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A−History
History · Coventry

Coventry’s post office opened in 1827, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 78% of U.S. towns · #27 of 38 in Rhode Island. What drives it

16 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Gen. Nathanael Greene Homestead, a National Historic Landmark, and four historic districts with 294 buildings between them. 16 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Gen. Nathanael Greene Homestead, a National Historic Landmark, and four historic districts with 294 buildings between them. Below: maps from 1890 on and the census since 1790.

1827first post office
16on the National Register
13%homes built before 1940
10famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Coventry began

When was Coventry founded?

1827

The Coventry post office opened in 1827, the earliest record of the town by name. Eight smaller post offices, Mount Vernon (1828), Rice City (1828) and Anthony (1851), opened inside today’s town and later closed.

First census: 2,477 in 17902020 census: 35,688199 years

How historic is Coventry?

A−

More historic than 78% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first Coventry post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Coventry’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Coventry is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #27 of 38 in Rhode Island. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Coventry’s overall grade.
Founding era1827, from the first post office: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194013.2% of homes (±2.3) · typical RI town 20.1% · U.S. 8.4%BNational Register16 listings, 324 historic buildings, 90.2 per 10,000 residents · typical RI town 94.7 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 78%
NewerOlder
Rhode Island towns of 2,500+ (38)Ahead of 30%

Rhode Island towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Rhode Island town has 94.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Coventry’s 90.2 sits near the middle of its state (45% of Rhode Island towns have fewer) while its 324 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.3 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.

Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Coventry’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Anthony Village Historic District takes in 169 historic buildings.A National Historic Landmark16 places on the National Register, including Gen. Nathanael Greene Homestead, a National Historic Landmark.Lost villages8 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Coventry, and 15 old place names are still on the map.A town of family graveyards97 cemeteries and burying grounds inside Coventry.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

16 listings protect 324 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed
16
National Historic Landmark
1
Gen. Nathanael Greene Homestead
historic buildings protected
324
each building in a district counts
first listed
1971
Gen. Nathanael Greene Homestead
Paine House, built 1748Waterman TavernArkwright Bridge, built 1888Interlaken Mill BridgeRice City Historic DistrictIsaac Bowen House, built 1750William Waterman HouseJoseph Briggs House-Coventry Town FarmSouth Main Street Historic DistrictWilson-Winslow HouseRead School, built 1831Pawtuxet Valley Dyeing CompanyHarris MillHopkins Hollow VillageAnthony Village Historic DistrictGen. Nathanael Greene Homestead, built 1774★
BuildingsDistrictsStructures★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

Federal6
Greek Revival6
Vernacular2
Victorian2
Late Victorian2
18th Century Rhode Island Farmhouse1
★ Landmark
Gen. Nathanael Greene Homestead18th Century Rhode Island Farmhouse · Built 1774
Paine HouseBuilt 1748
Waterman TavernBuilding
Arkwright BridgeBuilt 1888
Interlaken Mill BridgeLenticular Truss Bridge
Rice City Historic DistrictVernacular
Isaac Bowen HouseEnglish · Built 1750
William Waterman HouseVernacular Farmhouse
All 16 listings
Joseph Briggs House-Coventry Town FarmBuilding · listed 1987South Main Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1987Wilson-Winslow HouseBuilding · listed 1993Read SchoolBuilding · listed 2002Pawtuxet Valley Dyeing CompanyBuilding · listed 2005Harris MillBuilding · listed 2007Hopkins Hollow VillageDistrict · listed 2010Anthony Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2010

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Coventry had its own post office from 1827 to 1883. Nine other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Coventry
1827–1883
Mount Vernon
1828–1872
Rice City
1828–1868
Anthony
1851–1925
Coventry Centre
1851–1964
Potterville
1853–1856
Summit
1855–1926
Quidnick
1857–1869
Greene
1859–today
Washington
1883–1951
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
AnthonyArkwrightColvintownFairbanks CornerGortons CornerGreeneHopkins HollowPottervilleQuidnickRice CitySpring LakeSummitVaughn HollowVernonWashington
Gone or out of use
Coventry AirparkairportJackson QuarrymineKeskinen AirportairportSpring Lake Schoolschool
97family graveyards and cemeteries inside Coventry
Aaron Bowen LotAbbott - Colvin LotAndrewsAnthony LotArnold - Stone LotArnold LotAsa Arnold LotBates - Ryder LotBattey FamilyBenjamin CarrBenjamite Potter LotBrown - Andrew LotBurlingame - Stone LotBurlingame - Wright LotCaptain Israel Bowen LotCharles Brown LotCharles Jordan LotColonel John McGregor LotColvinCornellDaniel Goff LotDavid Salisbury LotDeacon John WoodDuty Cornell LotEdmund ArnoldElkanah Johnson LotEzekiel WhitfordFairbankFiske - Andrews LotFranklinFriendsGibbs - Westcott LotGorton LotGreene - Cooke LotGreene - Johnson LotGreene Homestead Burial GroundsGreenwoodHall - Moore LotHawkins LotHezekiah Bennet LotHopkins HollowHorace Greene LotIrus Albro LotIsaac Johnson LotJames B Arnold LotJames G Mathewson LotJames Roberts LotJedidiah Shaw LotJob GreeneJob Greene LotJob Whaley LotJohn LewisJohnson - Knight LotJoseph Weaver LotJosiah ColvinJosiah PotterKing - Bates LotKnight - Rathbun LotLatham Cornell LotLevalley FamilyManchesterMaple RootMathewson LotMatteson - Franklin LotMiller BriggsNathaniel Chace LotNathaniel Chase LotNathaniel Lindall LotNicholas WhitfordOaklandObadiah Johnson LotObadiah MattesonPeter LeValley LotPine GrovePlainlandRead FamilyRobert K BrantRoyal Colvin LotRufus Stone LotSaint Peter and PaulSmall Maple RootStephen Burlingame LotStephen Whipple LotStone - Hammett LotStone - Matteson LotThomas Cruff LotThomas RemingtonThomas Remington LotWaldo StoneWalker - KellyWaterman - BatteyWaterman - VaughnWhaley - Havens LotWilliam Briggs LotWilson Family Burial PlotWoodWoodland
See all 97

