Mount Hope Farm (also known as Gov. William Bradford House) is a historic estate on Metacom Avenue in
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States, as well as the county seat. The population of Bristol was 22,493 at the 2020 census. It is a deep water seaport named after Bristol, England. Major industries include boat buil ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
Description and history
The farm is located near the
Mount Hope Bridge in
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States, as well as the county seat. The population of Bristol was 22,493 at the 2020 census. It is a deep water seaport named after Bristol, England. Major industries include boat buil ...
, and the grounds have been farmed since the 1680s. The present are a remnant of a much larger property that included
Mount Hope, the traditional seat of the
Wampanoag people
The Wampanoag, also rendered Wôpanâak, are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands currently based in southeastern Massachusetts and formerly parts of eastern Rhode Island.Salwen, "Indians of Southern New England and Long Isl ...
. The main house on the farm was built in several stages, the earliest portion dating to c. 1745. Its builder was
Isaac Royall Jr., a noted merchant and owner of plantations in the
West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
. It was purchased in 1783 by
William Bradford, who passed the property on to his children. Samuel W. Church purchased it from Bradford's heirs in 1837; he was a wealthy merchant from
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in and the county seat of Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Taunton is situated on the Taunton River, which winds its way through the city on its way to Mount Hope Bay, to the south. As of the 2020 United States ...
and he made a major addition to the house in 1840. In 1917, the property was purchased by R. F. Haffenreffer, a wealthy industrialist and collector.
The farm was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1977.
It is now operated as a bed and breakfast inn and function facility. The farm is locally known for its farmer's market, held every Saturday year-round.
Gallery
File:Mount_Hope_Farm_with_sign_2013.jpg, Mount Hope Farm sign
File:The_garden_at_Mount_Hope_Farm.jpg, The garden behind the Governor Bradford house
File:The_Barn_at_Mount_Hope_Farm.jpg, The Barn
File:Mount_Hope_Farm,_Bradford_House,_side_view.jpg, Side view of Governor Bradford House
References
External links
Mount Hope Farm siteVisitRI info
Landmarks in Rhode Island
Houses completed in 1745
Archaeological sites in Rhode Island
Museums in Bristol County, Rhode Island
Historic house museums in Rhode Island
Buildings and structures in Bristol, Rhode Island
Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island
National Register of Historic Places in Bristol County, Rhode Island
1745 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies
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