WITHIN a stone’s throw of Blackstone boulevard and some of the finest residences, and best residential property in the city, Cole’s Farm, an odd relic of the past, with its colonial house built in 1731 (source: The Providence Sunday Journal Magazine, November 24, 1929)

Land-holding patterns on the East Side were similar to those in many rural agricultural areas, where property changed hands seldom and usually among family members. In the 17 and 18 centuries, the greater part of the survey area was owned by members of a very few families which were interrelated by marriage. Some parcels remained in the same family for generations.
Arthur Fenner (1622-1703) was one of the earliest settlers of the area east of the home lots. The Fenner property was known as What Cheer Farm, in reference to the statement which tradition affirmed was the Indian greeting to Roger Williams: “What Cheer, Netop.”
Henry Browne (1626-1703), Arthur Fenner’s cousin and brother-in-law (each man married a daughter of Richard Waterman), owned a large tract near Swan Point which extended west past present-day Cole Avenue. Henry’s son Richard Brown (1676-1774) and grandsons William (1705-1782) and Richard (1711-1812) inherited the property.

Richard Brown

The story of Cole Farm begins with Richard Brown, a descendant of Chad and Moses Brown, famous early Rhode Island citizens. An ambitious, hard working man Richard chose to build his house of brick on the old Neck Road (Swan Point Road) — this brick house still standing on the grounds of Butler Hospital near the foot of Rochambeau avenue. Richard operated a horse rental business from there as well as a very early catering business. His account books tell us of his providing a dinner of roasted, fat sheep, bread and ‘a peck of peas’ for the builders of a Baptist meeting house in Providence’. Social events included being quarters of the Revolution and balls ‘graced by ladies of the town’. In addition Richard for many of his 100 years was a magistrate performing weddings and examining deeds for the people of Providence.

Not far from the home of this outstanding man of Providence was the home of his son also named Richard. The younger Richard chose to live in another section of the more than seventy acres the family owned south and east of the brick house. As his father young Richard was an ambitious, industrious man. His interests were in farming, as well as rearing horses. His choice of house was a one and a half story, clapboard sided farm house. (Over time the simplicity of the original house has been changed by several additions, a technique used by farmers and others to accommodate growing families.) From this house Richard worked to develop his family farm and also he began to hire workers to handle such a large parcel of land and numerous animals. From his efforts came a small village, later to be named Cole Village/ Cole Farm Village. Over time workers would build houses here, later owners would add houses and eventually a general store was erected to provide the goods the residents needed.

War of Independence

Cole Farm and its neighbors were serving as quarters for the Revolution. The presence of the French troops in 1782 marked one of the final major military movements of the war in New England before the official conclusion of hostilities. The encampment of French troops under General Rochambeau is a significant Revolutionary War milestone for the area surrounding Cole Farm. While the troops camped on the old Morris farm, General Rochambeau used the Col. William Brown house as his headquarters. This house, which was built in 1734 (two years after the Cole Farmhouse), still stands at the entrance to Butler Hospital.

Washington’s Visit

One of the most prestigious historical milestones of the Cole Farmhouse is the visit of president George Washington, who came to the property to visit his close friend, Deputy Governor Darius Sessions. Sessions, for whom nearby Sessions Street is named, was a prominent figure in Rhode Island politics and maintained a country estate in the area. Darius Sessions’ granddaughter married Samuel Jackson Cole.

The most enduring legacy of this visit is the “Washington Chair,” an armchair that Washington is said to have used during his stay. This piece of furniture was meticulously preserved within the farmhouse for generations.


The Cole Family

The Cole family has been identified with the history of Rhode Island since the early years of the struggling colony.
Richard Brown’s granddaughter married Cyrus Cole, and he became the executor of Richard’s estate upon Richard’s death. Cyrus bought the farm and took up residence there in 1812.

