About Tim Cranston

Today that long standing lineage, and inherent Rhode Island sense of place, is personified by Tim Cranston, self-proclaimed arbiter of all things “Swamp Yankee,” and local historian of Ye Old North Kingstown and South County, and all of Rhode Island. His popular local history newspaper column has run in the NorthEast Independent for more than fifteen years, and has won two RI Press Association "Spirit of RI" and two PreserveRI Education Awards. His work as a historian and preservation advocate through his non-profit corporation "Swamptown Enterprises" has garnered education and advocacy awards. The South County Tourism Council recently awarded Tim its South County ‘Starlight Award’ for his entertaining and educational walking tours and guided bus tours of the region and the NK Arts Council recently honored his work as the inaugural recipient of its Skog Award. Just this year, the Town Council of North Kingstown honored Cranston by naming him the Town’s very first official town historian. In 2013 PreserveRI and the RI Historic Preservation Commission honored Tim with the Antoinette Downing Award given, when warranted, to the State’s most successful preservation advocate. Tim is now working with the history department at the North Kingstown High School, aiding them in the development of a 12th grade level RI history course.