of stones, so that the plough could go smoothily [sic] enough through the soil. Curious as my mind is generally, wanting ever to find out the whys of everything, I became very much interested to solve the problem as to the existence and usefulness of large and small stones which form the greatest inembrances [sic] to farming success in Rhode Island. How is it that they exist in vast numbers in one place more than another? Well, I answer this question by another question. Why does the Community of the Cistercian Order exist in the parish of Valley Falls and not in Massachusetts or New York? The answer to the latter will meet the objections of the former. God has willed it so. He gave us his rational creatures, the grace to join each other's company and so to form a religious body. It was in His eternal decrees marked out that this monastery should exist and be the home of holiness where many of His elect should faithfully work out their salvation (from "Meditation on Stones"). 

The livestock that survived the fire of Petit Clairvaux arrived via train on July 24, 1900. The trip took eight days, which was longer than expected, and Brother Richard rode with the farm animals the entire trip ("Brother Richard", 1940)! A cow stable and barn were then constructed to house the animals (depicted below). According to Fr. John O'Connor (the novice master at the time), as of August, 1900, there were 30 cows, 6 horses, some pigs, and some chickens (O'Connor, 1900, as cited in Bertoniere, 2005, p. 198). 

According to an October 20, 1901 article published in the Providence Journal, [Fr. Murphy] "thinks Rhode Island offers a splendid opportunity for market gardening. There are so many customers for his products close around him that he need go no further than Lonsdale to dispose of almost everything he raises" (p. 17). Under his direction, the monastery began to sell produce and products from the dairy (including cheese which was made using a secret process that "ha[d] been kept in the Order for many years", potatoes, apples, tomatoes, "Rhode Island turkey and chicken", milk, and eggs (p. 17). 

Fr. Murphy, before entering the Cistercian Order, was a successful businessman. He, along with his brother, ran a "wholesale retail and grocery business" in Montreal, named the Murphy Brothers ("Cistercian Prior", 1913, p. 16), and was employed at the famed Maison McManamy et Murray in Sherbrooke ("Élu Prieur", 1907, p. 2). It was due to his leadership that the community was able to create and maintain lucrative businesses so early. 

Other industries that started up around this time included their Cistercian Spring Water business and the creation of a ladies' guesthouse (for more information, see the "Life at the Monastery" page). The monastery's artesian well can be seen in the photograph above, on the right ("Returning From Work"). After the well was bored, a windmill was constructed over it ("Only Colony", 1905, p. 8). 

To house the community during the first few months, a temporary building was constructed in April, 1900 over a pre-existing cellar hole on the property (see below). As stated by Thomas Merton in The Waters of Siloe (1949), "...Cistercians have seldom had as crude a first home in the sixty foot shack of planks that was called Our Lady of the Valley in 1900" (p. 179). This first building was located on the site of where Ruth E. Carpenter Memorial Garden is now. Additional lodging was provided by Elisha Waterman, who rented his house to the community. His property was located directly across the street from the monastery. 

In April, 1901, construction started on the second temporary monastery building. It was constructed by Ambrose Murphy, who would later construct additional buildings at the monastery. This modest building was two stories tall and measured 28 x 50 feet (depicted below). The ground floor of the building held the chapel, chapter room, and refectory, and the second floor served as the dormitory. 

At this time, the monastery was still being referred to as Petit Clairvaux. This name was being used in monastery correspondence, and also was the name of the first known address of the monastery: "Abbey of Petit Clairvaux, Lonsdale, R.I., P.O. Box 11" (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 196). The monastery received its current name, Our Lady of the Valley, on October 2nd, 1900, which was suggested by the current Providence Bishop, Matthew Harkins. In a letter from John Mary Murphy to Dom Antoine Oger, the abbot of Notre Dame du Lac in Oka, Quebec, Murphy wrote:

I proposed to His Excellency the names which you suggested to me for our monastery. He did not like 'New Clairvaux', nor did he react very much to the same, 'Our Lady of Providence'. But he said that, as we were in the Blackstone Valley, 'Our Lady of the Valley' would be more fitting. So I told him that since this came from him, I thought that you would have no objection. What do you think? (Murphy, 1900, as cited in Bertoniere, 2005, p. 203). 

It was also around this time on October 20, 1901 that the first article about the monastery was published in the Providence Journal: "Life of the Trappist Monk at Little Clairvaux". Over the years, the monastery would become a popular subject for various newspapers and periodicals in the Northeast.

Perhaps it was due to all of this media attention that curious residents began to flock to the new monastery. In "Only Colony of Trappist Monks in the Northeast", an article published in the Boston Herald, the unnamed author described how 

...Nowadays the place is overrun by people who wish to see the way in which Fr. Murphy and his people conduct the work. On Sundays in particular there is an army of sightseers, who ride as far as the trolleys will permit and walk the rest of the way. Hundreds of carriages and autos are lined up on the sides of the roads on pleasant Sundays, and the farm is inspected from one end to the other (1905, p. 8). 

The article continues with this interesting anecdote:

Fr. Murphy, ever alive to the interests of his work and the public, has an ice cream booth busy at work, has souvenir postal cards, aluminum trays with pictures on them, and for the devout has for sale beads and religious casts which have been blessed by the order. Last year the sales footed up a profit of nearly $2000 [$72,420 in today's money!]. This year they will exceed that figure greatly. (1905, p. 8). 

A copy of this article now hangs in the Rhode Island Room.

The community soon outgrew the 1901 building, and plans began to construct a larger, permanent monastery building. (A sketch of the proposed 1902 building can be seen below). Work began March of 1902, and the monks moved in to the completed building on January 1st, 1903. A dedicational mass was held on March 21st, 1903 (Bertonière, 2005). More information about the 1902 building can be viewed on the "Buildings and Grounds" page. 

Though Fr. Murphy was the acting superior of the monastery, he was never formally elected as prior. On May 4, 1907, a "ceremony of unusual character" took place, that formally elected him as the head of the community. Fr. Antoine Oger, the Abbot of Notre Dame du Lac in Oka, Québec, Rev. Thomas P. Grace from St. Mary's Church in Providence, and Rev. Charles C. Daury of the Church of the Precious Blood in Woonsocket all traveled to the monastery to witness the ceremony. As described in the Providence Journal, "

...At the termination of the mass the members of the professed choir immediately proceeded to the chapter house to take up the duty of the election of a prior. The vote was unanimously given for the retention of the present Superior, who has been the strenuous founder and upbuilder of the fortunes of the far-famed monastery. One of the features of the ceremony was the 'announcement to the four winds' of the name of the elected candidate and also adding that he was elected canonically. During the election, all the doors and windows were securely fastened and the keys were deposited in the center of the chapter room..." ("Fr. Murphy", 1901, p. 17). 

An account of the Installation of Fr. John Mary Murphy, written by Fr. Joseph Conagahan (1853-1926), who was the monastery's official correspondent until his death in 1926. 

(Transcription of original:)

The installations of Rev. Fr. Murphy as Titular Prior of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Valley, Lonsdale, R.I. took place this morning. Last May the news was carried on the four winds that he was chosen immediately at the election presided over by the Right Rev. Father Immediate- Abbot Antoine of the Oka Monastery, Montreal. The electoral papers were immediately forwarded to Rome to receive the confirmation of the Superior General of the Cistercian Order. Some time ago the letters approving the choice of the community reached this country; and it was resolved to postpone until the festival of that great luminary of the church and glory of the Cistercians, St. Bernard, which is observed to-day, the interesting ceremonies of the Installation. 

At 10 ½ o’clock, whilst the big bell was sounding forth its most powerful notes, the community repaired to the Chapter Room in their customary manner- the seniors preceding the juniors- and sat down on the benches against the walls. The Immediate Father comes last and occupies a chair in the middle at the top of the room. Two of the senior monks, then, lead Fr. Murphy between them to the feet of the Right Rev. President who at once begins the usual interrogatories such as, for example do you know that he is worthy of the position? Answers in the affirmative being, of course, given by the seniors, the Prelate, then, stands, solemnly conjures him by virtue of his own authority the Prior of Our Lady of the Valley and immediately blesses him in the name of the Most Adorable Trinity. This over, Fr. Murphy, who is still kneeling reads an oath calling on God to witness that he will administer the temporalities of the Monastery in accordance with the spirit of the Order. As soon as he ceases reading, the Prelate says all Des Gratias and presents him with a bunch of keys, indicative that as appointed sole administrator, the future of the community will altogether depend on his own energies and that he need never look for assistance to (?) house of the Order. The Immediate Father bids him rise and conducts hilton his seat. Then the professed monks, one by one, come before him, kneel down, place their hands between his and renew their vow of obedience saying, Rev. Father, I promise you obedience unto death according to the rule of St. Benedict. When this touching scene is enacted, the community rises and proceeds to the church, singing the responsory “Audi…” (The rest is cut off). All knelt at its conclusion, when the Prelate says in a lou (cut off) two special prayers invoking heaven to strengthen the elected prior, to fulfill his arduous duties with honor, that Fr. Murphy may live to enjoy this promotion and that it may prove a stepping stone to a higher dignity in the heartfelt wish of all his friends in America.