Samuel Jackson Cole was a man of means and position in Providence in the early part of the nineteenth century, a gentle-man farmer, and the owner of a large estate, located in the section between Irving avenue and the Pawtucket line, and what is now the Blackstone Boulevard. He married Frances Sessions, member of a prominent old family of Providence.

Agricultural Produce

An historic Expense Book from 1806 contains a section titled “Product of the Glebe 1806” which catalogs the various crops and agricultural outputs produced by the farm during that year.

According to the ledger, the crops and farm products listed were:

**Hay:** Recorded in several loads sold to individuals like Robinson, Macomber, and Ammidon, with a significant amount noted as “remaining in my Barns”.
**Corn:** 80 bushels.
**Potatoes:** 60 bushels.
**Cyder (Cider):** 20 barrels.
**Winter Apples:** Noted as a product of the year.
**Quinces:** 6 bushels.
**Currants:** 3 bushels.
**Barley:** 2 bushels.
**Thatch:** The ledger lists “1 Load Hatch [Thatch] sold to Robinson” and “300 bunches Thatch” [1]. This aligns with other historical records in the sources noting the farm’s “Thatch Bed Rights” on the Seekonk River.

Additionally, the section notes the “Growth of wood lot,” valued at £12, as part of the farm’s total productive output for that period. These entries reflect the subsistence-style operation of the farm in the early 19th century, focusing on a variety of regional staples before it transitioned into a large-scale commercial dairy in the late 1800s.

Cole Village

Washington Leverett Cole, Samuel Jackson’s son , was educated in a private school and on completing his studies, became interested
immediately in the management of his father’s large property and of his farm, eventually succeeding him in the control of the estate. He devoted
his entire life to bringing this farm to a high standard of efficiency and excellence, purely for the love of the work, and for his deep interest in agriculture and dairying. The farm was famous for its herd of one hundred high grade cows, which was the pride of its owner. He was widely known in Providence, and highly respected for the stern integrity and consistent justice of his life and of his business policies. Although he maintained a deep interest in public issues, he kept strictly aloof from political circles, and was independent of party restriction in casting his vote.

By 1880, the property had evolved from a simple family farm into a multifaceted commercial enterprise that was “virtually a small country
village” within the city limits.

The main sources of income for Cole Farm under the management of Washington Leverett Cole were derived from a sophisticated mix of dairy operations, horse breeding, agricultural crops, stone Quarrying amd real .

**Commercial Dairying**
This was the cornerstone of the farm’s business. Washington Cole was famous for his herd of one hundred high grade cows and conducted a large business in dairy products bringing the operation to a high standard of efficiency.
The farm’s 1891 ledger provides a detailed snapshot of its primary daily operation, and the milk delivery route.
The ledger for June 1891 lists an extensive roster of local customers, including names such as J. L. Lincoln, Brewster, Thomas, Metcalf, and Sam Austin. The records track precise daily quantities for these households, with most customers receiving 1 to 2.5 quarts of milk per day.
The log shows active management of the route, noting when specific customers “began” or “stopped” service (e.g., “Metcalf stops 2d began 7th stops 15th began 24th”).

**Elite Horse Breeding**
The farm was a renowned center for breeding racehorses. One of the mares “Messenger Girl” was a state champion defeating all competitors in New England. Many famous horses of the present day trace their ancestry back through this mare. A specific record from October 23, 1880, documents the sale of “One Brown Stallion Colt” to John H. Chace for $30.000. This era also included the breeding of champions like the stallion **Cole’s Hambletonian** .

**Stone Quarrying** Washington Cole operated a stone quarry known as **Cole’s Ledge** at the foot of Grotto Avenue. Much of the slate used to build the fashionable homes on the East Side of Providence was sourced from this ledge .

**Agricultural Crops** The farm continued to raise large crops of farm produce for sale to the local community.
According to the ledger for June through August 1891 the following agricultural crops and related produce were actively tracked and sold:

### Vegetables and Staples
The farm produced several staple vegetables that were likely sold to local households or used to sustain the community of Cole Village:
Corn: Regularly listed in bushels and half-bushel increments.
Potatoes: A frequent entry in the log, often sold in multiple-bushel quantities.
Onions: Tracked throughout the summer months.
Tomatoes: Appearing in the ledger as they came into season.
Beans: Listed alongside other garden produce.

