Travel Back In Time: Old Narragansett Church

North Kingstown’s roots can be traced back to 1637 when the state’s founder Roger Williams (recently banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony) established a trading post along what is now Post Road. Williams would remain in the area for eight years, penning groundbreaking writings such as “Experiments of Spiritual Life and Health.” 

In 1674, “Kings Towne” was founded by the colonial government and contained much of “Narragansett Country,” comprised of North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Exeter and Narragansett. The area became a one of the hot spots during King Phillips War the following year.

In 1722, the town was split between North and South Kingstown due to its booming population. In 1742, Exeter broke off from North Kingstown.

In the 18th century, the seaport of Wickford was booming, even rivaling its sister port of Newport for a time. Waterways became a crucial factor in the history of North Kingstown in the 19th century as mills sprung up throughout the town, with villages like Lafayette, Oak Hill, Annaquatucket and Shady Lea forming around them.

War took over life in North Kingstown in the mid 1940s with the rapid establishment of the Quonset/Davisville military complex in 1938. The base brought droves of residents to North Kingstown, along with buildings and infrastructure still in use today, forever altering the landscape and character of the town. Davisville eventually became home to the , the construction battalion for the U.S. Navy.

North Kingstown is a town steeped in its history, with a bountiful amount of historic homes and sites. One building in particular holds a lengthy and peculiar journey.

Nestled off Main Street in Wickford Village along Church Lane, the Old Narragansett Church is one of the oldest buildings in the entire town. What makes this old church so peculiar isn’t its age. (It recently celebrated its tricentennial in 2007.)

In 1800, locals decided the church (known as St. Paul’s Episcopal Church) needed a change…and by change, they meant change in location. During the harsh winter of 1800, church members moved the nearly 100-year-old building from its location on Shermantown Road to Wickford Village.

Piece by piece, they broke down the innards of the building, moving the pieces five miles northeast using logs and oxen.

In the Colonial era, St. Paul’s was the center for social and political life. Many parishioners would spend hours traveling to Sunday services by horse or even on foot, making a church outing an all-day affair. Political business was often decided and discussed on these days, inside and outside the walls of the church.

In 1848, the parishioners of St. Paul’s decided they wanted a more modern-looking church – one with heat and electricity. They began construction on a , which is still in use today on Main Street. The original St. Paul’s is now referred to as Old Narragansett to avoid confusion. Today, it is used for services during the summer, special services and even weddings and funerals.