Kent County Courthouse (Rhode Island) facts for kids
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Kent County Courthouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Front of the courthouse
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Location | 127 Main St., East Greenwich, Rhode Island |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1803 |
| Architect | Oliver Wickes, William R. Walker & Son |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | East Greenwich Historic District (ID74000036) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000013 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 28, 1970 |
| Designated CP | June 13, 1974 |
The Kent County Courthouse, now known as the East Greenwich Town Hall, is a really old and important building located at 127 Main Street in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. It has a long history, first serving as a courthouse and now as the main office for the town government. This building has seen many changes over the years, but it remains a key part of East Greenwich's history.
Contents
Building the First Courthouse
Kent County was created from Providence County in 1750. In the same year, a courthouse was built in East Greenwich. At that time, East Greenwich was the biggest town in the new county. This first courthouse served the community for many years.
A New Courthouse for Kent County
By 1799, the original courthouse was too small for the growing county. The state government decided a new building was needed. A special committee was put in charge of building it. The old courthouse was sold and taken apart. A brand new courthouse was then built on the same spot between 1804 and 1805. A builder named Oliver Wickes designed and constructed this new building.
Rhode Island's Rotating Legislature
From 1759 to 1901, Rhode Island had a unique "rotating legislature." This meant that the state government didn't have just one capital city. Instead, the legislature would meet in different county seats on a schedule. This helped keep the government connected to local communities.
By 1854, only the state buildings in Providence and Newport were still used for these rotating meetings. In 1901, the new Rhode Island State House in Providence became the permanent state capital. After this, the old courthouse buildings in Bristol, South Kingstown, and East Greenwich were given to their counties.
Modernizing the Historic Building
In the early 1900s, the East Greenwich courthouse needed updates. In 1908, an architecture company from Providence, William R. Walker & Son, was hired to fix it up. However, once they started work, they found a big problem. The building's structure had become weak over time.
Because of this, the inside of the courthouse was completely removed. The entire interior was rebuilt in a style called Colonial Revival. This style made the building look like older colonial buildings. The renovation work was finished in 1909.
From Courthouse to Town Hall
In 1974, a brand new courthouse was built in Warwick. This meant the old building in East Greenwich was no longer needed as the main county courthouse. The town decided to use it as the East Greenwich Town Hall. It replaced the old town hall, which was located a block north on Main Street. Even today, a special court called the probate court still meets in the building. This makes it the oldest active courthouse in Rhode Island.
