List of the oldest buildings in Rhode Island

This article attempts to list the oldest buildings in the state of Rhode Island in the United States of America, including the oldest houses in Rhode Island and any other surviving structures. Some dates are approximate and based on architectural studies and historical records, other dates are based on dendrochronology All entries should include citation with reference to: architectural features; a report by an architectural historian; or dendrochronology

Very few Rhode Island buildings have been tested yet using dendrochronology (less than a dozen houses as of 2019), and most buildings outside of Aquidneck Island were burned in King Philip's War in the 1670s. The oldest building in Rhode Island tested using dendrochronology was the Clemence-Irons House (1691) in Johnston, although the Lucas–Johnston House in Newport holds some timbers which were felled prior to 1650, but likely reused from an earlier building.

List

BuildingImage Location First Built Notes Governor Peleg Sanford House Newport –1701 One of the oldest buildings in Newport Constructed before the death of Gov. Sanford in 1701 Not yet tested using dendrochronology White Horse Tavern Newport 1652; 1673 Oldest tavern in America, originally built in 1652 as a residence and expanded into a tavern in 1673, likely including parts of the original structureArchitecture and Town Planning in Colonial North America – Page 1036, by James D. Kornwolf, Georgiana Wallis Kornwolf (2002) Not yet tested using dendrochronology Stephen Northup House North Kingstown –1661 (possibly rebuilt in 1670s) Possibly burned during King Philip's War in the 1670s and rebuilt, later modifications 1712, 1850, 2004 Not yet tested using dendrochronology Newport Tower Newport Purported to be a Viking structure;, but there is no archaeological or documentary evidence for this, but the theory has persisted since the early 19th century likely the remains of a colonial windmillWilliam F. McNeil, Visitors to Ancient America (McFarland: 2004), 78. No roof or floors since the mid-18th century Radiocarbon dating tests of the tower's mortar suggest a probable date of production of the mortar between 1635 and 1698. Philip Sherman House Portsmouth House of Philip Sherman, one of the founders of Portsmouth, RI Not yet tested using dendrochronology Thomas Fenner House Cranston 1677 Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology Edward Searle House Cranston 1670–1720 Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology Capt. John Mawdsley House Newport –1680 Significantly modified in the 18th-century Not yet tested using dendrochronology Listed on the National Register of Historic Places Smith's Castle Wickford 1678 Site of Roger Williams' trading post Today a National Historic Landmark and house museum Not yet tested using dendrochronology Clement Weaver House East Greenwich 1679 Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology Listed on the National Register of Historic Places John Bliss House Newport Early stone enderNathaniel Bosworth HouseBristol Oldest house in Bristol Forge Farm Warwick 1684 Oldest portion of the structure dates to 1684 Not yet tested using dendrochronology Daggett House Pawtucket 1685 Oldest house in Pawtucket Not yet tested using dendrochronology Gorton-Greene House Warwick 1685 Not yet tested using dendrochronology Palmer-Northrup House North Kingstown Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology Hopelands Warwick Western ell of building dates to 1686, though not yet tested using dendrochronology Now part of Rocky Hill School Peleg Arnold Tavern North Smithfield Home of Peleg Arnold Not yet tested using dendrochronology Wilbor House Little Compton 1690 Oldest house in Little Compton Not yet tested using dendrochronology Clemence–Irons House Johnston 1691 Primitive stone ender Oldest house in Rhode Island to be dated using dendrochronology (2005) Samuel Clarke House Kenyon 1691 Retains original exterior wide oak weatherboards – on the north side, early 18th-century window sash and frames, a granite central chimney with four fireplaces and original period interior architectural detail Not yet tested using dendrochronology Eleazer Arnold House Lincoln National Historic Landmark Dated using dendrochronology in 2005 Valentine Whitman House Lincoln 1694 Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology Smith-Appleby House Smithfield 1696 House Museum Not yet tested using dendrochronology Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House Newport 1697 One of the oldest houses in Newport Currently a museum Dated using dendrochronology in 2005.Joseph Reynolds HouseBristol–1700 National Historic Landmark Not yet tested using dendrochronology Great Friends Meeting House Newport 1699 Quaker Meeting House Oldest surviving church building in Rhode Island Dated in 2005 to 1699 using dendrochronology Portsmouth Friends Meetinghouse Portsmouth 1699–1700 Quaker Meeting House and original site of Moses Brown School Likely the oldest church building in RI used continuously as a church.Samuel E. Perry HouseSouth Kingstown1696–1716. Foundation purportedly dates from 1661. Private home located on Matunuck Schoolhouse Rd Nathaniel Daggett House East Providence Likely the oldest house in East Providence Perry-Carpenter Grist Mill South Kingstown1703 Located in Matunuck Six Principle Baptist Church North Kingstown 1703 Oldest Baptist church building in RI Possibly the oldest Baptist church building in the U.S. Saylesville Meetinghouse Lincoln 1704 Possibly the oldest church building in Providence County, RI Old Narragansett Church Wickford 1707 Oldest surviving colonial Episcopal church in the Northern United StatesGovernor Stephen Hopkins HouseProvidence1708, 1742 Oldest extant home in Providence Dr. Charles Cotton House Newport Dr. Charles Cotton, a great-grandson of Josiah Cotton and surgeon aboard the USS Constitution, owned the house in the early 19th century Peter Greene House Warwick –1750Henry Palmer HouseSouth Kingstown1721 Private home in East Matunuck Located on Old Succotash RdCarr-LeValley House West Warwick 1722 Possibly the oldest building in West Warwick, RI Phillip Walker House East Providence 1724 Research site used by Roger Williams University Dated to 1724 using tree ring dendrochronology Trinity Episcopal Church Newport 1726 Oldest Parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island National Historic LandmarkAntram-Gray HouseProvidence1736 Now the visitors' center at Roger Williams National Memorial Captain John Warren House Newport 1737 French Navy Artillery Headquarters 1780–1781Gilbert Stuart BirthplaceSaunderstown1750 Birthplace of Gilbert Stuart, one of 18th-century America's most noted portrait artists National Historic LandmarkWillow Dell (Weeden Farm House)South Kingstown1753 Located in MatunuckRocky Meadows Farm HouseSouth Kingstown1754 Rumored to have been a tavern Private home located on Old Post Road (Route 1) The farm land is now protected by the South Kingstown Land Trust.Henry Marchant HouseSouth Kingstownpre 1760 Located off of South County Trail (Route 2) Home of politician Henry Marchant Touro Synagogue Newport 1759–1763 Oldest surviving synagogue building in the United StatesUniversity HallProvidence1770 National Historic Landmark Oldest purpose-built academic building in Rhode Island Jonathan Treadwell House Providence1783Private residence on North Court Street Possible inspiration for the home of Dr. Elihu Whipple in "The Shunned House" by H. P. Lovecraft Prudence Island Light Portsmouth(Prudence Island) 1824 Oldest lighthouse tower in Rhode Island Moved from original location on Goat Island in Newport to Prudence Island at a later date Poplar Point Light North Kingstown 1832 Oldest wooden lighthouse tower still standing in the United States

