Whipple–Jenckes House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Whipple–Jenckes House
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Location | Cumberland, Rhode Island |
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| Built | 1750 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001541 |
| Added to NRHP | November 5, 1992 |
The Whipple–Jenckes House is a really old and interesting home located in Cumberland, Rhode Island. You can find it at the corner of Diamond Hill Road and Fairhaven Road. This historic house was built way back in 1750.
It was made a bit bigger in 1780. Later, in 1992, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's officially recognized as an important historical site.
About the Whipple–Jenckes House
The Whipple–Jenckes House is a simple, one-and-a-half-story cottage. It has a chimney right in the middle of the house. Stone walls surround the large property where it sits.
The front of the house has four sections, called bays. The chimney is also a little off-center. This shows that the house was first built as a "half house." It was then made larger around 1780.
For most of its history, the house was part of a small farm. People also used it for small home businesses. Some stories say an even older house on this spot was a fort during King Philip's War (1675–1677).
Who Built It?
Samuel Whipple started building the Whipple–Jenckes House around 1750. He got the land from his father, William Whipple. William was a direct descendant of John Whipple. John was one of the first people to settle in this area in the 1600s.
There was an older house on the property too. People sometimes called it "Samuel Whipple’s old house." It was also known as a "blockhouse," which was like a small fort. This older house stood near the current one until the 1800s.
Diamond Hill Road was one of the first main roads in the area. It connected Providence, Rhode Island to Franklin, Massachusetts.
Why This House Is Special
The Whipple–Jenckes House is important for a few reasons. It's a great example of a country house from the mid-1700s. It also shows how a "half house" could grow into a full house with a central chimney.
This house also tells us a lot about the history of Cumberland, Rhode Island. It was built by a family who were among the first settlers in the town. The Whipple family owned it for many generations.
The house became a center for two important activities in the 1800s and 1900s. These were small-scale boat building and farming. It shows how people lived and worked in Cumberland long ago.
