Barrington Civic Center Historic District, Historic district in Barrington, Rhode Island.
The Barrington Civic Center Historic District is a protected area in Rhode Island containing the Town Hall, the Leander R. Peck School (now the Barrington Public Library), and Prince's Hill Cemetery along County Road. The district also features open spaces including Wood's Pond, creating a landscape that blends public buildings with green areas.
The area began as a settlement in the early 1700s based on farming and later maritime trade. It gained official historic protection in 1976 when designated as a National Register district.
The Prince's Hill Cemetery displays gravestones of local families, including memorial stones for enslaved people who served in Barrington households. These markers tell the story of the community and the people who shaped it.
The buildings are accessible along County Road and viewable from outside, with the former school now open to the public as a library. The area is best explored on foot, and you can learn about local history at different points throughout the district.
Wood's Pond combined with 1700s-era buildings creates a rare blend of nature and architecture that has maintained the character of a community center. This connection between green space and public structures is typical of early New England planning.
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