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Colorful Past
A historic tavern and homestead in West Greenwich is equipped for modern life
Our nation’s smallest state is studded with landmarks with jaw-dropping pedigrees. One West Greenwich gem known as “Kit’s Tavern,” built around 1740, just sold through Coldwell Banker Realty, offering a fascinating window into colonial life. The tavern was built along the Old New London Turnpike, the main route between Providence and New London, Connecticut and one of the first interstate highways in the United States. History has passed by Kit’s Tavern again and again on this busy and prominent road, and now the tavern has found its next steward.
Photos courtesy of Olivia Martin, Coldwell Banker New England OPPOSITE: Original exposed beams add to the rustic charm


The Kit Matteson House began its life as a farmhouse built by Silas Matteson. His son Christopher (Kit) transformed the house into a tavern during the Revolutionary War, providing travelers with “Entertainment for Man and Horse” well into the 19th century. Two stone fireplaces – one hidden in a small pantry – furnished food and drink for guests, who could dine in the main dining room or the private meeting room on the second floor. Legend has it that many of Rhode Island’s notables dined and drank and trod the wide-plank floorboards.
Captivating traces of the tavern remain in the Matteson House today. Magnificent wooden beams crown nearly every ceiling.
The home boasts seven wood-burning fireplaces


about the Matteson House is its tasteful renovation: the house is eminently livable and tailored to modern taste without losing its period charm. Set on more than two acres, with expansive flowering gardens and an in-ground pool (not period appropriate, but a definite perk!), the house’s three bedrooms and two baths are meant to host a lively crowd again. Owning an old home such as this fosters a distinct sense of historic perspective: its new owners join a long line of Rhode Islanders who love this unique property.

Granite counters and marble backsplash in the butler’s pantry mix well with the clean slate aesthetic Want your home featured in So Rhode Island?

Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com to learn more
GET RHODY STYLE
Ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.
SOMETHING OLD Looking to infuse some quaint charm into your abode? Visit local antique shops for Early American pieces. For starters, there’s Rē Antiques & Interiors in North Kingstown, Jules Antiques and General Store in Richmond and across the bridge, Eagles Nest Antique Center, Portsmouth and Aardvark Antiques in Newport. Feel like a Rhody trip? Explore Chepachet, which boasts a few including The Town Trader.
GO WEST Make a day out of exploring West Greenwich. Alaina’s Co ee and Kitchen, Arcadia Pizza, Dan’s Place, Tavern on the Hill, and The Woods Tavern are all cozy stops perfect for warming up on a winter’s day.
TAVERN TOUR Historians say the American Revolution might not have happened if not for taverns where patriots and loyalists could meet up and chat over drinks. Some spots to explore: DeWolf Tavern, Bristol; Tavern on Main, Chepachet; White Horse Tavern, Newport; and Wilcox Tavern, Charlestown.
EARLY AMERICAN INSPO Anne Eckert Brown’s Painted Rooms of Rhode Island: Colonial and Federal (2012) and American Painted Floors Before 1840 (2008) o er insight into the lives and work of the craftsmen who painted interiors throughout New England. The Matteson House features in both books. Likewise, Yale University Art Gallery’s Rhode Island Furniture Archive o ers thousands of images and detailed descriptions of Rhode Island’s particularly rich woodworking history. Learn more at RIFA.art.yale.edu.