National Register of Historic Places

Rice City Historic District

Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island
Listed
June 8, 1980
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80000078

About this property

The Rice City Historic District is a historic district in Coventry, Rhode Island. It encompasses the 19th-century village of Rice City, extending along Plainfield Pike (Rhode Island Route 14) for several miles between Sisson Road and Gibson Hill Road in the northwestern part of Coventry. The main village center is at the junction of the Pike and Vaughn Hollow Road, and there is a former industrial and commercial center at Fairbank's Corner, the junction with Flat River Road (Rhode Island Route 117). The architecture of the district is predominantly rural and residential, with Greek Revival and Federal style housing predominating. Rice City village is dominated by Rice Tavern (built 1804), which used to serve travelers on their way to Connecticut, as well as the Rice City Church (1846), the Democrat Schoolhouse, and the Obadiah Potter House (1846), all a short way up Vaughn Hill Road. At the western edge of the district, the modern Pike alignment diverges from the historical one at Gibson Hill Road, where the foundational remnants of agricultural settlements may be found. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980; an erroneously omitted property was formally added to the district in 2000.

Location

Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island
41.71175, -71.77095

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Rice City Historic District

This page lists Rice City 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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Rice City Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Rice City Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Industrial
0.9 mi
Dorrance, Capt. George, House
Colonial
2.1 mi
Moosup Valley Historic District
Listed
2.4 mi
Mount Vernon Tavern
Early Republic
3.2 mi
Hopkins Hollow Village
Colonial
3.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rice City Historic District listed on the National Register?

Rice City Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 8, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Rice City Historic District?

Rice City Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rice City Historic District?

The period of significance for Rice City Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Rice City 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 Rice City Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Kent County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Kent County.

Explore KentCounty ›

More historic places in Rhode Island

Browse all historic places in Rhode Island.

View Rhode Islandhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Rhode Island history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Rhode Islandhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Rice City Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report