# List of the oldest buildings in Rhode Island

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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

| Building | Image | Location | Location | First Built | Notes |
| Governor Peleg Sanford House | | Newport | 41°29′27″N 71°18′47″W﻿ / ﻿41.49077°N 71.31315°W﻿ / 41.49077; -71.31315 | c. 1640s–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 | 41°29′30″N 71°18′51″W﻿ / ﻿41.491667°N 71.314167°W﻿ / 41.491667; -71.314167 | 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 structure Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Stephen Northup House | | North Kingstown | 41°33′05″N 71°26′52″W﻿ / ﻿41.551389°N 71.447778°W﻿ / 41.551389; -71.447778 | c. 1660–1661 (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 | 41°29′09″N 71°18′36″W﻿ / ﻿41.4858°N 71.3099°W﻿ / 41.4858; -71.3099 | c. 1670 | Purported to be a Viking structure; likely the remains of a colonial windmill 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 | 41°35′00″N 71°14′45″W﻿ / ﻿41.58340°N 71.24577°W﻿ / 41.58340; -71.24577 | c. 1670 | House of Philip Sherman, one of the founders of Portsmouth, RI Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Thomas Fenner House | | Cranston | 41°47′27″N 71°29′19″W﻿ / ﻿41.790833°N 71.488611°W﻿ / 41.790833; -71.488611 | 1677 | Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Edward Searle House | | Cranston | 41°44′54″N 71°28′56″W﻿ / ﻿41.748333°N 71.482222°W﻿ / 41.748333; -71.482222 | 1670–1720 | Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Capt. John Mawdsley House | | Newport | 41°29′03″N 71°18′44″W﻿ / ﻿41.484167°N 71.312222°W﻿ / 41.484167; -71.312222 | c. 1677–1680 | Significantly modified in the 18th-century Not yet tested using dendrochronology Listed on the National Register of Historic Places |
| Smith's Castle | | Wickford | 41°35′00″N 71°27′16″W﻿ / ﻿41.583333°N 71.454444°W﻿ / 41.583333; -71.454444 | 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 | 41°39′32″N 71°28′37″W﻿ / ﻿41.658889°N 71.476944°W﻿ / 41.658889; -71.476944 | 1679 | Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology Listed on the National Register of Historic Places |
| John Bliss House | | Newport | 41°29′59″N 71°18′07″W﻿ / ﻿41.49974°N 71.30204°W﻿ / 41.49974; -71.30204 | c. 1680 | Early stone ender |
| Nathaniel Bosworth House | | Bristol | 41°40′43″N 71°16′42″W﻿ / ﻿41.678509°N 71.278333°W﻿ / 41.678509; -71.278333 | c. 1683 | Oldest house in Bristol |
| Forge Farm | | Warwick | 41°38′19″N 71°27′06″W﻿ / ﻿41.638611°N 71.451667°W﻿ / 41.638611; -71.451667 | 1684 | Oldest portion of the structure dates to 1684 Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Daggett House | | Pawtucket | 41°53′19″N 71°20′39″W﻿ / ﻿41.888667°N 71.344056°W﻿ / 41.888667; -71.344056 | 1685 | Oldest house in Pawtucket Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Gorton-Greene House | | Warwick | 41°39′55″N 71°27′35″W﻿ / ﻿41.665179°N 71.45967°W﻿ / 41.665179; -71.45967 | 1685 | Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Palmer-Northrup House | | North Kingstown | 41°34′37″N 71°27′40″W﻿ / ﻿41.576944°N 71.461111°W﻿ / 41.576944; -71.461111 | c. 1685 | Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Hopelands | | Warwick | 41°39′29″N 71°25′17″W﻿ / ﻿41.65798°N 71.42135°W﻿ / 41.65798; -71.42135 | c. 1686 | Western ell of building dates to 1686, though not yet tested using dendrochronology Now part of Rocky Hill School |
