Colony House (Newport, RI)

The Colony House in historic Newport, Rhode Island, is the fourth oldest state house still standing in the United States and one of the most prominent buildings in town. It has stood the test of time and has served as a symbol of both British colonial rule and early American Republic government. Today, the Colony House serves as a remarkable example of colonial/Georgian architecture and offers a glimpse into Newport’s early history and politics.

History

The Colony House was designed by architect Richard Munday and between 1736 – 1739, the stout brick building was built (it replaced a wooden courthouse that was built in 1687). At the time of its construction, the Colony House was the most impressive building in Newport and the intent was for it to bring a sense of grandeur and pomp to the growing coastal town.

Due to its commanding location in Washington Square (a central area then known as the “parade”), the Colony House played an important role in colonial, revolutionary, and early Republic Newport. Furthermore, its prominent front balcony was often used to announce important news to citizens gathered below. In 1761, the news of King George II’s death, along with King George III’s assumption of the throne, was announced to the townspeople from the balcony of the Colony House. Another important announcement given from this balcony was the reading of the Declaration of Independence, which was read by Major John Handy on July 20, 1776.

On September 5, 1764, the first meeting of the Corporation of “the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island” was held in the Colony House, which is today’s Brown University. A few years later after the repeal of the greatly despised Stamp Act in 1766, many Newporters celebrated in and just outside of the Colony House. As the tense years leading up to the American Revolutionary War played out, the Colony House continued to play an important role for Newport and Rhode Island as a whole. On June 10, 1772, colonists burned the British revenue cutter Gaspee in Narragansett Bay- an open act of defiance against British rule of law. The following year, a Commission of Inquiry (cobbled together to investigate the burning of the Gaspee) met in the Colony House. Ultimately, the raiding party and their leaders were never punished, which lends credence to the rebellious and loyal nature of Rhode Islanders.

In early December 1776, British and Hessian forces invaded Newport and were met with little to no patriot resistance (the town offered a naturally deep and protected harbor, which greatly benefited the British Navy). The military occupation of Newport lasted nearly two years and during that time, the Colony House was used as a barracks for troops. Thankfully, the brick-built Colony House was spared by British soldiers, who tore down dozens of wooden structures for firewood during the harsh New England winters. In October 1779, the occupying army departed Newport and left the town in near destitution.

On July 11, 1780, a French force of nearly 6,000 soldiers under General Rochambeau arrived in Newport. This force intended on using Newport as a base and launching off point for potential operations against the British. During the French occupation of Newport, the Colony House served as a hospital for the French Army. Another interesting story is that the first Catholic Mass in Rhode Island was held by a French chaplain in the Colony House, although there is no evidence of that occurring.

In March 1781, General George Washington visited Newport in order to meet with French General Rochambeau. During this visit, a grand banquet was held in Washington’s honor in the first floor Great Hall of the Colony House. Just imagine the impressive list of guests to that dinner!

Following the American Revolution, the Colony House served as the Rhode Island state house for over a century, until it was replaced by the new state house built in Providence in 1900. Despite no longer being the state house, the Colony House continued to be an important historic landmark in Newport. In fact, the building has been such an iconic landmark in Newport that many photographs were taken of it over the years. Below are two of those historic photos, one from 1885 and the other from 1903.

In 1962, the Colony House was officially designated a National Historic Landmark. Today, the historic building is managed by the Newport Historical Society and is occasionally open for tours. Additionally, especially for the hardcore history buffs like myself, it can even be rented for weddings or other large events!

Interesting Facts

• Other than the Colony House, Richard Munday also designed Trinity Church and the Seventh Day Baptist Meeting House in Newport
• It is believed that African Americans were important contributors in the construction of the Colony House
• The Colony House served as Rhode Island’s primary state house from its opening in 1739 through 1900, when it was replaced by the new state house in Providence, RI

Our Visit & Recommendations

The Colony House in Newport, RI still stands prominently at the head of Washington Square and is one of the most beautiful examples of Georgian architecture in all of New England. In the summer months, the Colony House is usually open on weekends for visitors to walk through the first floor. More in-depth tours are occasionally offered by the Newport Historical Society for a fee (tour dates and costs can be ascertained on the Newport Historical Society website).

We were able to visit and tour the Colony House during the “Road to Independence” historic walking tour, which was offered by the Newport Historical Society. They offer a multitude of different walking tours from June – October, to include tours titled “French in Newport,” “Discover Colonial Newport,” “George Washington’s footsteps,” and “Newport’s British Occupation” (I highly recommend taking one more more of these tours when visiting Newport!). Of note, these walking tours usually begin outside the Museum of Newport History (127 Thames Street), which is located a short walk away from the Colony House in Washington Square.

The first floor of the Colony House is fairly wide open, with ornate pillars and chandeliers adorning the space. Depending on whats going on, this floor may be occupied by tables, artifacts, and even reenactors (the space is used for many things). This was the space that a banquet was held in George Washington’s honor in March 1781- it is amazing to stand in this space and imagine the candlelight, the exquisite French food, and the dozens of uniformed officers and prominent townspeople milling about. Likely to honor that event, a painting of George Washington is displayed along the back wall.

The second floor of the Colony House (accessed via a staircase on the building’s south side) is comprised of basically two rooms: an assembly room and the council chamber. The assembly room has multiple rows of arced-benches, which face the center and front of the space (it is very conducive for meetings and speakers). Along the walls are various paintings and sketches and the ceiling is painted in an appealing yellow and pale bluish-gray color. From this space, you can access the second floor balcony that overlooks Washington Square towards Newport Harbor.

Also on the second floor of the Colony House is the Council Chamber, which displays a remarkable original painting of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures of/in this space due to the fragile nature of the painting (pictures of this space can be seen on the Newport Historical Society website though).

Although not a huge building or a long tour, a visit to Newport’s Colony House offers visitors a chance to step back in time and gain a sense of understanding and appreciation for the town’s colonial history and history of governance in Rhode Island.

For additional information, please visit the Colony House page on the Newport Historical Society website.