First Ward Wardroom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Ward Wardroom
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Location | 171 Fountain Street, Pawtucket, Rhode Island |
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| Built | 1886 |
| Architect | William R. Walker & Son |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| MPS | Pawtucket MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003820 |
| Added to NRHP | November 18, 1983 |
The First Ward Wardroom is a special old building located at 171 Fountain Street in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It's a single-story building made of red bricks. It has a unique roof that is partly flat and partly sloped.
This building was designed by a company called William R. Walker & Son and was built in 1886. It's important because it's one of only three "ward halls" left in Rhode Island. Ward halls were buildings used by cities for voting and community meetings. Since about 1920, the First Ward Wardroom has been used by the Major Walter G. Gatchell Post No. 306 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a group for military veterans. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, which means it's a very important historical site.
What It Looks Like
The First Ward Wardroom was designed by William R. Walker & Son and built in 1886. It's built in the Queen Anne style, which was popular for buildings around that time. This style often includes different textures, colors, and interesting shapes.
The building is made of red bricks with dark red mortar. It also has parts made of granite and brownstone, which are different types of stone. These stones are used for things like the bottom part of the walls, window sills, and the tops of doors and windows.
A special entrance area sticks out from the main part of the building. It has two porches, one facing Fountain Street and another facing Blake Street. There are three tall, arched windows on the sides of the building. The entrance area also has three smaller windows. At one point, some of these smaller windows were covered up. The porch facing Fountain Street was also filled in with bricks.
Even with some changes, many of the original details are still there. For example, one of the original eight-panel doors is still on the Blake Street porch. You can also see a special sign above the entrance that used to say "1st Ward" in raised letters. Inside, the building originally had a large meeting hall and some smaller rooms at the back.
How It Was Used
The First Ward Wardroom was built to be a "polling place" and a "meeting hall." A polling place is where people go to vote in elections. A meeting hall is where community members or city officials would gather for discussions.
This building was very important when Pawtucket officially became a city. It helped the city change from a "town-meeting" style of government to a city government.
Since around 1920, the building has been used by the Major Walter G. Gatchell Post No. 306 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. This group helps veterans and their families. Even though the veterans group uses the building, the City of Pawtucket still owns it. In 2013, the building needed a lot of repairs, especially to its roof. The Gatchell Post reached out to the community for help to raise money for these important fixes.
Why It's Important
The First Ward Wardroom is a significant historical building. It reminds us of a key time when Pawtucket became a city and changed how its government worked.
It's also important because it's a rare type of building called a "wardroom." There are only three of these buildings left in Rhode Island. The same architects, William R. Walker & Son, built three wardrooms in Pawtucket. One of them, the Fifth Ward Wardroom, is still standing, but the third one was torn down. Even though the First and Fifth Ward Wardrooms were built by the same company, they look a bit different, showing how the architects could vary their designs.
Another wardroom, built in a different style, is located in the Cato Hill Historic District in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The First Ward Wardroom was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 18, 1983.
