Town Hall Staircase Undergoes Rehabilitation

For the next three months, the only entrance to Town Hall will be at the rear of the building, using the lower level parking lot or the Peirce Street ramp. The front entrance is closed for replacement of the brownstone steps.

The work is being paid for with a $50,000 grant from the Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage Society. One of its staff architects is overseeing the project.

The handrails will be re-used, maintaining the building's authenticity. The front entrance on Main Street is temporarily blocked by a wire fence, with signs directing traffic to the rear of the building.

A number of local residents have expressed interest in having one of the existing steps, however the society is considering using them in a project at the Old Colony House in Newport.

The steps are original to the building, which was erected in 1804. That building replaced a courthouse built in 1750 that served as the county seat.

The new building continued as a courthouse until 1978. After that, the only tenant was the Chamber of Commerce and in 1991 the state decided to close it. The Chamber organized a campaign that led to a restoration and addition to the building, which re-opened as the Town Hall in 1995.

During the Revolutionary War era, the state legislature met at various sites around the state. While sitting at the courthouse in East Greenwich, they enacted a resolution creating the first U.S. Navy (a disputed distinction). The town continues to recognize that historic event with an annual Navy Day ceremony.

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