National Register of Historic Places

Little Compton Common Historic District

Little Compton, Newport County, Rhode Island
Listed
May 2, 1974
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
74000041

About this property

The Little Compton Commons Historic District, or Little Compton Commons, is a historic district in Little Compton, Rhode Island. It is a triangular area roughly bounded by School House Lane to the north, South Commons Road to the east, and Meeting House Lane to the south. Properties continue to the west on West Road. The district features a variety of Greek Revival and Victorian buildings, including the United Congregational Church, whose tall steeple dominates the landscape; the First Methodist Meeting House; the Little Compton Town Hall and a former schoolhouse, now connected; Sakonnet Lodge, formerly a Methodist church; the Little Compton Community Center, formerly Grange Hall; the Brownell Library; a restaurant; and C. R. Wilbur's General Merchandise store; among others. At the center of the district is the town common itself; one of only two remaining in Rhode Island. It contains a large colonial cemetery with many graves, including those of American Revolutionary War veterans and other notable individuals. Nearby is Union Cemetery – also part of the historic district – which features a Civil War Memorial. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Benjamin Church, hero of King Philip's War, father of United States Army Rangers Elizabeth Pabodie, the first European woman born in New England, the daughter of Mayflower Pilgrims National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport County, Rhode Island Buxton, Wilson R. et al. The Two-hundredth anniversary of the organization of the United Congregational Church, Little Compton, Rhode Island, September 7, 1904 United Congregational Society, 1906

Location

Little Compton, Newport County, Rhode Island
41.50964, -71.17184

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Little Compton Common Historic District

This page lists Little Compton Common Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Wilbor House
Colonial
1.2 mi
Friends Meeting House and Cemetery
Colonial
1.6 mi
Whalley, William, Homestead
Industrial
2.4 mi
Stone House Inn
Industrial
3.3 mi
Stonybrook Estate Historic District
Listed
3.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Rhode Island
1778Revolutionary War
5.6 mi
British Occupation of Newport
1776Revolutionary War
7.4 mi
Action at Tiverton (Rhode Island)
1778Revolutionary War
8.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Little Compton Common Historic District listed on the National Register?

Little Compton Common Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Little Compton Common Historic District?

Little Compton Common Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Little Compton Common Historic District?

The period of significance for Little Compton Common Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Little Compton Common Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Little Compton Common Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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