The Thomas Fenner House or the "Sam Joy Place" is a historic stone-ender house in

Cranston, Rhode Island Cranston, formerly known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The official population of the city in the 2020 United States Census was 82,934, making it the second-largest city in the state. The center of ...

. It the oldest surviving house in the Providence Plantations portion of

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. The only older structure in the state is the White Horse Tavern in Newport. The house was built as a farmhouse in 1677 after

King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1678 between a group of indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodland ...

by Captain Arthur Fenner for his son Major Thomas Fenner (1652-1718). The house 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 1990. The House is available for short stays by those interested in the historical and architectural significance of the property. It also is made available to educational groups to visit and study. Captain Arthur Fenner's original homestead, which was known as "Fenner Castle" (circa 1652) was burnt to the ground in King Philip's War. Captain Arthur was appointed Captain of the militia and his son Thomas was appointed Major. They were among a small handful of men "one who staid and went not away" in the defense of Providence. After the war, in 1677, Arthur rebuilt his home also built, for his son, the Major Thomas Fenner house. The "Fenner Castle" stood until 1896 when the chimney was demolished. Arthur's great grandson, Thomas's grandson) was Governor Arthur Fenner who donated a piece of wood from Captain Arthur's "Fenner Castle" for what is now the RI Mace. He did so to honor his grandfather, Captain Arthur Fenner who so bravely defended Providence from the Indians.The Rhode Island Historical Magazine, Sketch of Capt. Arthur Fenner of Providence, A paper read before the RI Historical Society, March 23 and April 6, 1886 by Rev.J.P. Root. - (Source http://www.gaspee.com/Mace.htm)

References

External links

Cranston Historical Society information about the houseAn audio slideshow about the Fenner house
* Houses in Cranston, Rhode Island Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island Houses completed in 1677 Historic American Buildings Survey in Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places in Providence County, Rhode Island 1677 establishments in Rhode Island {{ProvidenceCountyRI-NRHP-stub

See also

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External links