Aaron Bowen Lot Cemetery · Abbott - Colvin Lot Cemetery · Andrews Cemetery · Anthony Lot Cemetery · Arnold - Stone Lot Cemetery · Arnold Lot Cemetery · Asa Arnold Lot Cemetery · Bates - Ryder Lot Cemetery · Battey Family Cemetery · Benjamin Carr Cemetery · Benjamite Potter Lot Cemetery · Brown - Andrew Lot Cemetery · Burlingame - Stone Lot Cemetery · Burlingame - Wright Lot Cemetery · Captain Israel Bowen Lot Cemetery · Charles Brown Lot Cemetery · Charles Jordan Lot Cemetery · Colonel John McGregor Lot Cemetery · Colvin Cemetery · Cornell Cemetery · Daniel Goff Lot Cemetery · David Salisbury Lot Cemetery · Deacon John Wood Cemetery · Duty Cornell Lot Cemetery · Edmund Arnold Cemetery · Elkanah Johnson Lot Cemetery · Ezekiel Whitford Cemetery · Fairbank Cemetery · Fiske - Andrews Lot Cemetery · Franklin Cemetery · Friends Burial Ground · Gibbs - Westcott Lot Cemetery · Gorton Lot Cemetery · Greene - Cooke Lot Cemetery · Greene - Johnson Lot Cemetery · Greene Homestead Burial Grounds · Greenwood Cemetery · Hall - Moore Lot Cemetery · Hawkins Lot Cemetery · Hezekiah Bennet Lot Cemetery · Hopkins Hollow Cemetery · Horace Greene Lot Cemetery · Irus Albro Lot Cemetery · Isaac Johnson Lot Cemetery · James B Arnold Lot Cemetery · James G Mathewson Lot Cemetery · James Roberts Lot Cemetery · Jedidiah Shaw Lot Cemetery · Job Greene Cemetery · Job Greene Lot Cemetery · Job Whaley Lot Cemetery · John Lewis Cemetery · Johnson - Knight Lot Cemetery · Joseph Weaver Lot Cemetery · Josiah Colvin Cemetery · Josiah Potter Cemetery · King - Bates Lot Cemetery · Knight - Rathbun Lot Cemetery · Latham Cornell Lot · Levalley Family Cemetery · Manchester Cemetery · Maple Root Cemetery · Mathewson Lot Cemetery · Matteson - Franklin Lot Cemetery · Miller Briggs Cemetery · Nathaniel Chace Lot Cemetery · Nathaniel Chase Lot Cemetery · Nathaniel Lindall Lot Cemetery · Nicholas Whitford Cemetery · Oakland Cemetery · Obadiah Johnson Lot Cemetery · Obadiah Matteson Cemetery · Peter LeValley Lot Cemetery · Pine Grove Cemetery · Plainland Cemetery · Read Family Cemetery · Robert K Brant Cemetery · Royal Colvin Lot Cemetery · Rufus Stone Lot Cemetery · Saint Peter and Paul Cemetery · Small Maple Root Cemetery · Stephen Burlingame Lot Cemetery · Stephen Whipple Lot Cemetery · Stone - Hammett Lot Cemetery · Stone - Matteson Lot Cemetery · Thomas Cruff Lot Cemetery · Thomas Remington Cemetery · Thomas Remington Lot Cemetery · Waldo Stone Cemetery · Walker - Kelly Cemetery · Waterman - Battey Cemetery · Waterman - Vaughn Cemetery · Whaley - Havens Lot Cemetery · William Briggs Lot Cemetery · Wilson Family Burial Plot · Wood Cemetery · Woodland Cemetery

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Coventry came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Coventry.

