Former Kent County Courthouse - East Greenwich, RI
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NorStar
N 41° 39.730 W 071° 27.017
19T E 295996 N 4615168
From 1804 to 1975, this building was primarily used as the Kent County Courthouse; since then, though the Probate Court is still there, the building is primarily used as the East Greenwich Town Hall.
Waymark Code: WMM22D
Location: Rhode Island, United States
Date Posted: 07/05/2014
Views: 4
In Greenwich's downtown district, at the corner of Main Street and Courthouse Lane, is the East Greenwich Town Hall, which was primarily used as the Kent County Courthouse from about 1804 to 1975.
The East Greenwich Town Hall is located on the west side of the intersection, and is a wooden structure currently painted yellow with white trim, set on a slope. There 3 1/2 stories to it, with a shingled roof. Narrow dormer windows and a cupola appear from the roof. In the back, the building is attached via a glass walkway to another building in the same style and paint colors as the primary building.
The building was built in 1804 to replace a smaller one for the county. It was used primarily as the courthouse from then until 1975 when a new courthouse was built in Warwick and the functions moved there. A probate court remains at this building, so, technically, it is still a courthouse. However, in 1975, the town of East Greenwich moved their town hall offices into this building, and, now it is primarily used as the East Greenwich Town Hall.
From 1759 to 1901, Rhode Island rotated the location of where the legislature met, meeting in each of the five county seats, though by 1854, they stopped meeting here - rotating between Providence and Newport. In Kent County, they met here. When the current State House was built, the state legislature transferred ownership to the county.
A major renovation occurred in 1908, which rebuilt the interior of the building.
The building is registered as a National Historic Landmark.
Year Built: 1/1/1804
Current Use of Building: East Greenwich Town Hall/Probate Court\
Level of Courts: County
Architect: Oliver Wickes
Dates this building was used to house judicial proceedings: 1804-present
Physical Address:
125 Main Street
East Greenwich, RI 02818
Related Website: [Web Link]
Hours: Not listed
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