Paine House OPEN Hours Start Friday, May 6th through October
2023 Events
Follow Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society on Facebook for updates
Past Events
Spinning with Sandy
March 27th, 1pm
Sandy will demonstrate fiber preparation and then each person can try the drop spindles
Come spend a relaxing hour painting a rural setting complete with your own little colonial home.
Arlene has been painting beautiful landscapes for the past 10 years. She is an avid gardener. When she’s not at work in the Garden Department, you can find her in her own yard, working on her flowers and vegetable garden.
Cross Stitching with Judy
February 27th 1pm
Cross-stitch is the oldest form of embroidery! Many folk museums show examples of clothing decorated with cross-stitch. Judy will teach the basics of this artform.
Judy Adourian has been cross stitching and quilting for over 25 years. She specializes in custom made toddler game quilts, t-shirt quilts, and cross stitched decor. See Judy’s beautiful work at her instagram, Etsy, and Facebook pages.
Meet Old Saint Nick
Meet Old Saint Nick at the Paine House, December 12th, 1-4pm
Take a photo with Saint Nick in our vintage sled
Open House at Paine House
Crafts and cookies at Stanley Mruk Alarm Building
Ghost Tour (Cancelled)
Saturday, October 30, 2021
Join us for a night of spooky history as we take small groups of people on a walk through our local historical cemetery and provide some insight on who is buried there. We will be walking from the Paine House Museum to the Manchester and Pine Grove Cemeteries where will be greeted by some notable inhabitants. Guides will also be sharing some tidbits of history. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, This is approximately a 1 and 1/2 hour walk on uneven ground. Bring your own flashlights. The tour will end back at the Paine House Museum where we will be sharing death and burial customs throughout history. Refreshments are included. Daylight and evening reservations are available. Come in costume – your guides will be dressed to ‘kill’. Sessions start at 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm. Tickets are $20 per person and benefit the Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Farmers Market at Paine House Museum
From April through November.
Fall Family Learning Series
How did folks in Colonial Times function after the sun went down? Learn how many options were available to light their home so they could get the work done. Take home a candle you make together.
Tea wasn’t the only reason the colonists were upset with Britain. Find out why salt was important and how these determined people managed to make their own. You will bring home Narragansett Bay sea salt.
When is a quilt more than a blanket? Together we will listen to the story “The Patchwork Path” by Bettye Stroud and unravel the Secret Codes of the Underground Railroad. Make a felt quilt with your own secret code to bring home.
Why do we know so much about how people lived in the past? These folks wrote everything down. In this class we will create fun journals and feather quills to record your own history.
From the time of the first settlers right up to today, builders have relied on wood to create lasting places to live. Using primitive woodworking tools families will craft a seasonal decoration.
Make a seasonal memory together as you craft a beautiful decoration for your family to enjoy.
Paine House Investigations (Sold out)
Hosted by the RISEUP Paranormal Society
Saturday, July 10th, 7-11pm
Saturday, July 24th, 7-11pm
Saturday, August 21st, 7-11pm
Saturday, Sept 18th, 7-11pm
Saturday, October 30th, 7-11pm
Heritage Day
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021 AT 10 AM – 3 PM
Enjoy living history exhibits. The 2nd Rhode Island Volunteer Reenactors will have a Civil War encampment on the grounds, Rhode Island Spinners Guild will be demonstrating fiber processing, and the Carpentry Shop will have woodworking and historic tools to check out. The Providence Brigade Band will perform Civil War Era tunes.
Start your holiday gift shopping early with a visit to the crafters village and the museum Mercantile.
Stay all day and have fun with games for kids and adults, face painting, food concession complete with freshly popped popcorn and cotton candy.
A Walking Tour of Historic Anthony Village
Saturday, August 21, 2021, 6pm
The Art of Comfort Antique Quilt Exhibit
Saturday, June 25th- Saturday July 24th
Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00-2:00
Stop by to see Paine House’s collection of antique quilts featuring more than a dozen examples dating from 1825 – 1900 will be artfully displayed throughout the historic house museum. We will also have quilts featured which are on loan from the Warwick Historical Society. Tour admission $8 at the door.
Textile Day
SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 AT 10 AM – 3 PM
From sheep to shirt, come see how textiles were produced by hand.
Living history demonstrations on the lawn by the RI Spinners Guild, as well as exhibits of weaving and textile dyeing. Kids can do laundry like in the olden days! Pump water from the well, use the washboard, hang your wash out to dry. Tour the House and enjoy the opening of our antique quilt show, The Art of Comfort, which will run throughout the month of July. Visit our Mercantile for handcrafted and gift items.