-20 Aug.

*A huge number of the neighboring clergymen attended the ceremony and sat down to an excellent dinner at the conclusion. 

References:

A guest house: Contract awarded for building for the Trappist Fathers (1902, January 25). The Providence Journal, 4. 

Bertonière, G. (2005). Through faith and fire: the monks of Spencer 1825-1958. Yorkville Press.

Brother Richard dead in 83rd year. (1940, July 31). The Providence Journal, 12. 

Cistercian prior dies at monastery (1913, July 7). The Pawtucket Times, 16. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311976&e=cistercian%20prior&m=between&ord=e1&fn=evening_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19130707_english_16&df=1&dt=1 

Cumberland monks lay chapel cornerstone to-day (1925, July 5). The Providence Journal, 67. 

Élu Prieur Titulaire (1907, May 10). Le Progrès de L'Est, 2. https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3546050 

Fr. Murphy still monastery's head. (1907, May 5). The Providence Journal, 7. 

Life of the monk at little clairvaux (1901, October 20). The Providence Journal, 17. 

Merton, Thomas (1949). The waters of siloe. Harcourt, Brace and Company New York.

Only colony of trappist monks in the northeast (1905, May 14). The Boston Herald, 8.  

Order of monks of Citeaux to be established in Cumberland. (1900, March 4). The Providence Journal, 10. 

Photographic views of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Valley (ca. 1902). 

Saint Joseph's Abbey. (1975). Consecration of the abbey church of Our Lady of Saint Joseph Spencer, Massachusetts the first of August one thousand nine hundred & seventy-five on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of our community at Petit Clairvaux, Nova Scotia one thousand eight hundred & twenty-five. Saint Joseph's Abbey.

Survivors of Cumberland Monastery founders (1925, July 12). The Providence Journal, 81.

They will occupy the new monastery (1900, June 4). The Woonsocket Call, 2. https://woonsocket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=monastery%20architect&i=f&d=01011899 12311974&m=between&ord=k1&fn=the_evening_call_usa_rhode_island_woonsocket_19000604_english_2&df=1&dt=10&cid=3028 

Reports on Fr. Murphy's health even made it into local periodicals, such as The Providence Journal. 

• January 13, 1912: "Rev. John M. Murphy, pastor of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley, who has been suffering from a serious attack of illness, was reported as resting comfortably last evening" ("The Blackstone Valley", 1912, p. 7).

• February 26, 1912: "Rev. John M. Murphy, Prior of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Valley, who has been seriously ill and was removed a few days ago to St. Joseph's Hospital, Providence, is improving rapidly" ("The Blackstone Valley Cumberland", 1912, p. 8).

• February 8, 1913: "Rev. John M. Murphy, Prior of The Abbey of Our Lady of the Valley, located at Cumberland, is critically ill at St. Joseph's Hospital, this city, and little hope is entertained for his recovery. He was removed to the hospital the first of the week, his condition at that time having reached a critical stage. He has been in poor health for several years, and during the past 18 months has been gradually falling. He has been suffering from a complication of diseases, and at the hospital yesterday afternoon it was stated that he was very weak" ("Rev. J.M. Murphy Ill", 1913, p. 7). 

Dom Oger, who visited the monastery several times from 1911 to 1912, reported that due to his worsening condition, John Mary Murphy began to "ignor[e] the Constitutions, usages, and Canon Law", leaving the state of daily operations and exercises "topsy turvy". However, Oger noted that "I began... to remind the community in a serious way of respect for the Rule and the Usages. For that matter, I am dealing with religious who are all [sic] very well-disposed. But what is most difficult is not to offend the Father Prior [Murphy] of whom they stand in mortal fear, and who is excessively sensitive precisely because of his present state" (Oger, 1911, as cited in Bertonière, 2005, p. 228). 

Despite all of these difficulties, however, Oger believed that "the community itself was successfully weathering the storm. The materialities were in good shape... and the brethren seemed to be full of good will and hopeful for the future" (Oger, 1912, as cited in Bertoniere, 2005, p. 231). 

However, Dom Oger believed that Fr. Murphy was no longer fit to oversee the monastery. Dom Edmund Obrecht, abbot of Gethsemani Monastery in Kentucky was appointed to be the monastery's Father Immediate, and Fr. John O'Connor was appointed to oversee the daily operations of the monastery. 

References:

Bertonière, G. (2005). Through faith and fire: the monks of Spencer 1825-1958. Yorkville Press.

The Blackstone Valley (1912, January 13). The Providence Journal, 7. 

Cistercian prior dies at monastery (1913, July 7). The Pawtucket Times, 16. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311976&e=cistercian%20prior&m=between&ord=e1&fn=evening_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19130707_english_16&df=1&dt=1 

Merton, T. (1949). The waters of siloe. Harcourt Brace and Company. https://archive.org/details/watersofsiloe00mertrich/mode/2up 

Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley (1924). The Trappist monks of today. Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley. 

Priest dead after lingering illness (1913, July 7). The Providence Journal, 3. 

Rev. John M. Murphy buried (1913, July 9). The Providence Journal, 11. 

Rev. John M. Murphy ill (1913, February 8). The Providence Journal, 7. 

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 7, 1924, and soon the entire community was put to work on blasting out feet of solid rock for the foundation. This back-breaking work continued for months, and finally in May 1925, the foundations were filled in. A ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone then took place on July 6, 1925, which was attended by 1,500 people from the area. This was (at the time) the largest gathering in the history of the town of Cumberland ("Bishop Lays Cornerstone", 1925, p. 13). Sealed inside the cornerstone was a time capsule, which contained "papers of the day, coins of the year, history of the Cistercians, and other valuable notes" ("Bishop Lays Cornerstone, 1925, p. 13). For a while, I thought that there was a possibility that the cornerstone could still be somewhere on the property. However, an article published on August 26, 1952 in the Woonsocket Call revealed that the objects sealed within the time capsule "failed to withstand the test of time" (p. 1). Moisture within the copper time capsule caused the papers to deteriorate, and the coins to become "unrecognizable" (p. 1). This is such a shame, especially as we are only two years away (at the time of writing) from the 100 year anniversary of the cornerstone laying ceremony.

After the foundation was filled in and the cornerstone was laid, the monks began excavating fieldstone to make up the walls of the church. However, when all of the fieldstone was gathered, it was discovered that there was not enough. Another option of buying granite from an outside source was ruled out, as it would be too costly. Luckily, a few years earlier during the summer of 1922, Br. Anthony accidentally discovered a hillside quarry of blue-gray (or "pigeon blue") granite. ("Finest Pigeon-Blue", 1937, p. 4). A monk (though he was unnamed in the article, I bet it was Br. Hugh, who was a civil engineer) was then sent to quarries in Vermont, New Hampshire, Kentucky, and Canada to learn the "best methods" for operating a quarry ("Cumberland Monks Lay", 1925, p. 67). 

An article published in the July 11, 1925 issue of The Providence Journal describes the monastery's mining operation:

For the past nine weeks the Trappists have toiled early and late to keep up with the hungry maw of the masons who are erecting the chapel of Our Lady of the Valley... The walls of the chapel are steadily mounting, and already 350 loads of granite have been quarried by the contemplative order. The foreman brother and the engineer have averaged 12 to 14 hours a day in the quarry since the work started, and they face about 11 weeks more of strenuous work. The brothers and the novices, the latter in charge of a priest, work two shifts a day, from 7 to 11 in the morning and from 2 until 6 o'clock in the afternoon. Strict silence is observed by all except the foreman, who gives the orders, but the work moves along expeditiously. The foreman runs the compressed air drill, the engineer and an assistant man the windlass, others stand ready with crowbars and levers, while still others load the truck and clean away the rubble ("Impressions of Monastery Life", 1925, p. 16). 