| Peleg Arnold Tavern | | North Smithfield | 41°59′21″N 71°32′02″W﻿ / ﻿41.98916°N 71.53388°W﻿ / 41.98916; -71.53388 | c. 1690 | Home of Peleg Arnold Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Wilbor House | | Little Compton | 41°29′43″N 71°11′11″W﻿ / ﻿41.495278°N 71.186389°W﻿ / 41.495278; -71.186389 | 1690 | Oldest house in Little Compton Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Clemence–Irons House | | Johnston | 41°50′21″N 71°29′04″W﻿ / ﻿41.839167°N 71.484444°W﻿ / 41.839167; -71.484444 | 1691 | Primitive stone ender Oldest house in Rhode Island to be dated using dendrochronology (2005) |
| Samuel Clarke House | | Kenyon | 41°27′38″N 71°37′29″W﻿ / ﻿41.46065°N 71.624775°W﻿ / 41.46065; -71.624775 | 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 | 41°54′10″N 71°25′14″W﻿ / ﻿41.902778°N 71.420556°W﻿ / 41.902778; -71.420556 | c. 1693 | National Historic Landmark Dated using dendrochronology in 2005 |
| Valentine Whitman House | | Lincoln | 41°55′55″N 71°27′24″W﻿ / ﻿41.931843°N 71.456664°W﻿ / 41.931843; -71.456664 | 1694 | Early stone ender Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Smith-Appleby House | | Smithfield | 41°54′07″N 71°31′06″W﻿ / ﻿41.901944°N 71.518333°W﻿ / 41.901944; -71.518333 | 1696 | House Museum Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House | | Newport | 41°29′27″N 71°18′45″W﻿ / ﻿41.49084°N 71.31261°W﻿ / 41.49084; -71.31261 | 1697 | One of the oldest houses in Newport Currently a museum Dated using dendrochronology in 2005. |
| Joseph Reynolds House | | Bristol | 41°41′00″N 71°16′43″W﻿ / ﻿41.683451°N 71.278543°W﻿ / 41.683451; -71.278543 | c. 1698–1700 | National Historic Landmark Not yet tested using dendrochronology |
| Great Friends Meeting House | | Newport | 41°29′31″N 71°18′47″W﻿ / ﻿41.492008°N 71.31305°W﻿ / 41.492008; -71.31305 | 1699 | Quaker Meeting House Oldest surviving church building in Rhode Island Dated in 2005 to 1699 using dendrochronology |
| Portsmouth Friends Meetinghouse | | Portsmouth | 41°35′28″N 71°15′16″W﻿ / ﻿41.591111°N 71.254444°W﻿ / 41.591111; -71.254444 | 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 House | | South Kingstown | 41°22′59″N 71°34′14″W﻿ / ﻿41.38298°N 71.57067°W﻿ / 41.38298; -71.57067 | 1696–1716. Foundation purportedly dates from 1661. | Private home located on Matunuck Schoolhouse Rd |
| Nathaniel Daggett House | | East Providence | 41°50′16″N 71°21′46″W﻿ / ﻿41.837778°N 71.362778°W﻿ / 41.837778; -71.362778 | c. 1700 | Likely the oldest house in East Providence |
| Perry-Carpenter Grist Mill | | South Kingstown | 41°50′16″N 71°21′46″W﻿ / ﻿41.837778°N 71.362778°W﻿ / 41.837778; -71.362778 | 1703 | Located in Matunuck |
| Six Principle Baptist Church | | North Kingstown | 41°35′34″N 71°29′29″W﻿ / ﻿41.592778°N 71.491389°W﻿ / 41.592778; -71.491389 | 1703 | Oldest Baptist church building in RI Possibly the oldest Baptist church building in the U.S. |
| Saylesville Meetinghouse | | Lincoln | 41°54′02″N 71°25′06″W﻿ / ﻿41.900556°N 71.418333°W﻿ / 41.900556; -71.418333 | 1704 | Possibly the oldest church building in Providence County, RI |
| Old Narragansett Church | | Wickford | 41°34′21″N 71°26′59″W﻿ / ﻿41.5725°N 71.449722°W﻿ / 41.5725; -71.449722 | 1707 | Oldest surviving colonial Episcopal church in the Northern United States |
| Governor Stephen Hopkins House | | Providence | 41°49′18″N 71°24′12″W﻿ / ﻿41.821667°N 71.403333°W﻿ / 41.821667; -71.403333 | 1708, 1742 | Oldest extant home in Providence |
| Dr. Charles Cotton House | | Newport | 41°29′18″N 71°18′53″W﻿ / ﻿41.488333°N 71.314722°W﻿ / 41.488333; -71.314722 | c. 1720 | 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 | 41°42′55″N 71°22′34″W﻿ / ﻿41.715278°N 71.376111°W﻿ / 41.715278; -71.376111 | c. 1720–1750 | |
