After the Battle of Rhode Island in September of 1778, this stately home became the headquarters of the

Reynolds House – 956 Hope Street, Bristol, RI

Marquis de Lafayette. General Lafayette was in command of the ports around the Island of Rhode Island (Aquidneck Island). He was responsible for the ports at Warren, Bristol and the Eastern Shore of Narragansett Bay. His troops were stationed in Bristol from September 7 to September 23. Lafayette himself used the Reynold House, especially the north parlor, as central command. There is a legend that on September 7, 1778, Mrs. Reynolds was awaiting her distinguished guest. About an hour before he was expected, a young Frenchman rode to the house, dismounted and tied his horse to a tree in the yard. The gentleman asked Mrs. Reynolds for something to eat. Mrs. Reynolds obliged, but after a while told the guest that she had to prepare for Lafayette’s arrival. The guest replied, “Madam, I am Lafayette.” The general was only 21 at the time and it is reasonable that Mrs. Reynold would not have recognized the Frenchman.

The Reynolds House has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972. Built circa 1698-1700, the house is three stories high. It stayed in the Reynolds family until the 1920s. It has endured much remodeling

Resources:

Application for inclusion in National Register of Historic Places. https://preservation.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur406/files/pdfs_zips_downloads/national_pdfs/bristol/bris_hope-street-0956_joseph-reynolds-house.pdf

Early homes of Rhode Island. Architectural Treasures of Early America. Arno Press, Inc. 1977.