Hearthside Families History Hearthside was a private residence for nearly 200 years before it became a public building. The stories of the 11 families who called it home between 1814 -1996 are shared through our guided tours, making the house come alive with their diverse and rich histories.
Architectural History The unique design of Hearthside, with its striking stone façade and graceful curved roofline, has been documented throughout history and was selected as the design for the Rhode Island Building at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Hearthside is considered one of the finest examples of Federal-style architecture in Rhode Island.
Great Road History Laid out as a Colonial highway in 1683 to connect Providence, RI with Mendon, MA, Great Road was built to encourage settlement in the Blackstone and Moshassuck River Valleys to transport the region’s products to the Providence marketplace and shipping ports. In the early 19th century it evolved from mostly an area of farmland to become home to more than a dozen small manufacturing companies that sprouted up along the Moshassuck River.