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Rhode Island
This historic East Providence house is older than the country – and it needs a new tenant
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley celebrates donation of vacant synagogue
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley urged community members to support the Center for Southeast Asians’ plans to transform the historic building
EAST PROVIDENCE – History lovers have a rare opportunity to live in one of Rhode Island’s oldest homes.
With an estimated construction date of 1724, the four-bedroom Philip Walker House in East Providence is available to rent for $2,900 a month.
The historic preservation society Preserve Rhode Island has owned the property at 432 Massasoit Ave. since 1984, and over the years it has poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into restoration, fortifying the house’s structural integrity and adding modern conveniences.
“It’s a unique opportunity, and it’s in the best condition now,” said Paul Trudeau, the nonprofit’s director of preservation. “It’s a pretty hefty investment to keep this building in its best shape, so we are focusing now on getting it to a state where it’s a nice place to live.”
Preserve Rhode Island plans to use the rental income to help recoup its investment in the property.
For additional preservation opportunities, the Newport Restoration Foundation and the Providence Preservation Society both have programs for community members to help steward historic properties.
What renovations have been done to the house?
The original house was a four-room building with a chimney jutting out of the center – an important feature for cooking and providing heat.
“That original square plan was a pretty straightforward floor plan at the time,” Trudeau said.
For years, under Preserve Rhode Island’s stewardship, the house was essentially a research site, where architectural historians and students studied its structure and materials, often opening up the walls to do so. It was only in 2003 through dendrochronology – a method of assessing age through tree rings – that a research team figured out that Walker House was constructed in the early 18th century, and that their previous estimates had been incorrect.
Although valued for its educational gains, the invasive nature of the research compromised the house’s livability. The preservation group first started renovations in 1990, mostly focusing on the building’s exterior. In 2008, they redid the house’s plumbing and HVAC systems, updating the kitchen and bathroom.
More recently, Preserve Rhode Island partnered with Shantia Anderheggen, who owns the firm Preservation Strategies, on a rehabilitation project that focused on the interior details. The work wrapped up last month and included cleaning, painting, treating floors, carpentry repairs, plaster and drywall repairs and installing a new custom mantle around the central fireplace that had previously been damaged.
What is the history of the Philip Walker House?
The Walker House was originally thought to have been constructed in 1679 on top of the foundation of a house that burned down during King Philip’s War. The property once encompassed 96 acres of farmland, but spans 1½ acres today. Details about its construction are limited, but the house is named after a prominent landowner from that era, Philip Walker.
“He had 10 children. He was a farmer. He worked as a weaver and a sawmill proprietor. He was the deacon of the church here. He had a lot of things going on,” said Trudeau. “By the late 17th century, he had a pretty sizeable estate.”
Walker House is considered a significant architectural heritage site in Rhode Island, as one of the few surviving houses from the period when classical forms of Georgian architecture were first introduced. The house still has many of its early Georgian facets, including the chimney breasts, paneled doors and door frames, mantelpieces and finishing materials, such as plasterwork and flooring.
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It was inhabited by descendants of Philip Walker until Faith Shedd Potter deeded the property to Preserve Rhode Island in the 1980s.
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — Heading into Saturday, Rhode Island needed three points to have a fighting chance at advancing to the USL Cup knockout stage.
Unfortunately, they only got two.
After the game finished tied after 90 minutes, goalkeeper Koke Vegas sealed the extra point for the Ocean State club with the game-winning kick in penalty kicks.
With the result, Rhode Island was eliminated from the USL Cup after finishing third in Group 5.
“I knew that we didn’t have any chance to to go to the next round,” Vegas said. “But for me it was very important, saying everybody happy home.”
RIFC return home next Saturday for the third edition of “El Clamico” this season when they host Hartford Athletic.
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WARWICK, RI — RI State Police Warwick arrests in the area July 4 – 11 in the RI Trooper Log included charges for DUI and threatening public officials.
Here are the basics on those RI State Police RI Trooper Log Warwick arrests:
RI Trooper Warwick Arrests July 4 – 11
Erratic Driver Reports, DUI On Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 10:03 p.m., troopers arrested Adrian King, 58, 78 Potters Avenue, Rhode Island, for 1.) Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor and/or Drugs – B.A.C .15 or Greater – Second Offense (Phase I: 0.292, Phase II: 0.272). This arrest was the result of multiple calls to the Barracks reporting an erratic operator, and Troopers locating the vehicle on East Avenue in the City of Warwick.
The subject was transported to the State Police Wickford Barracks, where he was processed, arraigned by a Justice of the Peace, and released with a notice to appear in Third District Court.
Stolen Vehicle On July 5 members of the Auto Theft Task Force arrested David O’Donnell, age 37, of 112 Harrington Ave., Warwick, Rhode Island, for 1) Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle; 2) Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle; 3) Conspiracy to Possess a Stolen Motor Vehicle; 4) Conspiracy to Commit a Crime Out of State.
O’Donnell was transported to the Wickford Barracks where he was processed then turned over to the Adult Correctional Institution Intake Center pending arraignment at Second Division District Court.
Threatening Public Official On Wednesday, July 8, at 9:27 p.m., troopers arrested Christopher Brum, 27, of 43 Junction St., Warwick, Rhode Island, on an Affidavit and Arrest Warrant for 1.) Threats to Public Officials and 2.) Disorderly Conduct originating out of the Rhode Island State Police Scituate Barracks.
This arrest was the result of a barracks investigation by Trooper Downing and Troopers locating Brum at his residence. Brum was processed at Rhode Island State Police Headquarters and held overnight pending arraignment at the Third Division District Court.