Construction on the walls of the building continued through the fall of 1925, and then work on the church's roof began. Tragically, on October 23, 1925, an elevator car carrying 6 people working on the new church building crashed, killing two and injuring four. The contractor of the building was interviewed by a Providence Journal reporter, and the following account was published in the October 24th issue: "the men were working on the new chapel at the monastery and were standing in the elevator when the two 8x6 pine pine supports broke, according to... the contractor of the building. The car crashed to the bottom of the shaft"... ("One Dead", 1925, p. 1 & "Monastery elevator crash", 1925, p. 12). 

The Flu Epidemic

Work continued on the church building, up until March and April of 1926. During those two months, the flu tore its way through the cloistered community. At its peak, 38 monks were afflicted at the same time, and by the time it was over, five had been killed ("Fr. Charles", 1926, p. 7; "Funeral of Monk", 1926, p. 16; "Monastery Fathers Ill", 1926, p. 3; "Fourth of Order", 1926, p. 8; Fr. Michael Holland): Brother Francis Fitzpatrick, Brother John Mary Ryan, Brother Joseph Gilmartin, Frater Charles LaVoie (or LaVoix), and Fr. Joseph Conaghan. 

The Rhode Island Historical Society and Nine Men's Misery

On Monday, November 12, 1928, over 300 people attended a ceremony to unveil a commemorative plaque at the Nine Men's Misery site. The ceremony was overseen by the President of the Rhode Island Historical Society, Claude R. Branch, the Vice President Addison P. Munroe, and Rev. Augustine, O.C.S.O. from the monastery. The tablet, which reads

NINE MEN'S MISERY

ON THIS SPOT WHERE

THEY WERE SLAIN

BY THE INDIANS

WERE BURIED 

THE NINE SOLDIERS

CAPTURED IN 

PIERCE'S FIGHT 

MARCH 26, 1676

can still be seen at the site today ("Memorial Honors", 1928, p. 3). The cairn (depicted below) was restored by trained stone mason and monk Fr. Benedict Barre earlier in 1928 after the pile of stones that marked the site (see left) was damaged over the years by hunters and vandals ("Memorial Honors", 1928, p. 3; Franko, 2003, pp. 50-51). 

The Church Dedication

After years of hard work, the church was finished. On November 21, 1928 a dedicational mass was held, which attracted hundreds of people, including at least 150 visiting clergymen, a local Knights of Columbus delegation, and local officials. Spectators from the area swarmed into the visitor's gallery to observe the service, which was presided over by the Bishop of Providence, William A. Hickey and Rev. Vincent F. Klenberger, a former professor at Providence College. 

Rev. Klenberger provided the dedication sermon, which read in part:

...One community was established here in the peaceful valley that is known as the Valley of Our Lady. Here God hath set his seal upon the people. God hath set among the people of this State a chosen tabernacle, where, through the days and nights, men turn their hearts and minds to God. Should not the sun shine brighter on this land? Should not peace and contentment be refelcted into the very hearthsides of the folks who are near Cumberland's holy mount? ("Cistercian Monks Dedicate", 1928, p. 3). 

References:

Cistercian monks dedicate chapel (1928, November 22). The Providence Journal, 3. 

Cumberland monks lay chapel cornerstone to-day (1925, July 5). The Providence Journal, 67. 

Damp destroys objects placed in cornerstone (1952, August 26). The Woonsocket Call, 1. https://woonsocket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011899-12311974&e=cornerstone,monastery&m=between&ord=e1,e2&fn=the_woonsocket_call_and_evening_reporter_usa_rhode_island_woonsocket_19520826_english_1&df=1&dt=10&cid=3028 

Dream of Cumberland monks is on eve of full realization. (1927, March 20). The Providence Journal, 10.

Fourth of order of monks buried (1926, April 25). The Providence Journal, 8. 

Franko, V. (2003). Nine men's misery part two: The historical research. The Joseph Bucklin Society. https://www.bucklinsociety.net/pdf/NINEMENresearch.pdf 

Fr. Charles, monk and soldier, dead (1926, April 11). The Providence Journal, 7. 

Funeral of monk to be held to-day (1926, March 25). The Providence Journal, 15. 

Impressions of monastery life (1925, July 11). The Providence Journal, 16. 

Indian swamp, transformed into beautiful 17 acre lake lake by the Trappist fathers (1925, July 12). The Providence Journal, 81. 

Memorial honors indians' victims (1928, November 13). The Providence Journal, 3.

Monastery elevator crash causes second man’s death (1925, October 26). The Providence Journal, 12. 

Monastery fathers ill with grippe (1926, March 24). The Providence Journal, 3.

Merton, Thomas (1949). The waters of siloe. Harcourt, Brace and Company New York.

One dead; 5 hurt in elevator crash (1925, October 24). The Providence Journal, 1. 

Three periods in history of Cumberland Monastery (1925, July 12). The Providence Journal, 81.

Trappist fathers to enlarge building (1924, February 23). The Pawtucket Times, 6. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311976&e=trappist%20monks&m=between&ord=e1&fn=pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19240223_english_6&df=1&dt=8 

Many major construction projects continued on through the 1930s, including the construction of the Chapter Wing, the Novitiate, and the Porter's Lodge. Other improvements, such as the introduction of a formal program of study for the monastery's novices and the singing of the Divine Office were implemented. 

New Improvements

After spending one year as a novice, choir novices began a period of religious study to prepare for ordination. In August, 1931, the first formal plan of study was introduced, which was taught by the three members of the community who were professors before entering the monastery. These three professors were Fr. Columban Hawkins, who was the professor of theology and scripture, Fr. Maurice Malloy, who was appointed to be the prefect of studies and also taught Latin and Greek, and Fr. Philip, who was the professor of philosophy (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 264 & "First Australian", 1951, p. 5). 

Another improvement came in the form of the singing of the Divine Office. Up until that point, the Divine Office (also called the Liturgy of the Hours) was chanted, not sang (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 264). John Mary Murphy tried for many years when he was prior to change this. In January 1933, Fr. John O'Connor met with Mother Georgia Stevens, one of the founders of the St. Pius X School of Liturgical Music. After asking her for advice, she sent a series of four choir books to the monastery. Fr. O'Connor also arranged for Br. Bernard Bailey to both provide voice lessons to the choir monks and accompany the choir on the church's organ. On May 26, 1932, for the first time in the history of the monastery, Vigils and Lauds were both chanted in the church building (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 265).

To hear what the community's Gregorian Chant sounded like, I have included a YouTube link to "Festum Mariae Assumptae" which was performed by the Saint Joseph's Abbey Choir on March 7, 1957. In the background of Pax Intrantibus (1949), the Gregorian Chant can also be heard. 

The planned mausoleum was never constructed, but the cemetery was eventually moved to its current location on May 23, 1930. Fr. Michael Holland described the process:

For two days we have had two secular workers- John Dion and ‘Con’- digging the earth from off the sixteen bodies in the burying ground-graveyard. To-day at eleven a.m. while the community was at dinner, we commence to move them to their new resting place the site of the first monastery. We- Br. Hugh Fagan and Fr. M. Michael Holland- finish the transfer at one P.M. (Our Lady of the Valley Memorial Scrapbook, 1930).

Purportedly, something odd happened during the process of transferring the cemetery:

In 1930, the erection of the infirmary wing necessitated the transfer of the cemetery. According to the Annals of Our Lady of the Valley, 'those who were engaged in transferring the bodies experienced for a while a most delightful odor. All were astonished. Even those in the house wondered where the indescribable perfume came from. One brother remarked to the superior that some of those buried there had died in the odor of sanctity'. This we have no reason to doubt, having been eyewitnesses to the lives of admirable piety and mortification led by the Fathers and Brothers buried there (Fr. Michael Holland, personal communication). 

 The new cemetery was once the site of the first building constructed on the property in 1900. The building was moved to make way for the new cemetery on May 15, 1930 (Fr. Michael Holland, personal communication).

Construction of the Chapter Wing officially began in April, 1930, and an article published in The Pawtucket Times on May 10, 1930 reported on the progress of the building. This time the monks did not use granite from their quarry. Instead, "almost a million secondhand bricks [were] secured, and workmen [were] employed daily cleaning them and making them ready for use" ("Monks to Build", 1930, pp. 1, 3). Interestingly, the monks did not perform most of the work this time:

The monks are doing their bit towards providing employment for many men. Daily men come to the monastery seeking work, financial aid, or food, and the monks have, with the bricks available, placed them all to work. A wage scale has been arranged, and yesterday afternoon [Friday, May 9th] the men were working contentedly to the north of the monastery buildings ("Monks to Build", 1930, p. 3). 

