24. SISTINE CHAPEL OF NEW ENGLAND: St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center

Hidden away in Woonsocket, RI is a church that has been called the Sistine Chapel of New England. Inside is one of the largest collections of frescoes in the United States. While the artwork is incredible, it’s only the beginning. After the paintings draw you in, what you find are stories--because all 475 people painted into the frescoes are real people who lived in Woonsocket in the 1940s. And some of these stories will make you say, “Wow, I’ve never heard something like that before.”  To Visit: 84 Cumberland Street, Woonsocket, RI 02895 - Tours Sunday 1-4Episode Source Material: Mission StatementThe 40 Angels of St. Ann, the Sistine Chapel of WoonsocketThe Miracle of the Woonsocket Mill OrderNew England Notebook: One Reporter, Six States, Uncommon Stories -  p. 47At 100-year celebration, St. Ann Center recalls church's past military connectionFrench AmericansNew England FrenchQuebec diasporaGuido NincheriGuido Nincheri: An Italian-Canadian TreasureGuido Nincheri, InductedGuido Nincheri, 86, Won Papal Medal for his ArtMarguerite B. Forget - Obituary - Woonsocket, RI - Fournier & Fournier Funeral Services