### Fruits and Berries
The ledger entries highlight a variety of seasonal fruit production:
Berries: Listed frequently during the month of June.
Quinces: Harvested and recorded in the log.
* **Currants:** Produced and sold in multiple-quart quantities.

### Grains and Other Products
Barley: Recorded among the farm’s outputs.
Thatch: The log notes loads of “thatch” being sold, which aligns with the farm’s historic “Thatch Bed Rights” on the Seekonk River.

These crops were part of a broader inventory that included fresh eggs, butter, and the farm’s signature milk. The 1891 records demonstrate that even as the farm became a sophisticated dairy operation with a herd of 100 cows, it continued the legacy of raising “huge crops” that had defined its 18th and early 19th-century history.

**Real Estate and Rents** The family managed various properties and workers’ houses within Cole Village, collecting rents from residents and employees. Historical receipts from the era show Washington Cole settling accounts for “rents collected” for his family members .

**Financial and Civic Records**
City Taxation: A tax bill shows that Washington L. Cole was assessed a city tax of $109.80 on July 1, 1891, which was paid in early 1892.

Despite the growth of Providence around it, the farm in 1891 remained a focal point of “efficiency and excellence,” with Washington Cole devoting his life to the agricultural success of the property.

Cole Village is “a unique example of a rural hamlet in the limits of a bustling city.” A reported in 1906 stated that you could walk around the
village and its 100 inhabitants in about ten minutes. It had one store on Cole Avenue….”, “virtually a small country village.”

Cole Farm Court

1891 was a pivotal year for the farm’s surroundings; a new fire station was erected at the corner of Hope and Olney streets. This project led to the gradual penetration and development of the nearby “Cat Swamp” and “Morris Woods” into residential neighborhoods, signaling the start of the farm’s eventual downsizing.

The last phase of the Cole Farm is marked by its transition from a sprawling agricultural powerhouse to a preserved historic “time capsule” and, eventually, a top-rated modern retreat.

Following the death of Washington Leverett Cole in 1911 (or 1912), the farm entered a period of significant change. While the business had once been a large enterprise with a herd of 100 cows, by 1912, almost all the land except the original farmhouse site had been sold for real estate development. The area that was once “Cole Village” was gradually replaced by the newest residential neighborhoods of Providence’s East Side. Today three houses of the workers of Cole Village remain on Clarendon St. 11, 20, 24.

The property remained in the direct family line for several more decades, passing to Washington’s wife, Martha, and eventually to his children. Francis Sessions Cole and his sister, Jessie, were the last members of the family to reside in the house. Records show the property was still taxed to Francis as late as 1949, and in 1961, he sold a portion of the remaining land to the Kavin Corporation. During this era, the house was described as an “odd relic of the past,” still featuring its original wide plank floors and hand-wrought hardware despite the city’s growth around it.

The family’s tenure concluded in 1967 when the property was sold to Dorothy Denison Dunlop for $23,500. A descendant of the Sessions family and an artist herself, Dunlop was instrumental in the 1969 restoration of the farmhouse, ensuring its historical features—such as the massive central fireplace and exposed American Chestnut beams—were preserved for future generations

Modern Life

Today, the farmhouse has entered a new phase as a celebrated vacation rental and historical landmark. It is ranked in the Top 1% of Airbnb homes globally based on guest ratings and reliability. While its large-scale commercial operations have “retired,” the property preserves its agricultural essence through a small flock of Rhode Island Red chickens and a small veggie garden that provide fresh produce for modern guests.

Sources:
Historic and Architectural Resources of the East Side of Providence
Cow Paths on City Streets, The Providence Sunday Journal Magazine, November 24, 1929
NY: The American Historical Society, Inc. 1920