By September 1930, the walls were already up, and the community moved into the finished building in June of 1931. The main floor of the West Wing contained the cloister, the sacristy, the chapter room, and access to the walkway that connected the West Wing and the Novitiate together. The cloister was used to observe the Stations of the Cross, which hung on the walls. The top floor of the West Wing was taken up entirely by the infirmary, which was "fully equipped with sick rooms, dispensary, [an] x-ray room, refectory, common room, and chapel" (Bourget, n.d., personal communication). In an article published in The Pawtucket Times, Fr. Tarcisius wrote "amongst its features of interest, close to if not the foremost is the high-voltage x-ray machine and fluoroscope. Monks trained [to] 'snap' and develop x-ray plates obviating the need of the brethren leaving the monastery to seek this service elsewhere... In line with this an operating room has recently been set in functioning order at the monastery..." (Father Tarcisius, 1949, p. 10).  

The Novitiate Building 

The next building to be constructed at the monastery was the Novitiate Building, which housed the community's novices, teachers, and novice master. The plan was that the Novitiate would make up the third part of the planned quadrangle, but ultimately the quadrangle was never completed. 

The Groundbreaking Ceremony took place on March 25, 1936, and the community once again got to work. To keep construction costs low, many of the construction materials were salvaged from various sources (the doors were taken from an old Massachusetts Superior Court building, and the bricks and hardwood flooring were saved from the old Sayles Mill when it was demolished) or sourced from the grounds. The interior, for example, was made from "solid oak, [and] was cut from standing timber on the monastery grounds and finished in the community's saw mill" ("Trappist Monks Rejoice", 1937, p. 3). 

The completed Novitiate had three floors. The washing and changing rooms along with various workshops were located on the first floor. The novices' common room, the Father Master's office, and the chapel were on the second floor. The entirety of the third floor was taken up by the dormitory, which was made out of a series of 24 wooden cells.  

The blessing of the novitiate took place on April 5, 1937, and the novices were able to move in on the same day. The building was dedicated to the memory of Frederick J. Quinn, who died on January 6, 1936. Frederick was, in the words of an unnamed member of the community, "a devoted friend of the monastery and was always ready to lend a helping hand. Among other things he donated a great deal of building material and we take this means of showing our appreciation" ("Trappist Monks Rejoice", 1937, p. 3). Frederick also donated the monastery's stations of the cross, which hung on the walls of the cloister.

The Porter's Lodge 

The last building that was built on the property was the Porter's Lodge, which acted as the first point of contact between the secluded community and the outside world. 

Ground was broken for the Porter's Lodge on November 3, 1936, a few months after construction on the Novitiate Building ended, though plans for the building existed since at least 1929. Like the Novitiate Building, some of the construction materials were acquired second hand. For example, the two massive gates, which measured 10' x 12', were sourced from the old Superior Court House building in Providence ("Portals at Monastery", 1937, p. 3 & "Self-Sustenance", 1944, p. 68).  Construction continued until August of 1937, and the building opened to the public on August 15, 1937. When Dom John O'Connor returned to the monastery from France on October 8, 1937, the front gates opened for the first time to allow his car to pass through ("Portals at Monastery", 1937, p. 3). 

Now, instead of being able to walk up to the monastery's main entrance, visitors reported to the Porter's Lodge, where they were welcomed by the Guest Master. Beyond the Porter's Lodge and in front of the Guest House, a "cloister garden" was planted, which "[was] laid out with attractive walks and shrubbery [that] furnish[ed] members of the community a place to walk and rest" (Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley, 1933, p. 1). In the center of the garden stood a statue of St. Bernard, which was donated by Fr. Fitzpatrick of Central Falls. 

The Gift Shop was located on the right side of the building, and guests were able to purchase fresh produce, jugs of cider, books, "souvenir postal cards, aluminum trays with pictures on them, and beads and religious casts which have been blessed by the order" ("Only Colony, 1905, p. 8). On the other side of the building, three guest parlors were located, along with a reception room and accommodations for women who wished to stay at the monastery (L. Bourget, personal communication, n.d. & "Monks May Build", 1929, p. 3). 

The Porter's Lodge was the last major building constructed on the grounds under the leadership of Dom John O'Connor due to an "insufficiency of means" (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 272) and his (at the time) failing health. There were plans to finish the monastic quadrangle as well as renovate and expand the church and guest house buildings. However, these plans never came to fruition.

The 1938 Hurricane 

The monastery was not spared from the effects of the Great New England Hurricane of 1938. The hurricane hit the monastery and the surrounding area during the afternoon of September 21st, 1938. While the newly completed structures, the church, the chapter wing, and the novitiate were able to weather the storm, there was unfortunately considerable damage to the grounds, smaller buildings, and surrounding forests. Fr. Malloy, who kept a diary during his time at the monastery, described the damage:

...A clear morning disclosed the immense damage done by the storm. The enclosure fence was damaged in ten places; copper flashing was torn off the ridge of the church roof; many shingles were ripped off the guest house roof; the old pump-house was moved off its foundations. The whole apple crop (as well as the grapes and pears) was on the ground. Worst of all, hundreds of trees were either uprooted or broken irreparably... Everywhere in the woods were white streaks showing where great limbs had been wrenched away; half the leaves were gone and the remainder torn, dried, burned by the terrible wind... To clear it all up, two years' work at least will be required. From the spindrift there was salt on the windows, salt on the church tower, salt everywhere; the grapes were covered with salt and had to be washed before they could be served in the refectory (Malloy 1938, as cited in Bertoniere, 2005, p. 273).

One positive outcome from the hurricane is that the monastery's buildings and grounds were photographed during a 1939 aerial survey of Rhode Island. These photographs were captured by Newark, New Jersey based Standard Aerial Surveys, Inc., (RIGIS, 2015) and today the digitized images can be viewed online on the State of Rhode Island's Division of Statewide Planning's website. 

References:

Father Tarcisius. (1949, February 9). The machine age serves the monastic age at Cumberland Abbey. The Pawtucket Times. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311972&e=machine%20age%20serves&m=between&ord=e1&fn=the_pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19490209_english_10&df=1&dt=1  

Finest pigeon-blue granite quarried at monastery for novitiate of Cistercian Order in Cumberland (1936, August 7). The Pawtucket Times, 4. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=granite&i=f&by=1936&bdd=1930&d=08071936-08071936&m=between&ord=k1&fn=pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19360807_english_4&df=1&dt=2 

First Australian to be elected Cistercian abbot (1951, January 5). The Southern Cross, 5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167732737 

Gaud, H. (1998). Cistercian abbeys: Art and architecture. Könemann. https://archive.org/details/cistercianabbeys0000gaud/mode/2up 

In silence the Trappist monks build a new novitiate in Cumberland (1936, June 8). The Providence Journal, 22.

Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley (1938). The Cistercian Monks of the Strict Observance [Trappists]. E.L. Grimes Printing Co. 

Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley. (1933). Floor plans of completed buildings and proposed additions to the Cistercian Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley, Valley Falls, RI. Providence Visitor Press. 

Monks may build infirmary soon (1929, August 8). The Providence Journal, 3. 

Monks to build infirmary soon in Cumberland (1930, May 10). The Pawtucket Times, pp. 1, 3. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=monastery&i=f&by=1930&bdd=1930&d=01011930-12311940&e=plans&m=between&ord=e1,k1&fn=pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19300510_english_3&df=1&dt=10 

Only colony of trappist monks in the northeast (1905, May 14). The Boston Herald, 8. 

Portals at monastery open for first time to admit prior (1937, October 8). The Pawtucket Times, 3. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=monastery%20construction&i=f&d=01011930-12311940&m=between&ord=k1&fn=pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19371008_english_3&df=1&dt=10 

RIGIS (2015). 1939 digital aerial photographs. https://data.rigis.org/IMG/1939/1939.html 

Self-sustenance is a community aim (1944, December 10). The Providence Journal, 68. 

Trappist monks rejoice on completion of new house for novices (1937, March 27). The Pawtucket Times, 3. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311976&e=trappist%20monks&m=between&ord=e1&fn=pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19370327_english_3&df=1&dt=6 

A ceremonial mass was held in the church on October 2, 1945, and was presided over by the Bishop of Providence, Francis P. Keough. Like the dedicational mass for the church 20 years earlier, the ceremony was attended by "scores of clergy and lay persons [who] crowded the somewhat limited accommodations to attend the blessing" ("Abbot Invested", 1945, p. 6).