Read it all →

Coventry was settled by English colonists in the early 18th century, when it was part of Warwick. The area was far from the center of Warwick and grew very slowly. However, by 1741, enough farmers (about 100 families) had settled in the area that they petitioned the General Assembly of Rhode Island to create their own town. The petition was granted, and the new town was named Coventry after the English city. For the rest of the 18th century, Coventry remained a rural town populated by farmers. Among the buildings that survive are the Waterman Tavern (1740s), the Nathanael Greene Homestead (1770), and the Paine Homestead (late 17th century to early 18th century). The oldest church is Maple Root Baptist Church which dates from the end of the 18th century. The congregation was organized in 1762 and was affiliated with the General Six-Principle Baptists.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Coventry, 1748 to 1972

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1748BuiltPaine House is built
  3. 1750BuiltIsaac Bowen House is built
  4. 1774BuiltGen. Nathanael Greene Homestead is built
  5. 19th century
  6. 1814Born hereHenry P. Baldwin is born here
  7. 1815Born hereHenry B. Anthony is born here
  8. 1827Post officeThe Coventry post office opens
  9. 1828Post officeThe Mount Vernon post office opens
  10. 1828Post officeThe Rice City post office opens
  11. 1835Born hereWilliam Arnold Anthony is born here
  12. 1839Born hereWarren O. Arnold is born here
  13. 1868Post officeThe Rice City post office closes
  14. 1872Post officeThe Mount Vernon post office closes
  15. 1883Post officeThe Coventry post office closes
  16. 1888BuiltArkwright Bridge is built
  17. 1890On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  18. 20th century
  19. 1972LandmarkGen. Nathanael Greene Homestead named a National Historic Landmark
By decade

Coventry, decade by decade

Today23 recent
Trestle Trail2025Trestle TrailSt Francis Episcopal Church2025St Francis Episcopal ChurchFairbanks Bridge2025Fairbanks BridgeCentral Coventry Fire District2025Central Coventry Fire DistrictFemale red crossbill (40805)2024Female red crossbill (40805)Female red crossbill (40766)2024Female red crossbill (40766)Home Depot2018Home DepotBJ's Cracker Barrel2018BJ's Cracker BarrelApplebee's2018Applebee'sCoventryRI WatermanTavern2015CoventryRI WatermanTavernCoventryRI JosephBriggsHouseTownFarm2015CoventryRI JosephBriggsHouseTownFarmCoventryRI WilliamWatermanHouse2014CoventryRI WilliamWatermanHouseCoventryRI IsaacBowenHouse2014CoventryRI IsaacBowenHouseWilson Winslow House2013Wilson Winslow HouseWashington Secondary Trail, Conventry, Rhode Island2013Washington Secondary Trail, Conventry, Rhode IslandWashington Secondary Trail truss bridge over South Branch, Pawtuxet River2013Washington Secondary Trail truss bridge over South Br…Old Coventry station2013Old Coventry stationHopkins Hollow Church in Hopkins Hollow village in Coventry and West Greenwich Rhode Island RI USA2013Hopkins Hollow Church in Hopkins Hollow village in Co…FEMA - 43364 - FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino tours flood damaged area in2010FEMA - 43364 - FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Seri…Coventry RI lg2010Coventry RI lgRead School - front view2009Read School - front viewCloseup of Read School sign2009Closeup of Read School signCoventry RI highlight2008Coventry RI highlight
On the map

Coventry on the map, 1890 to 1970

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Coventry. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Coventry on the 1890 USGS mapCoventry on the 1943 USGS mapCoventry on the 1955 USGS mapCoventry on the 1970 USGS map1890Kent sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Coventry.

Every building

Coventry, building by building, 1925

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Coventry fire insurance map, 1925, sheet 11925Sheet 1 of 1
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

People over time

Coventry, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,0001800185019001950200035,688

Grew from 2,477 people in 1790 to 35,688 in 2020, more than tenfold.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Coventry’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

10 famous people were born in Coventry

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Henry B. AnthonyUnited States journalist and politician · b. 1815
Henry P. BaldwinAmerican politician · b. 1814
Warren O. ArnoldAmerican politician · b. 1839
William Arnold AnthonyU.S. physicist · b. 1835
J
Jeremiah E. CaryAmerican politician · b. 1803
Max EssexAmerican virologist · b. 1939
Help out

Start Coventry’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Coventry’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

West Greenwich2 historic placesB−West Warwick10 historic placesB+Scituate10 historic placesA+Foster8 historic placesACranston23 historic placesA

Questions about Coventry’s history

What year was Coventry founded?

The Coventry post office opened in 1827, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

How does Coventry rank for history?

Coventry is more historic than 78% of U.S. towns, #27 of 38 in Rhode Island. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Coventry?

16 listings: 10 buildings, among them the Gen. Nathanael Greene Homestead (a National Historic Landmark since 1972), 4 historic districts with 294 contributing buildings, and 2 structures. 324 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Coventry?

13% of Coventry’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.3 points), against a typical 20% for a Rhode Island town; the median home was built in 1973.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (23), Wikidata (6), the National Register of Historic Places (16), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.