Driving without license On Friday, July 10 at 1:30 a.m., troopers arrested Victor Perez Escobar, 37 of 83 Judith Road, Newton, Massachusetts for 1.) Driving after Denial/Revocation/ Suspension – Certain Violations – First Offense. One of several Warwick arrests, this arrest was the result of a motor vehicle stop on Route 95 in the City of Warwick.
The subject was transported to the State Police – Wickford Barracks where he was processed and held overnight pending morning arraignment at Third District Court where he will be presented as a bail violator.
DUI, Centerville Road stop At 2:16 a.m. July 11, troopers arrested Calvin Hebert, 23, of 211 John Potter Road, West Greenwich, Rhode Island, for 1.) Driving Under the Influence of Liquor – BAC Unknown – First Offense and 2.) Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test – First Offense.
The arrest was the result of a motor vehicle stop on Centerville Road, in the City of Warwick. The subject was transported to the State Police – Wickford Barracks, where he was processed, arraigned by a Justice of the Peace, and released with a future Third Division District Court date.
RI’s best Italian restaurants: Federal Hill to South County our favorites
From Federal Hill to South County, the best Italian restaurants across Rhode Island.
Journal Staff
How did Federal Hill gain its reputation for Italian food?
Start with a look at a timeline of restaurants and markets in Providence and you’ll get it.
1914: Camille’s is opened at 174 Atwells Ave. by Pasquale Parolisi as Marconi’s Restaurant. It moves to its current space in a small part of a mansion on Bradford Street in 1919. In 1952, it is renamed Camille’s Roman Gardens by Jack Parolisi in honor of his wife.
1916: Brothers Luigi and Gaetano open Scialo Bros. Bakery on Federal Hill. Gaetano returned to Italy in 1925, and Luigi ran it until his death at 103 in 1993 when daughters Carol Gaeta and Lois Ellis began to run the bakery. New owners took over in 2021.
1922: Giuseppe DeGiulio and his wife, Maria, open Joe’s Acorn Market on Atwells Avenue. Their sons, Joseph, Gerald and John DeGiulio, retired the business in 2002.
1924: Angelo Mastrodicasa opens Angelo’s Civita Farnese on Federal Hill. Angelo’s begins as a lunchroom frequented by men who immigrated from Italy and are working to earn enough to bring their families over. The restaurant is now operated by Jamie Antignano, fourth generation.
1952: Tony’s Colonial begins selling imported and domestic Italian foods on Federal Hill in Providence. Tony and Elina “Gina” DiCicco have been running it since 1969.
1953: Caserta’s Pizza opens on Spruce Street. They made a name with the “Wimpy Skippy,” more than a spinach pie.
1955: Joe Marzilli’s Old Canteen opens on Federal Hill. It’s run by Joe and then son Sal Marzilli until 2025.
1972: Alan Costantino buys Venda Ravioli. It quadruples in size as a food emporium when it moves to its current location at 275 Atwells Ave. in 2001.
Antonelli’s Poultry on DePasquale Plaza is said to have opened in the late 19th century. What’s certain is that Christopher Morris ran Antonelli’s beginning in 1969 until his death in 2024.
Historic Federal Hill
It’s hard to believe that Federal Hill was used mainly for grazing cattle until the 1820s. But that’s the history. It was only in the mid-1800s that it became home to many of Providence’s artisans and working class. A wave of Irish immigrants moved into Federal Hill in the 1840s.
But as Italian immigrants began to arrive in large numbers in the 1880s, the neighborhood took on a different flavor.
All things Italian became the main attraction.
Federal Hill attracts shoppers from all over the state
Joan Nathan is a Providence native and a groundbreaking writer who links food with culture and has won the biggest prizes for culinary writing, especially about Jewish foods. She recounted the appeal of Federal Hill from her youth.
Nathan, 82, recalls her father taking her shopping on Federal Hill, where the foods were exotic to her. Stores sold freshly made mozzarella, homemade clam sauces, linguine and cookies. Sausage would hang from the rafters and olives were sold out of barrels.
People came from all over the state to shop on Federal Hill, she said.
Years later, in 1984, Nathan wrote “An American Folklife Cookbook” and returned to Federal Hill for research. One chapter featured the DeGiulio family, who were the owners of Joe’s Acorn Market in Providence. Their family history as butchers went back 700 years in Italy. They brought that to Providence.
They weren’t alone.
Many Italian immigrants arriving in the late 1800s and early 1900s, brought their skills as bakers and their cooking skills along with their favorite foods. Most came from Campania, the region that includes Naples. They brought their local Italian cooking, mostly Neapolitan, with accents from Sicily, Calabria, Puglia and Abruzzi.
As they settled on Federal Hill, they opened cafés and markets. Maybe they started with a pushcart. Eventually, restaurants followed, many of them.
A wave of them opened in the 1980s, building on a 20-year period of growth. They included The Grotto Azzura, later the Blue Grotto (1980); Roma (1983); Plaza Grille (1987); Cassarino’s (1988); Andino’s (1989); and L’Epicureo, which added table service to Joe’s Quality Market (1991).
In the news
The world noticed. Mary Ann Esposito filmed segments of her long-running “Ciao Italia” on Federal Hill in 1989. Bobby Flay arrived in 2001 to film “FoodNation” for the Food Network.
National Geographic just named Federal Hill as one of the eight best Little Italy neighborhoods in the United States, along with those in Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Philadelphia and Cleveland.
Two years ago, Travel & Leisure reported on the most authentic Little Italys, placing Federal Hill at No. 3 behind Boston’s North End and San Diego.
Spoiler: It’s all about the food.
Editor’s note: This story was first published in June 2025.
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