The Urbanization of Cumberland and Diamond Hill Road

As the area around the monastery grew more developed, seclusion from the outside world was no longer possible. Cars raced down Diamond Hill Road, new houses were constructed, and airplanes flew overhead. Only a few years earlier on Wednesday, October 6th, 1937, a plane narrowly avoided crashing into the steeple of the church to the horror of onlookers. The Pawtucket Times reported: 

Several monks and four workmen, engaged in erecting a board fence near the practically completed guest house in front of the main buildings heard the roar of the motor as the plane appeared out of the dense fog over the state highway. The plane passed over the latest addition to the monastery property and sped towards the main structure. Evidently realizing his low altitude as the spire loomed in front of him, the pilot gunned his motor and the ship rose swiftly between the two buildings. Monks in the fields in the rear of the chapel told of the low-flying ship, which, almost immediately, was swallowed up in the heavy fog ("Plane Misses Steeple", 1937, p. 11).

Businesses nearby, namely a barroom and polka palace, played music long into the night. This was a problem for the community, as they retired at 8:00 PM and woke at 2:00 AM (Murphy, 1905). As detailed in If You Love Me You Will Do My Will (Michaud & Aynesworth, 1990),

...In the gathering dusk, impassively bore their nightly affliction, the insistent beckoning rhythms of 'I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good'. 'Beer Barrel Polka' was another of the regulars on the 1940s hit parade routinely to waft over the monastery wall and into the the upstairs dormitories from a nearby roadhouse on Diamond Hill Road...the captive, sweating monks could hear 'Oh Johnny' or any of the other wartime standards from 'How Are Things in Glocca Morra?' to 'Doin' What Comes Natur'lly' (pp. 26-27). 

(I have included YouTube links to these songs below). 

Additionally, the Lonsdale Sports Arena, owned by Edward A. McNulty, opened nearby (where the Stop & Shop on Mendon Road is today). Local residents wrote letters of protest to try and prevent the race track from being built, and humorously, an anonymous letter writer quipped "if the monks of the Cistercian Monastery would talk, they would protest against Rhode Island's fourth race track being built within a mile of their monastery" ("Brother Leo Denies", 1947). In an article published in the Providence Journal, a member of the community, Brother Leo, stated that in fact the monks did not object the completion of the raceway: "We have no objection to Mr. McNulty's project. I feel that the noise of the midget autos will not disturb the monks" ("Brother Leo Denies", 1947). Unfortunately, it would be evident later on that he was wrong.

It was also around this time, when World War II ended, that there was a sudden influx of new postulants and novices at the monastery. As Michaud and Aynesworth (1990) state, "the harmony at Our Lady of the Valley was further disrupted by a sharp rise in new members..." (p. 29). In 1947 there were 130 members. Later on the number kept growing to 140 new vocations, and amazingly "160 men [were at one point]... asking for admission- mostly returned soldiers". (Taylor, 2000). Other sources said that in November 1947 there were as many as 134 monks, with 57 "candidates in formation" (Hasbrouck, 1998, p. 1). The problem was that the monastery was built to only accomodate a maximum of 90 people!

The post-war years saw an influx of new novices to almost every religious order, a fact that was noted in various religious publications at the time. The Catholic News Service Newsfeeds from November 18th, 1946 for example, reported that "monasticism is very much on the increase since the end of the war". The Abbot of Mt. Melleray Abbey in Ireland, Celsus O'Connell, stated that "at present we are receiving more postulants than are necessary for our own requirements... Many of those seeking admission are ex-servicemen, exchanging the horrors of war for the calm of a life of prayer and silence, and before many years we will be obliged to search for a new site for another monastery" ("Irish Trappist Leader", 1946).

At first, the monastery decided to purchase a series of four adjacent properties between May and August 1944 as a kind of "buffer" (Bertonière, 2005, p. 284) from the increasingly urbanized area. These included the Hamel property, purchased on May 1st, the Angell Woods and Orchards on June 12th, the Fogarty property on July 12th, and the Waterman Farm on August 8th. The Angell Woods and Orchards left a "well maintained" apple orchard that the monastery incorporated into their crop production (Bertonière, 2005, p. 284). 

The Planned Church and Guest House Expansion

At one point, another plan was set in motion to remedy the problem of overcrowding at the monastery. A loan of $100,000 (about $1.5 million in today's money) was taken out to construct a new guest house and expand the existing church building. The architect chosen was Monsignor John C. Hawes, also known as Father Jerome, who was living in exile on Cat Island in the Bahamas. 

In 1946, Dom Edmund Futterer and Father Alberic flew to Nassau, with the goal of "altering & extending their Abbey Church- to 200 feet long- stalls for their monks and 64 lay brothers- also a new guesthouse with 60 rooms- each pair having a bathroom & W.C.- exterior of grey granite" (Hawes, 1944, as cited in Taylor, 2000, p. 340). 

At first, the plan was to "extend [the church] to the east, and to build an entirely new monastery south of the old one, which itself would now become the guesthouse” (Bertonière, 2005, p. 295). Inside the church, plans were developed to "make the monk’s choir into the public nave, use the nave as the Lay Brothers’ choir, and add a new, very much loftier monks’ choir. The design called for eleven side altars, five of them around an ambulatory behind the high altar" (Anson, 1957, p. 232).  

In consultation with local architect Samuel Morino, it was determined that these plans were too ambitious. Alterations were made, and the final plan was 

...Instead of a new church a sixty-room guest house would be built to the south of the church. This would be linked to the church by a cloister-like area. The church itself would be lengthened to 200 feet, providing stalls for 130 monks and sixty-five lay brothers. The extensive renovation of the church still involved reversing its existing plan. The monks’ choir would become the space for visitors, the laybrothers’ choir would occupy the remaining portion of the church, and a new, elevated choir for the monks would be constructed beyond the existing eastern end of the church, which itself would receive a splendid new facade. The new interior was to be provided with ‘eleven side altars, five of them around an ambulatory behind the high altar..." (Bertonière, 2005, pp. 298-299). 

This massive project was never completed, as it was determined to have been beyond the monastery's means at the time. Only one architectural sketch by Fr. Jerome of what the completed structure would have looked like has survived (see below).

The interior of the church, however, underwent a series of smaller renovations. In February, 1945, Harold Rambusch, head of the renowned Rambusch Decorating Company (a New York City based firm that specializes in church interiors, lighting, and stained glass) visited the monastery to discuss renovation plans. During the next several months, the altar was updated with more "sober furnishings", the interior walls were painted in a "Caen Stone" style, and three stained glass windows were installed in the ambulatory (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 286).

Our Lady of Guadalupe: Pecos, New Mexico

Another solution to the problem of overcrowding at the monastery was to purchase a new tract of land and establish a foundation. Sometime during the late 1940s, the Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Archbishop Edwin Byrne came to the monastery for a retreat. While he was there, he expressed interest in having "a possible foundation of Cistercians in his own diocese" (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 297). Though his offer was not accepted at the time, in 1947 when the monastery was looking for prospective properties to purchase for their new foundation, Archbishop Byrne informed Dom Edmund Futterer that a dude ranch called Valley Ranch in Pecos, New Mexico was up for sale. Valley Ranch, as described in a travel brochure from 1917, was "an all-year round resort, located along the Pecos River, at the gateway of the road leading to the headquarters of that stream. It [was] a pleasant stopping-place for tourist travel, attracted thither by the fine fishing and the opportunities for horseback rides and mountain climbing" (Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company, 1917, p. 14). It was at one time called the "Finest Playground in America". 

On December 1st, 1947, the Valley Ranch property was purchased for a total of $150,000 or approximately $1.9 million in today's money (Hasbrouck, 1998), and the first small group of monks traveled by car to New Mexico to prepare the property for the arrival of the rest of the founders. Humorously, when they were passing through Indiana, the group received a traffic ticket according to a local newspaper ("Cumberland Monks Run Foul of Traffic Law in Indiana")!

When the first group of founders arrived at the former Valley Ranch in Pecos, New Mexico, what they found was the complete opposite of what the monks from Nova Scotia saw when they first arrived in Rhode Island. Instead of a barren 'stony waste', they found a river teeming with salmon. Instead of the 'five barns' and swampland, they saw "cabins, and tennis courts, and riding stables" (Merton, 1949, p. 262). Now the monks owned a ranch house which contained "a dining room that could accommodate three hundred guests. More than that, it sheltered several billiard tables and a great mahogany bar, well stocked..." (Merton, 1949, p. 262). 

A few months later on April 18, 1948, there was a going away party, complete with music provided by Brother Luke Roberts and his novices. The selected group of 27 monks, including Abbot Futterer, departed the monastery for Union Station in Providence on April 19, 1948.