Destroyed early Rhode Island buildings BuildingImage Location First BuiltDestroyed NotesHenry Bull House Newport 1912 Destroyed by fire on December 29, 1912 Allegedly the oldest house in Rhode Island until its destruction William Coddington House Newport 1640–16411835 Razed 1835Roger Mowry Tavern Providence 1900 Restored and documented by Norman Isham in the late 19th century Oldest house in Providence until its demolition in 1900Arthur Fenner House Cranston 1886 Arthur Fenner House () in Cranston, demolished 1886John Smith HouseWarwickBefore 16631779 Built by Colonial president John Smith Razed in 1779 Epenetus Olney House North Providence by 1900 Stone ender was one of oldest houses in North Providence until its demolition in 1900

See also Henry Bull House, c. 1639 possibly oldest house in RI until demolished in 1912) Oldest buildings in America Roger Mowry Tavern, c. 1653 possibly oldest house in RI until demolished in 1900) Stone-ender Timeline of architectural styles

References

External links Clement Weaver House - Oldest House in Rhode Island, (1679) (accessed on June 21, 2008) Norman A. Isham & Alber Frederic Brown, Early Rhode Island Houses:, (Preston & Rounds, 1895) (accessed June 21, 2008 on Google Book Search) Oldest Houses in South County, (1934) (accessed on June 21, 2008) Michael Mello, Providence Journal, "Dating R.I's oldest houses is part science, part art" August 21, 2005