Do you like people, love history, old houses, and your country?
Do you value active citizenship?
Be part of Benefit Street’s "mile of history" at the Stephen Hopkins House, leading tours for young & old, from around the corner or around the globe! Built in 1707 & 1742, this is Providence’s oldest house and first historic preservation success story, twice visited by George Washington.
It was the home from 1743 to 1785 of merchant, politician and Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Stephen Hopkins. Hopkins, his wife Sarah and 4 of their 7 children, second wife Anne, and her 3 children, and the slaves, Fibbo, St. Jago, Prince, Toney, Adam and Priamus, lived and worked here, through turbulent times in Rhode Island history.
Our visitors learn about the white and black lives led in these 8 small rooms, now furnished with period antiques & Hopkins family heirlooms. The SHH narrative explores the struggle for liberty, and for justice, to balance principles & self-interest, personal tragedy and political fervor, in a way that can be meaningful to people in any time, from anywhere.
History was not made by those who just sat on the couch & waited for others to do it!
Last year, we welcomed over 2600 visitors, from most of the USA and over 44 foreign countries, on Saturdays from May through November, and since December, on Wednesdays too. Our volunteers gave upwards of 1200 hours of their time, some as Docents, some as Greeters, or supporting the museum in other ways. Some came in once, some regularly throughout the year, some do mornings, some stay late on our WaterFire nights!
We celebrated the museum's 88th season with a special luncheon at Newport's famous White Horse Tavern, followed by private tours of the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House and the Old Colony House.
What unites us --- teachers & travel agents, corporate head-hunters & karate experts, doctors & dancers, politicians & postmen, sopranos & students --- is the Stephen Hopkins House mission,
"to bring meaning to early American history for the broadest possible audience and to demonstrate its relevance to a responsible citizenry in the 21st century and beyond."
We want to help our visitors feel that America's history could be their story, and hope that they will ask themselves "Is there a Stephen Hopkins in my community? Should there be? Could I be?"
Come help us -- Meet people from all over the world! Improve your public-speaking skills while you share this complex & compelling story of leadership, service and activism, never more important than it is today.
No membership or connection with the Society of Colonial Dames is required!
Tour guides & greeters needed year-round on Wednesdays 11AM to 2PM, Saturdays 10AM to 4PM, April through November. And we're open til 10PM when it's a full lighting of Water Fire (last tour starts at 9:30)
REQUIREMENTS