| Henry Palmer House | | South Kingstown | | 1721 | Private home in East Matunuck Located on Old Succotash Rd |
| Carr-LeValley House | | West Warwick | 41°43′00″N 71°31′58″W﻿ / ﻿41.71673°N 71.53283°W﻿ / 41.71673; -71.53283 | 1722 | Possibly the oldest building in West Warwick, RI |
| Phillip Walker House | | East Providence | 41°49′49″N 71°21′50″W﻿ / ﻿41.830278°N 71.363889°W﻿ / 41.830278; -71.363889 | 1724 | Research site used by Roger Williams University Dated to 1724 using tree ring dendrochronology |
| Trinity Episcopal Church | | Newport | 41°29′15″N 71°18′50″W﻿ / ﻿41.4875°N 71.313889°W﻿ / 41.4875; -71.313889 | 1726 | Oldest Parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island National Historic Landmark |
| Antram-Gray House | | Providence | 41°49′53″N 71°24′39″W﻿ / ﻿41.83132°N 71.41071°W﻿ / 41.83132; -71.41071 | 1736 | Now the visitors' center at Roger Williams National Memorial |
| Captain John Warren House | Captain John Warren House (c. 1737) | Newport | 41°29′35″N 71°19′16″W﻿ / ﻿41.49319°N 71.32108°W﻿ / 41.49319; -71.32108 | 1737 | French Navy Artillery Headquarters 1780–1781 |
| Gilbert Stuart Birthplace | | Saunderstown | 41°31′13″N 71°26′41″W﻿ / ﻿41.52017°N 71.44469°W﻿ / 41.52017; -71.44469 | 1750 | Birthplace of Gilbert Stuart, one of 18th-century America's most noted portrait artists National Historic Landmark |
| Willow Dell (Weeden Farm House) | | South Kingstown | 41°23′48″N 71°33′04″W﻿ / ﻿41.39660°N 71.55115°W﻿ / 41.39660; -71.55115 | 1753 | Located in Matunuck |
| Rocky Meadows Farm House | | South Kingstown | | 1754 | 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 House | | South Kingstown | 41°28′49″N 71°35′47″W﻿ / ﻿41.48039°N 71.59650°W﻿ / 41.48039; -71.59650 | pre 1760 | Located off of South County Trail (Route 2) Home of politician Henry Marchant |
| Touro Synagogue | Touro Synagogue, Newport, Rhode Island | Newport | 41°29′22″N 71°18′43″W﻿ / ﻿41.489444°N 71.311944°W﻿ / 41.489444; -71.311944 | 1759–1763 | Oldest surviving synagogue building in the United States |
| University Hall | | Providence | 41°49′34″N 71°24′14″W﻿ / ﻿41.826111°N 71.403889°W﻿ / 41.826111; -71.403889 | 1770 | National Historic Landmark Oldest purpose-built academic building in Rhode Island |
| Jonathan Treadwell House | | Providence | 41°49′46″N 71°24′33″W﻿ / ﻿41.82935°N 71.40910°W﻿ / 41.82935; -71.40910 | 1783 | Private 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) | 41°36′21″N 71°18′13″W﻿ / ﻿41.605861°N 71.303528°W﻿ / 41.605861; -71.303528 | 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 | 41°34′15″N 71°26′23″W﻿ / ﻿41.570833°N 71.439722°W﻿ / 41.570833; -71.439722 | 1832 | Oldest wooden lighthouse tower still standing in the United States |

## Destroyed early Rhode Island buildings

| Building | Location | First Built | Destroyed | Notes |
| Henry Bull House | Newport | c. 1639 | 1912 | Destroyed by fire on December 29, 1912 Allegedly the oldest house in Rhode Island until its destruction |
| William Coddington House | Newport | 1640–1641 | 1835 | Razed 1835 |
| Roger Mowry Tavern | Providence | c. 1653 | 1900 | Restored and documented by Norman Isham in the late 19th century Oldest house in Providence until its demolition in 1900 |
| Arthur Fenner House | Cranston | c. 1655 | 1886 | Arthur Fenner House (c. 1655) in Cranston, demolished 1886 |
| John Smith House | Warwick | Before 1663 | 1779 | Built by Colonial president John Smith Razed in 1779 |
| Epenetus Olney House | North Providence | c. 17th century | by 1900 | Stone ender was one of oldest houses in North Providence until its demolition in 1900 |