National Register of Historic Places

Paradise School

Middletown, Newport County, Rhode Island
Listed
May 4, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78000069

About this property

The Paradise School is an historic school building at Paradise Avenue and Prospect Street in Middletown, Rhode Island. It is situated on farm land which historically belonged to the Whitman family for generations, and was donated by the family to the town of Middletown. Built in 1875, it is a modest wood-frame structure, housing a single classroom, with separate entrances and vestibules for boys and girls. The roof line has decorative sawn brackets, and there is a small oculus window in the front-facing gable. The two doorways, like the windows on the sides, are sheltered by small shed roofs clad in wooden shingles. Classes were held in the building until 1955 when it became an administration office. The Middletown Historical Society acquired the building in 1976 and was later restored and holds a small museum. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Location

Middletown, Newport County, Rhode Island
41.50166, -71.26845

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
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 Paradise School

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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

Boyd's Windmill
Early Republic
0.1 mi
St. George's School-Church of St. George, Little Chapel, and Memorial Schoolhouse
Industrial
0.7 mi
Smith-Gardiner-Norman Farm Historic District
Modern
0.8 mi
Whitehall
Colonial
0.9 mi
Joseph, Lyman C., House
Industrial
1.1 mi

Nearby Battles

British Occupation of Newport
1776Revolutionary War
2.4 mi
Battle of Rhode Island
1778Revolutionary War
2.9 mi
Battle of Rhode Island (1778)
1778Revolutionary War
6.1 mi
Battle of Rhode Island – Black Regiment Action
1778Revolutionary War
6.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Paradise School listed on the National Register?

Paradise School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 4, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Paradise School?

Paradise School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Paradise School?

The period of significance for Paradise School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Paradise School?

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