Triple-decker history talk Jan. 28 at Work & Culture lecture series

WOONSOCKET – The Museum of Work & Culture will offer the second installment of its free Valley Talks lecture series on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 1:30 p.m.

Rhode Island Historical Society Executive Director Dr. C. Morgan Grefe will present “The Triple-Decker Menace,” exploring the history of the the three-story housing so distinct to New England. Grefe will discuss the precursors of triple-deckers, their evolution, why they became so prevalent in New England, and their relationship to both industry and immigration.

Seating is limited to 75 and is first-come, first-served.

Grefe has been at the RIHS for 13 years, serving as the director of the Goff Center for Education and Public Programs for 6.5 of those. In the summer of 2011, she took the helm of the RIHS as executive director. Her work as a historian focuses on U.S. social, cultural, and public history, with special attention on Rhode Island. She holds a Ph.D. in American Civilization from Brown University and a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in the same.

Her recent publications include “‘Jews, Turks, and Infidels’: How Rhode Island’s Lively Experiment Helped Chart the American Way” and “Sourcing a Rhode Island Legend: The Story of Kady Brownell.” She lectures widely on topics relating to Rhode Island’s social and cultural history, as well as the history education crisis in our state and nation. She has lived in Rhode Island for 19 years and makes her home in Pawtucket with her spouse, artist Gage Prentiss, and their three amazing cats.

On Feb. 11, documentary filmmaker Joseph Lyons screens his latest film chronicling the industrial history of the Blackstone Valley by cycling through its historic sites.