Saunderstown, Rhode Island

Saunderstown Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace is located in Saunderstown, but is not in the historic district
Location	Narragansett and North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Area	79 acres (32 ha)
Built	1856
Architect	Multiple
Architectural style	Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, Other
MPS	North Kingstown MRA
NRHP Reference #	85001647
Added to NRHP	July 19, 1985

Saunderstown is a small village and historic district in the towns of Narragansett and North Kingstown in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States.

Overview

Saunderstown is known as the birthplace of the artist Gilbert Stuart, who is best known for painting the portrait of George Washington that is portrayed on the one-dollar bill. The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum, which consists of the house in which Stuart was born, a nature trail, and a functional gristmill, is now open to the public as a museum. Saunderstown is also the location of Casey Farm, an 18th-century plantation that is now a family farm. The farm grows organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a Community Agriculture Program. It is operated by Historic New England.

Saunderstown's zip code is 02874.

Historic district

The Saunderstown Historic District encompasses a section of Saunderstown which developed as a boatbuilding center and summer resort area in the late 19th century. It is centered on Ferry Road, Willett Road, and Waterway, between Boston Neck Road and Narragansett Bay. In addition to being home to a number of shipyards, several owned by members of the Saunders family, the area also became noted as a summer resort, hosting Benoni Lockwood and Frances Willing Wharton (a cousin to writer Edith Wharton), as well as the architect and artist Grant LaFarge, son of the famous artist John LaFarge. This area is mainly residential, with wood frame houses one or two stories in height, with vernacular styling. Non-residential buildings include a country store, recreation center (which was formerly a fire barn), and the Saunderstown Post Office, which was built in 1902 as a Baptist church.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Rhode Island