As soon as the group arrived at the train station, a crowd consisting of well wishers, journalists, and cameramen descended upon them. The monks were surprisingly unfazed, however, and "they chatted with friends and posed informally as dozens of flash bulbs blazed from the cameras". When the monks' train pulled into the station, 

there was an exchange of kisses on both cheeks between the monks and well wishing priests, former members of the order, and friends. Through the windows of the Pullman Wilbur Wright, they blew kisses and offered blessings in the sign of the cross. One member carried a white wooden cross, about three feet long, bearing the inscription, 'Our Lady of Guadalupe'." ("27 Cistercian Monks", 1940, p. 1). 

Ultimately, the monks of Our Lady of Guadalupe did not end up staying in New Mexico. In 1955, the community transferred to a property in Lafayette, Oregon, where they remain to this day. The Pecos, New Mexico property is currently being used as a Benedictine Monastery (Hasbrouck, 1998). 

The Monastery Fire Department

On December 24th, 1946, a fire destroyed the one of the first permanent buildings on the property, the building "that had housed the first members of the community prior to the construction of the 1902 building" (Bertonière, 2005, p. 299).The fire consumed most of the monastery's winter food supply, but local residents and organizations stepped in to help. For example, the Marine Corps League of Providence's Collection Committee, headed by Edward LaMorge Jr., donated $82 ($1,131.35 in today's money) and 500 cans of food to the monastery ("League gets donations", 1947, p. 4).

It was due to this fire (as well as another fire that took place in the poultry house) that the monastery began to organize its own fire department, which was led by Fr. Peter Rogers (Giblin, 1947, p. 26). The initiative began after the Valley Falls Fire District voted to sell their old 1916 Model Chase fire truck to the monastery "at a nominal cost" on January 10, 1947 ("Around Rhode Island", 1947, p. 13). On January 14, 1947, The Providence Journal described how: "residents of the ‘lower part’ of town blinked twice yesterday but still saw the same thing. A robed monk from Our Lady of the Valley abbey was driving by in a 1916 model Chace fire truck..." ("Around Rhode Island", 1947, p. 13). It was around this time that the community began to install fire hydrants around the property. 

Then in August, 1947, the Johnston Volunteer Fire Department put their old 1924 Seagrave fire engine up for sale. However, after the monastery expressed their interest in purchasing the fire engine, the department voted on gifting the community the fire engine instead. The 1924 Seagrave was transported to the monastery on October 18, 1947. After it passed through the gates of the Porter's Lodge, Fr. Owen Hoey, the prior of the monastery, blessed the new fire engine by reading from "the Roman ritual for the blessings of fire engines": 

Oh Lord, who by thy angels did lessen the fires of Babylon for the sake of the three children, we beseech Thee to extinguish all traces of vice in our hearts that we may be saved from temporal flames and freed from eternal fires (Giblin, 1947, p. 26).

The new monastery fire department also received training from Woonsocket Fire Chief Augustin Cote, who "sent his drillmasters to the monastery to try to establish a fire prevention colony, furnished them equipment, bought instruction matter, and given of his time to talk with them about the great destroyer. Fire" (The Fire Editor, 1950, p. 1).

Despite all of their preparation, Fr. Tarcisius, who published an article in the February 9th, 1949 issue of The Pawtucket Times, wrote that "though by no means do the monks anticipate this display [fire]" (Father Tarcisius, 1949, p. 10). Unfortunately, as we know, Fr. Tarcisius was wrong.

The Trappistines

As published in the 1947 edition of The Cistercian Monks of the Strict Observance, "it will come as a surprise to many to hear that there are Cistercian nuns, sometimes called Trappistines. They date back to the year 1125, and their first monastery was at Tart, near Dijon" (Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley, 1947, p. 29). In 1946, Dom Edmund Futterer and the Archbishop of Boston, Rev. Cushing, began to discuss the possibility of establishing the first monastery for Trappistines in the United States. Saint Mary's Abbey in Glencairn, Ireland, was chosen to be the new monastery's motherhouse, as over the years, any women who came to Our Lady of the Valley in hopes of joining the Cistercian Order were told to go to there (Mount Saint Mary's Abbey, n.d.).

Eventually, a site for the future convent was found in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and the land was purchased on September 13th, 1946. Construction began in June, 1948, and materials for the building were sourced from a demolished Newport Mansion called "Bleak House", which was owned by financier Marsden J. Perry. (Depicted below). The Providence Journal on October 3, 1948 reported that a group of monks, led by Brother Mark (the foreman of the monastery), traveled to Newport, blasted the exterior walls of the mansion, dug up around 300 tons of graystone [sic] by hand, and loaded them, again, by hand into trucks ("Trappist Monks Take", 1948, p. 22) bound for Wrentham. 

Construction on the new convent continued until March 25, 1949, when the building's cornerstone was laid in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 people. The whole community from Our Lady of the Valley was even at the ceremony (all 130 of them), and it took three school buses to transport them all (Malloy, 1949, as cited in Bertoniere, 2005, p. 330). 

The founding group of Trappistines arrived in the United States from Ireland on October 1, 1949, and moved into the completed building immediately. Two days later, on October 3, 1949, 

They were brought to Our Lady of the Valley for a visit and a buffet lunch with the monks in the courtyard in front of the 1902 building. They assisted at Vespers and Benediction that evening from the tribune of the guests and were even invited to sing a Gregorian chant at the latter service (Bertoniere, 2005, p. 331). 

References:

27 Cistercian monks leave R.I. bound for southwest monastery (1948, April 20). The Providence Journal, 1. 

Abbot invested by Bishop Keough (1945, October 3). The Providence Journal, 6. 

Abp. Cushing lays cornerstone at 1st US trappistine convent. (1949, March 21). The Woonsocket Call, 4. https://woonsocket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=abbot%20monastery&i=f&d=01011899-12311974&m=between&ord=k1&fn=the_woonsocket_call_and_evening_reporter_usa_rhode_island_woonsocket_19490321_english_10&df=1&dt=10&cid=3028 

Anson, P.F. (1957). The hermit of Cat Island: The life of Fra Jerome Hawes. P.J. Kennedy & Sons. https://archive.org/details/hermitofcatislan000028mbp/page/n7/mode/2up 

Around Rhode Island (1947, January 14). The Providence Journal, 13. 

Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company. (1917). Off the beaten path in New Mexico and Arizona. https://archive.org/details/offbeatenpathinn00atchrich/mode/2up 

At first trappistine monastery in U.S. (1949, March 25). The Catholic World in Pictures. https://thecatholicnewsarchive.org/?a=d&d=cwp19490325-01.2.11&srpos=5&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-trappistine------- 

Bill O'Donnell. (2012, January 18). Fr. Martinus Cawley- "Trappists" at Pecos, NM [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWGIJwh9gBc 

Breit, M., & Daggy, R. (1986). Thomas Merton: A comprehensive bibliography. Garland Publishing, Inc. 

Brother Leo denies monks oppose track. (1947, May 6). The Providence Journal. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.uri.idm.oclc.org/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A14728889532D3B69%40WHNPX-16409CA778EC63D4%402432312-16403A837A599BB6%404-16403A837A599BB6%40&hlterms=McNulty&f=basic 

Casey, M., O.C.S.O. (2018). Thomas Merton and Monastic Renewal. Cistercian Studies Quarterly, 53(2), 159-187,213. http://uri.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/thomas-merton-monastic-renewal/docview/2088850488/se-2 

Cistercian monks greet new abbot at Cumberland monastery (1945, October 3). The Providence Journal, 6. 

Cumberland monastery will get pumper from johnston firemen (1947, September 30). The Providence Journal, 24. 

Cumberland monk ordained as priest (1934, September 23). The Providence Journal, 4. 

Father Tarcisius. (1949, February 9). The machine age serves the monastic age at Cumberland Abbey. The Pawtucket Times. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311972&e=machine%20age%20serves&m=between&ord=e1&fn=the_pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19490209_english_10&df=1&dt=1  

Fr. O'Connor resigns as prior of monastery after 30 years (1943, December 10). The Providence Journal, 1,8. 

Hasbrouck, J.B. (1998). A short history of Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey: Pecos, NM, and Lafayette, OR 1948-1998. Guadalupe Translations. 

Irish Trappist leader says monasticism is increasing. (1946, November 18). Catholic News Service News Feeds, 54. https://thecatholicnewsarchive.org/?a=d&d=cns19461118-01.1.54&srpos=1&e=------194-en-20--1--txt-txIN-increase+monastic------- 

League gets donations (1947, January 20). The Providence Journal, 4. 

