Historic Homes and Sites
Visit Blackstone Valley, home of the Industrial Revolution in America
7 places to visit
Smithfield, RI
Smith-Appleby House
A restored farmhouse, built in 1696, is a 12-room structure near Georgiaville Pond and is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours are led by interpreters in Colonial attire. Visitors learn about the house's history and architecture; hear stories about the Smith-Appleby family; and see demonstrations of 18th- and 19th-centurey life.
Hours: Seasonal hours; tours are held Saturdays, 1-4 p.m. Call ahead to confirm house is open.
Admission: $5220 Stillwater Road 401-231-7363
Foster, RI
Swamp Meadow Covered Bridge
The only remaining covered bridge in Rhode Island, this bridge was completed in 1994 and is a reproduction of an early 19th century covered bridge. The lumber for the bridge was donated and cut from local forests.Central Pike, over Hemlock Brook
Lincoln, RI
Arnold House
In 1693, Eleazer Arnold built his imposing house along the Great Road. Two stories high, with a pilastered chimney, the home dominated the modest dwellings of nearby farmers. With its massive chimney end wall, the house is a rare survivor of a building type known as a stone ender. Visitors find evidence of 17th-century construction methods, 18th-century additions, 19th-century graffiti, and 20th-century preservation.
Hours: Open Sundays from June to Columbus Day. Tours available hourly 11am - 3pm.
Admission: Adults $10, Seniors $9, Students & Children $5.487 Great Road 401-728-9696
North Smithfield, RI
Slatersville Village Green
Slatersville is one of the country's oldest mill villages, and this typical New England village green is surrounded by a meeting house and numerous homes from the 17th and 18th centuries. Open year-round.Off Route 146
Pawtucket, RI
Slater Memorial Park Carousel
The stately grounds of this park include an early carousel by Danish immigrant Charles I. D. Looff. The carousel boasts 42 horses, three dogs, and a lion, camel, and giraffe; they are some of the earliest examples of Looffs work.
Hours: The carousel is temporarily closed. Please call for updated information.Newport Avenue (Route 1A) 401-728-0500
Pawtucket, RI
Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark
Site of several colonial structures, including Slater Mill (1793), birthplace of American industry, the Sylvanus Brown House (1758), and Wilkinson Mill (1810), home to an authentic 19th century machine shop. This rhode Island site also features a eight-ton working water wheel, constructed in 1826, and regular demonstrations of early textile machinery, hand-spinning, and weaving, , making for an interesting place to visit and thing to do especially on your next family vacation.
Hours: Vary seasonally; call ahead.
Admission: Adults age 13-64, $12; seniors over age 64, $10; children age 6-12, $8.5067 Roosevelt Avenue 401-725-8638
Lincoln, RI
Hearthside House / Hannaway Blacksmith Shop / Chase Farm
Hearthside House, built in 1810, is a fieldstone mansion on the first road between Providence and Mendon, Massachusetts. It is an example of 1800s Federal architecture and it is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is named after the ten fireplaces, one in each room of the house. Tours of the house are held monthly. Seasonal and special events include afternoon teas, Early American crafts demonstrations, a Victorian Christmas , an Antiques Fair and Antiques Appraisal Day, and a Civil War re-enactment.
Chase Farm is right just a block away from the museum. (401-333-1100) This 118-acre dairy farm is preserved as a green space and is used for activities such as summer concerts. Also on-site are a butterfly garden and the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, which is open several times a year for blacksmithing demonstrations. Open from dawn to dusk.677 Great Road (Route 123)