Flag Day Celebration
Monday, June 14, 2021 5:30 pm
Pay tribute to the flag of our United States of America with this family-friendly retirement ceremony for worn or damaged flags. We will provide for the respectful and proper retirement of these flags presided over by our local veterans. A picnic celebration follows. Come see the proper way to retire this beloved symbol of our country. If you have any worn or torn flags to be retired, bring them with you and we will include them in the ceremony.
Ghost Tour
Saturday, October 24, 2020
We will be walking from the Paine House Museum to the Woodland Cemetery where will be greeted by some notable inhabitants. Guides will also be sharing some tidbits of history. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, this is approximately a 1 hour walk on uneven ground. Bring your own flashlights. The tour will end back at the Paine House Museum where our friends from RISEUP Paranormal will be sharing there findings of investigations of the Paine House Museum. Refreshments are included. Tickets are $20.00 each and benefit the Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. We will be following all Covid19 guidelines and due to this we will be limiting groups to 10 people. Masks will be required. For more information please email us at info@westernrihistory.org
Display case at Coventry Library
January 2 – 30, 2020
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the library to view the display and commented on our Facebook page! We will have another opportunity to work with the library soon.
Flag Day Ceremony (Cancelled)
Saturday, September 26, 2020
We will miss you all at this annual community event
An official flag retirement ceremony. Date and times to drop off of old flags at Paine House Museum, 7 Station Street, Coventry will posted here with other instructions as required to follow State guidelines.
Each year a local group of retired Korean War Veterans perform an official Flag Retirement Ceremony to properly dispose of old flags.
Read more about the ceremony at : http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/flagretirement.htm
Here is a brief history about Flag Day: http://www.usflag.org/history/flagday.html
Heritage Day (Cancelled)
Saturday, September 26th, 2020
Mark your calendars and Save the Date! The annual Heritage Day event is Saturday, September 26th.
The annual Heritage Day celebration includes Kids colonial activities, Paine House Museum tours, Barn Loom in the house basement, tools and fire apparatus in the barn and of course, our six-seater out house – the only one we’ve ever seen! Ladies and children on the right, men to the left.
The Providence Brigade Band serenades us in period costume, playing historical instruments! Crafters, yard sale the local Vets are invited to offer their annual Flag Retirement ceremony on this day. They are also working on food trucks, new games and much more. Stay tuned for updates!
It’s always an enjoyable afternoon. Bring your lawn chair (we have a few too) and plan to spend some time under the trees listening to the band while the kids roll some hoops.
Crafters can reserve a 10 x 10 space for $15 plus a donation for the raffle table: you provide your own table and pop-up canopy if desired.
Contact us at info@westernrihistory.org to reserve or mail check and vendor information to WRICHS, PO Box 2, Coventry, RI 02816
Museum Director Historical Artifact Series
“The genius of Edison and his recorded cylinders”
Our Museum Director will host a lively discussion about our Edison. The Edison is an early type of phonograph that plays cylinders instead of records. The museum has many cylinders in it’s collection. Stop by to take a house tour, and enjoy this presentation by Ed at 1:30 pm in the House.
Member Social – Pot Luck 6:30pm
April 23, 2019, Tuesday
Members and Sponsors will meet in the Paine House Museum Tavern for a Pot Luck Social. Please bring a dish to share if you are able and spend some time socializing. Find this event on our Facebook page where you can click on the ‘interested’ button to show you are coming and leave us a comment of what you plan to bring. Paine House Museum provides paper plates, cutlery and beverages. If you have any questions you can leave a comment on Facebook, or send us a note at info@westernrihistory.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
RISEUP Paranormal Investigation
May 25, 2019, Saturday
Take part in a paranormal investigation with the RISEUP team. Investigation is from 7pm-12am This is a great experience for everyone from experienced investigators to just the curious. The Paine House Museum, an historic home that dates back to the late 1600’s, has been a hub of paranormal activity. You will be under the guidance of the experienced RISEUP team which has spent countless hours documenting this spirit treasure. Reserve your spots using the PayPal button below or call 401-623-0862. Participants must be 16 years or over. Space is limited to 8 participants per investigation.