Loveridge, G.Y. (1945, October 14). The blessing of an abbot. The Providence Journal, 72.

Merton, T. (1949). The waters of siloe. Harcourt, Brace, and Company. https://archive.org/details/watersofsiloe0000thom/mode/2up 

Michaud, G., & Aynesworth H. (1990). If You Love Me You Will Do My Will. W.W. Norton & Company. 

Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley (1947). The Cistercian Monks of the Strict Observance. 

Monastery in Cumberland attains status of abbey (1945, August 2). The Providence Journal, 4. 

Monks stirred, plane misses steeple. (1937, October 7). The Pawtucket Times. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311972&e=unexpected%20thrill&m=between&ord=e1&fn=pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19371007_english_11&df=1&dt=10 

Montaldo, J. (1999). Thomas Merton a monk who succeeded: an interview by correspondence with Dom M. Laurence Bourget, OCSO. The Merton Annual, 12, 39-61. http://merton.org/itms/annual/12/Bourget38-61.pdf 

Mount Saint Mary's Abbey (n.d.). Our Community. https://msmabbey.org/our-community 

Perry (Marsden Jaidel) House. [Photograph]. Rhode Island Photograph Collection (VM013_GF4812), Providence Public Library, Providence, RI. https://provlibdigital.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A14454?solr_nav%5Bid%5D=87260e639e41f950d6a8&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=0 

Pleading monks greet Cote- chief aids at abbey fire (1950, March 22). The Woonsocket Call, 1. https://woonsocket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&by=1950&bdd=1950&d=03221950-03221950&e=cote&m=on&ord=e1&fn=the_woonsocket_call_and_evening_reporter_usa_rhode_island_woonsocket_19500322_english_2&df=1&dt=10&cid=3028 

R.I. Trappists take over ranch in Santa Fe for monastery (1947, December 6). The Pawtucket Times, 5. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311976&fn=pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19471206_english_5&df=1&dt=2 

Saint Joseph's Abbey. (1975). Consecration of the abbey church of Our Lady of Saint Joseph Spencer, Massachusetts the first of August one thousand nine hundred & seventy-five on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of our community at Petit Clairvaux, Nova Scotia one thousand eight hundred & twenty-five. Saint Joseph's Abbey.

Taylor, J. (2000). Between devotion and design: the architecture of John Cyril Hawes 1876-1956. UWA Publishing. https://archive.org/details/betweendevotiond0000tayl/page/n11/mode/2up?view=theater 

The Fire Editor (1950, March 22). Pleading monks greet Cote- chief aids at abbey fire. The Woonsocket Call, 1, 15. https://woonsocket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&by=1950&bdd=1950&d=03221950-03221950&e=cote&m=on&ord=e1&fn=the_woonsocket_call_and_evening_reporter_usa_rhode_island_woonsocket_19500322_english_2&df=1&dt=10&cid=3028 

Toye, J. (1923, November 17). Toye learns trappist monks are real men thoroughly educated firm in purpose disciplined most hospitable. The Boston Traveler, 2. 

Trappist monks take graystone of bleak house to build convent (1948, October 3). The Providence Journal, 22. 

Meanwhile in the chaos, three men broke into the cellar and attempted to steal jugs of sacramental wine, but were quickly stopped by police. Unbelievably, "spectators and even firemen were puzzled by a fire chief who did nothing but take movies of the blaze. It turns out that he was a visiting fireman from South County who came out of curiosity". Some bystanders, on the other hand, worked with the monks and the firemen to help salvage anything they could from the burning buildings.

More problems continued outside the monastery's grounds. En route to the fire, engine one of the Central Falls Fire Department "was disabled" due to a broken drive chain on the right rear wheel (Providence Journal, March 22, 1950). 

The monastery fire brigade, which at that point was still undergoing "efforts to further organize...at the behest of their friend A.J. Cote, the fire chief of Woonsocket" (Bertonière, 2005, pp. 339-340) was unable to get the water pumps started.

Eventually, the fire spread to the steeple of the church building, where it "stood [like] a gigantic torch for more than an hour before it toppled and fell" (Burke, 1950) into the orchards behind the church building. This was eerily similar to what occurred during the Petit Clairvaux fire in 1892. It was found out later that the heat of the flames were so intense that it melted the church bells, which caused the roof of the church to collapse (Bertonière, 2005). Photographs of this can be seen below.

Theories on How the Fire Started:

The most accepted theory is that faulty wiring caused the fire. However, Gabriel Bertonière, author of Through Faith and Fire, argues that this was not possible, as the building's electrical wiring  system had recently been brought up to date by Brother Leonard O'Dowd, an electrical engineer (2005, p. 338). A second, more "widely accepted theory", according to Bertonière, was that a constantly burning vigil candle inside a confessional booth started the fire (2005, p. 338). A third theory comes from one of the guests who was staying in the guest house the day of the fire, Laurent Doire. He recalls that "even during the day we noticed that we were smelling gas around the dining area, near the lift that brought the food up from the kitchen. This is where the odor was prominent during the day" (Doire, 1999, as cited in Bertonière, 2005, p. 548). However, Bertonière disputes this theory, by stating that "Brother Michael found that there were no flames in the basement when he went down there to inspect the situation after the fire was already well underway" (p. 548). 

One day at the library, I heard a fourth theory, which was that the fire was started deliberately by a disgruntled inhabitant of the monastery. Apparently at the time, this was a popular urban legend among locals. However, I could not find any evidence to back this up. 

The Aftermath:

In all, the fire was estimated to have caused around 2 to 2.5 million dollars in damage ($25 million in today's money). Miraculously, no one was seriously injured in the blaze. However, sadly, a longtime friend of the monastery, Dr. E. Alfred Cormier, upon seeing the flames consume the monastery buildings, suffered a stroke and died (Bertonière, 2005 & "89 Monks", 1950).

The monastery's library, which contained about 30,000 volumes (some of which had survived the fire in Canada) were destroyed, including a collection of medieval illuminated manuscripts. "The library of the monastery also contains rare inspiration, hand illustrated illuminated volumes of great age... Many priceless relics lie there, untouched by the collector's hands, unheard of generally since the medieval writer's thoughts were laboriously transcribed on the vellum pages" (W.D.B.,1928). All records pertaining to the guests at the guesthouse and to of all the inhabitants were destroyed. "The life story of each of the monks at the abbey disappeared in the smoke of the ruins. The records of each brother and novice and monk from birth certificate through parental marriage certificate and record since entry were completely destroyed" (McKay, 1950, p. 1). Because of this, it was not immediately known if anyone died during the fire. 

Robert McKay, a reporter at the scene later wrote in The Pawtucket Times that "silent delight was expressed by one monk who had salvaged a possession apparently dear to him, a small electric clock. He shyly showed it to several of his companions. No words were exchanged. The others smiled in a way that spoke volumes in return" (1950, p. 1). 

Years later, during a taped interview in 2001, Brother Jerome Collins recounted his thoughts about the fire: 

The Valley was about as austere as you could possibly get. In one sense, the fire was a pleasant interlude; there was a sense of excitement, something new. We never thought it was going to be so disastrous; there wasn't a sense of sadness or foreboding. There was rather a sense of euphoria, the sense that we were going to make good, do something, overcome the loss. It wasn’t a heartbreaking thing, the fire, at least I didn’t feel that way. People had a sense of beginning something new (Collins, 2001, as cited in Bertoniere, 2005, pp. 361-362). 

Cleanup:

In the morning of March 22nd, the Cumberland Chief of Police William J. Boyle issued a statement, urging area residents to stay away from the monastery for a few days to prevent road and area congestion ("Advice to Public", 1950, p. 15). However, it seemed that no one listened. After the fire, on March 27th, around 25,000 people flooded the monastery grounds to take a look at the remaining structures and debris, which caused the worst traffic jam the town of Cumberland had ever seen. Cars were stuck in barely moving traffic "from early afternoon until after dusk". Luckily, Dom Edmund Futterer reported that he was "'very pleased' with the orderly manner in which the thousands of visitors conducted themselves" ("25,000 Visit", 1950), and many of the visitors bought religious articles at the porter's lodge gift shop and gave donations to the monastery both at the porter's lodge and at a small booth that was constructed on Diamond Hill Road, near the entrance. 

However, not all visitors were so orderly. Two Providence businessmen, hoping to profit from the fire, attempted to sell fruit they claimed was "grown and gathered by the monks" ("Walls Coming Down", 1950). They were arrested by Cumberland Police and upon release, visited the monastery to apologize and offer donations. 

