RUMFORD: A Baking Powder Opera

So the powder wasn't named for Rumford, RI but rather Rumford RI was named for the factory that made the powder and the factory was named for Count Rumford who endowed a Harvard science teaching position which was held by the guy who in addition to teaching at Harvard was involved in a chemical processing plant that among other things developed the braking powder also named Rumford. This Rumford Chemical Works was originally in Providence but it smelled too bad for the neighbors to bear and it was moved to East Seekonk, Mass. - until the border was adjusted and the factory was now suddenly in East Providence where apparently the neighbors didn't mind the smell.

That's not a song, that's an opera.

-Gerry Heroux