Address Newsletter
Our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design, with expert advice and insider neighborhood knowledge.
Rhode Island
A 1788 Rhode Island home that houses the ‘oldest gingerbread ovens in America’ for $754k
Real Estate
In the basement, Stephen “Baker” Greene created his beloved gingerbread that, in the 1800s, earned him acclaim throughout South County, Rhode Island.
From the wide-plank floors to the five fireplaces, 1724 South Road in Kingston is steeped in history. But the biggest clue of its storied past lies in its basement.
There, you’ll find the oldest gingerbread ovens in America, where Stephen “Baker” Greene created his beloved gingerbread that, in the 1800s, earned him acclaim throughout South County, Rhode Island, historic documents confirm.
The 1,803-square-foot home dates back to 1788 and is currently listed for $754,000, is a three-bed, one-and-a-half bath home, dubbed the “Gem at Little Rest.” (Little Rest is the original name for the town of Kingston.)
“When we bought it, it was in bad shape. There was wallpaper peeling off the walls. Plaster was coming down, but the structure itself was in good shape,” said owner Chris England, who has lived in the home for 13 years with his wife, Emily, and their four children.
Pull through the old horse gate onto the property that’s surrounded by 18th-century stone walls. Stroll the walkway up to the back foyer, which was originally the back porch of the house back in the 1700s. It features slate floors and wood walls. You’ll find the downstairs bedroom with an outside entrance, which was added in the 1930s as a garage for a Model T, and is now ideal as an in-law space or guest room.
Follow a narrow hallway, and on your right, you’ll find the library, where a giant working fireplace and a small beehive oven are tucked within the inglenook under a built-in bookshelf mantlepiece made of hand-planed wood.
Keep going straight to the kitchen, where the countertops are made of the original wide pumpkin pine boards used by Baker Greene to bake his gingerbread. A stove is tucked away in a small, separate nook, and there’s a center island that sits under a chandelier. The cabinets are pumpkin pine wood, adorned with iron hinges. Back in the hallway, you’ll find a powder room on the left, which has a stacked washer and dryer that’s included in the sale of the home.
In the dining room, a wall of curved multi-paned windows streams in natural light. The black oak floors are illuminated by sconces, and a large working fireplace creates a centerpiece that reminds us why the space is meant for conversation. The front foyer, which is completely original, features a stairway, as well as the entrance to the original basement that’s the size of the entire house. In addition to the gingerbread oven, there’s a fireplace in the basement that’s almost seven feet wide, which was used to heat the entire house throughout the winter.
Back on the main floor, the living room features the original 18th-century raised panel fireplace wall. Everything there is also “largely original,” said England. The space overlooks the front of the house, which looks out onto South Road.
Upstairs, you’ll find two bedrooms. The first is the primary, a strong remnant of its time with low, sloping ceilings and wide-plank floors. It features a fireplace, two closets, and storage spaces. The second bedroom overlooks the natural wooded setting, and the upstairs bathroom features a full bathtub with a shower.
Outside the home, the right side of the house has been cleared for a dye garden, which was traditionally used to grow plants and herbs used to dye wool. The back of the house is surrounded by woods and welcomes wildlife ranging from deer and foxes to owls and turkeys. On the left of the house, a rolling lawn space is a peaceful setting.
The carriage house, which functions as a separate two-car garage, also has a heated office space.
“It’s largely original, but the electric, plumbing, and major systems have been updated,” England said of the home, which is currently listed by Edward H. Berube of FLAGSHIP Real Estate Advisors and FORBES Global Properties.
As for England and his wife, they’re taking off for sunnier pastures: They’re leaving for their condo in Honolulu, where their youngest son is currently in college.