One week later on April 3rd, around 10,000 "ruin viewers" came to view the site. Some "souvenir-hunters" took pieces of the monastery's destroyed organ, including all of its keys: "souvenir hunters did a good job on the ruined organ... In late afternoon all the keys of the eight year old musical instrument had been carried away in the pocketes of innumerable visitors. Other parts of the organ had also been appropriated by the souvenir hunters" ("Monastery ruins viewed", 1950).

Community Aid and Response:

Immediately after the fire, Dom Gregory Borgstedt, prior of the Portsmouth Priory, offered to house 20 monks in the old gymnasium at their Benedictine monastery. Mount Saint Charles Academy housed a group of 59, and neighbors stepped in to house the injured ("Burned Out", 1950). A group of 28 monks, led by Father Owen stayed on the property in the novitiate building, which survived the fire. They acted as guardians, "care[d] for the cows, the poultry, and the vegetable gardens" (Bertonière, 2005, pp. 342-343). Father Anthony, the guestmaster, stayed in the Porter's Lodge to greet visitors, and "in the adjoining rooms, the secretaries began the arduous task of reconstituting such essential archival material, as the community's personnel cards" (Bertonière, 2005, pp. 342-343). 

The Blackstone Valley and Pawtucket chapters of the Red Cross, headed by chairman James M. Heffern, provided meals and aid to the monks, and the basement of the surviving wing was converted into a temporary kitchen. The Sisters of Mercy from Mount Saint Rita's Novitiate provided aid, and the National Guard set up a base of operations in the Porter's Lodge. Students from Providence College helped the monks salvage items from the wreckage ("Monks to Express, 1950, p. 18). Other local organizations such as the Pawtucket Elks Lodge, the Pawtucket VFW, the St. Elizabeth's Guild of Saint Patrick's Church, and a group of Newport citizens also stepped in to provide aid ("Pawtucket Elks Act, 1950, p. 3, "Aid Monastery Fund", 1950, p. 32, "Shaw Heads VFW", 1950, p. 16, & "Postpone Fund Drive", 1950, p. 10). 

Sometime after the fire, Dom Edmund Futterer reached out to a friend of the monastery, Vincent Andrews. Andrews was an amateur videographer, and had spent a lot of time during the previous year at the monastery filming scenes of every day life. Dom Futterer asked Andrews "if any of his pictures could be compiled into a film which would be of value in explaining the work of the Cistercians..." ("Color FIlm", 1958). Andrews agreed, and followed the Valley community to Our Lady of Refuge (the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp in Glocester), and to Spencer, where he filmed the construction of the new monastery and scenes of daily life. He even added his own background music to the film that was "from his own private record collection" ("Color Film", 1958). The result was a film titled Pax Intrantibus, which means "Peace to Those who Enter", a phrase that was once carved into the stone on the front of the Porter's Lodge. Andrews and his wife Ida "made hundreds of appearances with the film in their own diocese and in those of nearby Providence and Worcester" ("Color Film", 1958). They also travelled across New England and Canada to show the film to various parishes and social clubs, raising money for the order.

On March 24, 1950, during the January Session of 1950, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a resolution "expressing profound distress that disastrous fire has ravaged the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of the Valley in Cumberland, Rhode Island" (Office of the Secretary of State, 1950). A screenshot of the resolution can be seen below. 

The governor of Rhode Island, John O. Pastore, offered the use of the old Civilian Conservation Corps Camp located in the George Washington State Reservation in Glocester. The community moved in on April 5, 1950. 

Previous Fires:

The fire of March 21st, 1950 was not the first or only fire that took place on the property. 

• On December 9th, 1926, a fire destroyed the water pump and the building in which it was stored. The water pump system was old and gasoline powered, and over 100 gallons of gasoline, several tanks of kerosene and motor oil were stored nearby. When the gasoline powered motor caught fire, the building was almost immediately engulfed in flames. The loss was estimated at $1200, which is $20,280 today.

• On December 1, 1941, a fire broke out in the lodgers' dormitory after a dropped cigarette caused a mattress to burst into flames ("5 persons flee", 1941). 

• On December 24th, 1946, a fire destroyed the one of the first permanent buildings on the property, the building "that had housed the first members of the community prior to the construction of the 1902 building" (Bertonière, 2005, p. 299).The fire consumed most of the monastery's winter food supply, but local residents and organizations stepped in to help. For example, the Marine Corps League of Providence's Collection Committee, headed by Edward LaMorge Jr., donated $82 ($1,131.35 in today's money) and 500 cans of food to the monastery ("League gets donations", 1947, p. 4).

After this series of fires, a monastery fire brigade was organized, headed by Father Peter. The Johnston, Rhode Island Fire Department donated an 34 year old fire engine. "The ideas of monk and fire-fighter do not lend themselves to an obvious association; but the monks have learned from experience with blazes that precautionary measures ought to be taken. Accordingly, a fire-fighting brigade, complete with a chief, a crew, and an engine that was modern in 1923 have set themselves to watch for wild-fire and, when it has been spotted, to check its course. The crew is of recent establishment and has yet to display its skill, though by no means do the monks anticipate this display" (Father Tarcisius, 1949). 

References:

89 monks taken in at mount, police guard assures privacy (1950, March 22). The Woonsocket Call, 15. https://woonsocket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&by=1950&bdd=1950&d=03221950-03221950&e=cote&m=on&ord=e1&fn=the_woonsocket_call_and_evening_reporter_usa_rhode_island_woonsocket_19500322_english_25&df=1&dt=10&cid=3028 

Advice to public, avoid fire scene (1950, March 22). The Woonsocket Call, 15. https://woonsocket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&by=1950&bdd=1950&d=03221950-03221950&e=cote&m=on&ord=e1&fn=the_woonsocket_call_and_evening_reporter_usa_rhode_island_woonsocket_19500322_english_25&df=1&dt=10&cid=3028 

Aid Monastery Fund (1950, March 26). The Providence Journal, 32. 

Bertonière, G. (2005). Through faith & fire: the monks of spencer, 1825-1958. Yorkville Pr Inc. 

Boland, E. J. (1950, March 23). Nat'l Guard, Red Cross on Scene, Aiding the Trappists. The Pawtucket Times. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311976&e=chapel%20walls&m=between&ord=e1&fn=the_pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19500323_english_16&df=1&dt=5 

Burke, T. (1950, March 22). Two buildings ruined; 40 monks have close call. The Pawtucket Times. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311972&e=tarcisius&m=between&ord=e1&fn=the_pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19500322_english_1&df=1&dt=10 

Burned out monks to move to R.I. camp in Glocester. (1950, March 23). The Providence Journal. 

Central Falls engine breaks drive chain en route to blaze. (1950, March 22). The Providence Journal. 

Chairman lauds Red Cross work at abbey blaze. (1950, March 26). The Providence Journal. 

Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance. (1950). Chronique de nos abbayes. Collectanea, July 1950, 218-223. 

Father Tarcisius. (1949, February 9). The machine age serves the monastic age at Cumberland Abbey. The Pawtucket Times. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311972&e=machine%20age%20serves&m=between&ord=e1&fn=the_pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19490209_english_10&df=1&dt=1 

5 persons flee Monastery fire. (1941, December 1). The Providence Journal. p. 11. 

League gets donations (1947, January 20). The Providence Journal, 4. 

McKay, R. (1950, March 22). Father Tarcissus' 'machine age' helpless to save abbey from tragedy he feared. The Pawtucket Times. https://pawtucket.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011825-12311972&e=tarcisius&m=between&ord=e1&fn=the_pawtucket_times_usa_rhode_island_pawtucket_19500322_english_1&df=1&dt=10

Michaud, S., & Aynesworth, H. (1990). If you love me you will do my will. W.W. Norton & Company. 

Monastery ruins viewed by 10,000. (1950, April 3). The Providence Journal. p. 15.

Monks to express thanks for two 'miracles' at fire (1950, March 26). The Providence Journal, 28. 

Office of the Secretary of State (1950). Acts and resolves passed by the general assembly of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the January Session A.D. 1950 and special July session A.D. 1950. The Oxford Press. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/umn.31951d02279756r 

Pawtucket Elks act quickly to aid monks in Cumberland blaze. (1950, March 22). The Providence Journal, 3.

Postpone Fund Drive (1950, April 22). The Providence Journal, 10. 

Shaw Heads VFW Post. (1950, March 28). The Providence Journal, 16. 

Walls coming down: Abbey's blackened walls to be razed. (1950, March 28). The Providence Journal.

W.D.B. (1928, May 16). Art needs more of the monastic. The Providence Journal.