Hamilton

The Historic Village of Hamilton Things started over 330 years ago…….. At the mouth of Bissell Cove stands a mill that was established by Richard Wharton in 1686. Built as a grist mill, it became an important manufacturing hub in this area, even as its usage changed several times.

This mill and the surrounding area became the Historic Village of Hamilton in the town of North Kingstown, RI. Roger Bissell bought the property and its nearby waterfall in 1709, hence he named the cove. This waterfall and waterway was used to power one of the first water-powered mills in southern RI. The Bissell family is credited with creating the Village.

As with most mills, it became the source of wages for village residents. With that came housing, shops, a meeting house and school. Long after the mill was established it was sold to Joseph and Albert Sanford in 1847. They shifted to the textile industry. The mill was then sold to Syria Vaughan in 1849. The village was then named Hamilton, after his wife’s family.

In 1883 the mill was purchased by the Green family, whose focus was producing narrow fabrics. They were the last owners until the mill closed in 1978. The Hamilton mill was converted into condominiums, the old mill houses were refurbished, and Bissell cove remains beautiful to this day. The Hamilton Mill Village was listed on The National Register Of Historic Places in 1983.