Above: A portrait of George Washington by Rhode Island’s own Gilbert Stuart.
In the lead-up to the nation’s 250th birthday, this is the fourth in a five-part series celebrating East Greenwich’s outsized role in the fight for independence. Authored by resident Matt Carcieri, the articles draw from his forthcoming book The History of East Greenwich, 1677-2027, which will be published later this year. Matt is the historian for the East Greenwich Historic Preservation Society and the chair of the town’s 350th celebration committee. You can find his previous articles HERE.
From the time I was kid, I remember hearing the lore that George Washington slept at James Varnum’s 1773 mansion, which is preserved at 57 Peirce Street. I lived a few houses away, and that claim seemed to hang around the neighborhood. It occasionally prompted me to gaze at the windows imagining our national hero inside…