Most of the exterior restoration work is complete! The Stephen Hopkins House is open for touring, mostly on Saturday mornings. Follow the website for added dates of opening. Private tours will be accommodated based on the availability of docents.
We are grateful for the US Department of Interior/National Park Service Semiquincentennial Grant that provided the funds for this project. The scope of the work, mostly complete as of July 4, 2026 was for exterior restoration, including new wood roof shingles, new skylights, localized masonry restoration, wood trim repair, select window sash restoration and sash replacement, repair and/or replacement of wood clapboards, rebuilding of bulkhead, and painting. Additional work to repair and restore the painted wood fencing and gates, and masonry repairs to retaining walls will occur following the completion of the exterior restoration work.
This restoration has been a collaborative effort between the State of Rhode Island DOA/DCAMM, RI Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission, Haynes/deBoer Architecture + Preservation, Martone Inc. and the NSCDA in Rhode Island.
Thank you for your patience!
NSCDA in RI
The home of Declaration of Independence signer Stephen Hopkins, his family and their slaves for 4 decades, is located on Benefit Street’s “Mile of History.” Built in 1707 and enlarged in 1743, the building has been moved twice since it was occupied by the Hopkins family. A farmer, a surveyor, a merchant, a shipbuilder, Hopkins served in local government before representing his community in the General Assembly. He moved his family to Providence to become active in the colonial government: presiding as Chief Justice over the Gaspee Affair, elected Governor ten times and represented the colony at the Albany Congress and both Continental Congresses.
| Rhode Island History | Life of Stephen Hopkins |
| 1689 Rhode Island re-emerged as a separate colony. | |
| 1689–97 King William’s War: the French attack Block Island three times. | |
| 1703–13 Queen Anne’s War: Rhode Island supplied some soldiers; commissioned privateers. |
1707 Stephen Hopkins born on March 7 in Cranston; the family later moves to a farm inScituate.
1726 Marries Sarah Scott, both 19. |
| 1736 A slave trade ship sailed from Providence for the first time. | 1735–38 Continues in General Assembly. |
| 1739–48 King George’s War: 35 Newport merchants were commissioned as privateers. | 1742 Moves to Providence.
1753 Wife, Sarah, and two sons die. |
| 1754–63 The French and Indian War: Rhode Island merchants lost over 200 ships. | 1754 Delegate to the Congress of Albany. Hopkins and Benjamin Franklin lobbied fellow delegates for a colonial “union.” 1755 Marries Anne Smith 1765 Publishes The Rights of the Colonies Examined to denounce the Stamp Act which the British government levied on the colonies which had no representation in Parliament. |
| 1772 RI patriots burned the H.M.S. Gaspee striking the first blow for freedom. |
1772 Stephen Hopkins was Chief Justice at the time; no one was ever prosecuted.
1774 The Rhode Island General Assembly elected Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward as delegates to the First Continental Congress. 1776 Hopkins signs the Declaration of Independence for Rhode Island. |
Open 10:00 am - 12:00 pm July 4, 2026 July 11, 2026 August 8, 2026 August 22, 2026 August 29, 2026 September 5, 2026 September 12, 2026 September 19, 2026
Governor Stephen Hopkins House, located on the corner of Benefit and Hopkins Street in Providence is open for tours by appointment. Please email nscdari1893@gmail.com or call (401) 846-3116 to leave a message to arrange a tour.