Paine House Museum Opening Day
June 7, 2019, Friday, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Join us for a tour of the Paine House Museum, no appointment necessary. Learn more about the historical significance The Paine House played in the forming of the Town of Coventry. See our Barn Loom, textile collection, Civil War artifacts, new Tavern and six-seater outhouse. We can’t say it’s the ‘only one’, but we’ve never seen one before. Learn about the lives of these Coventry natives and see how the house grew through the years. $6 adult, $3 child. Parking is available across Station Street from the museum.
Flag Day Ceremony
June 14, 2019, Friday, 6pm
Join us for this annual event! An official flag retirement ceremony, a Flag presentation in the barn and a cook out. If you are short on time, feel free to drop your old flags off at Paine House Museum, 7 Station Street, Coventry, between 6:00pm and 7:00pm. Each year a local group of retired Korean War Veterans perform the official Flag Retirement Ceremony to properly dispose of old flags. This year we will be joined by a West Warwick boy scout troop and a Jr. ROTC group. Immediately following the ceremony, our volunteer Archivist, Mark Gardner, will present his informative flag program and house tours will be available. Read more about the ceremony at : http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/flagretirement.htm
The ceremony is held in the parking area across Station Street from the Paine House Museum. Parking is available in the lot and adjoining field.
Here is a brief history about Flag Day: http://www.usflag.org/history/flagday.html
We look forward to seeing you there!
Quilt and Textile Day at the Museum
June 22, 2019, Saturday, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Join us for a day of historical textiles. Spend time with spinners from the RI Spinners Guild as they demonstrate their 18th century craft.
See weaving on the Barn Loom and learn about the weaving process. View an historic quilt collection.
Participate in a raffle for a hand spun, hand woven ‘Triangle’ shawl, linen towels and bath mats!
Children’s activities include weaving on the barn loom, skirting fleece and using a drop spindle. House tours and light refreshments are available to participants at no additional charge. Event: $10/adult, $5/child if prepaid and $12 at the door.
We wish to thank our sponsor, the Rhode Island Spinners Guild for making this event possible, and supporting the continuing operation of the Paine House Museum.
RISEUP Paranormal Investigation
June 22, 2019, Saturday
August 24, 2019, Saturday – SOLD OUT
August 31, 2019, Saturday
September 14, 2019, Saturday – SOLD OUT
Take part in a paranormal investigation with the RISEUP team. Investigation is from 7pm-12am This is a great experience for everyone from experienced investigators to just the curious. The Paine House Museum, an historic home that dates back to the late 1600’s, has been a hub of paranormal activity. You will be under the guidance of the experienced RISEUP team which has spent countless hours documenting this spirit treasure. Reserve your spots using the PayPal button below or call 401-623-0862. Participants must be 16 years or over. Space is limited to 8 participants per investigation.
Heritage Day
September 28, 2019, Saturday, 10-3pm
The Providence Brigade Band will once again serenade us! The RI Spinners Guild will be here to share their knowledge and wisdom on all things spinning and weaving. Kids colonial activities are always free! Take a tour of the Paine House Museum to view our collections including colonial period kitchen ware, clothing, quilts, musical items, railroad items, Civil War item and much, much more! View the Barn Loom in action (now stored in the house), check out the collection of tools and fire apparatus in the barn and visit the Tavern being recreated in the basement. And who can forget our six-seater out house? Ladies and children on the right, men to the left.
Hot dogs, chips and beverages will be available for sale. A yard sale is planned as well as a raffle.
Come sit under the trees and enjoy a day at historical Paine House Museum. We look forward to seeing you there.
RISEUP Paranormal Investigation
October 19, 2019, Saturday – SOLD OUT
Take part in a paranormal investigation with the RISEUP team. Investigation is from 7pm-12am This is a great experience for everyone from experienced investigators to just the curious. The Paine House Museum, an historic home that dates back to the late 1600’s, has been a hub of paranormal activity. You will be under the guidance of the experienced RISEUP team which has spent countless hours documenting this spirit treasure. Reserve your spots using the PayPal button below or call 401-623-0862. Participants must be 16 years or over. Space is limited to 8 participants per investigation.
Christmas Party
We are having a Christmas Party!
Where: Old Theatre Diner, Sandy Bottom Road, Coventry, RI
When: Sunday, December 15, 2019 @ 3:00pm (FYI, there are TV’s at the venue for those afraid to miss the Patriots game)
Entree Choice: Fish, Steak or Chicken
Each meal includes: potato, vegetable, bread, soup, salad, dessert and choice of coffee, tea or soda
Price: $15.00 includes gratuity
Cash bar available