Preservation
Founded in 1968 to preserve and restore colonial era houses, the NRF has continued this tradition while expanding its preservation activities. Below is a menu of preservation initiatives and resources.
Historic Houses »
To see the results of the NRF’s 40 years of experience in “bricks and mortar,” hands-on preservation and restoration, one need only walk the streets of Newport’s historic neighborhoods. Learn more about each of our 71 preservation properties, including fascinating before-and-after images.
Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards & Grant Fund »
Learn more about how the NRF is recognizing preservation excellence in Newport and supporting local projects through its grant program.
Preservation Resources »
The NRF offers an array of preservation resources. Check back as we will continue to update this list.
Historic Homeowners’ Toolkit
A comprehensive primer covering everything you wanted to know about preservation in Newport and Rhode Island.
Historic Paint Colors
Learn more about NRF’s historic colors (including sources for buying your own) and information about the history of house paint.
Ask the Expert
Articles by NRF professionals on common topics and questions in the areas of architectural history, restoration techniques, preservation practices, and early building methods.
- Debunking Old House Myths
- Paint the House
- Paint in 18th Century Newport
- Love Your Historic District Commission
- Wood Shingles: A Centuries Old Solution
- Windows in Hard Times: Do the Math and Save Some Real Money
- Glass is Not a Liquid: Information about Early Windows and Glassmaking
- Newport's Eighteenth-Century Window Frames
History of Architectural Styles
A helpful pictorial review of Newport building styles between 1680 and 1815.
“Learn More” Bibliography
A helpful, annotated list of books, articles and web links.
Preservation Projects
The NRF engages in select preservation-related projects, not only to better understand the material and social history of our historic properties, but also to advance general knowledge about Newport County’s built environment. Some recent initiatives include:
Dendrochronology
This is the science of dating houses by analyzing tree rings with specialized equipment. The NRF is working with the Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory to develop a "master chronology" for Rhode Island. This allows us not only to date Newport landmarks more accurately, but also to provide more clues to early building and trade practices. Homeowners can now take advantage of the chronology and test their own homes to obtain a definitive date.
Archeology
In the summers of 2007 and 2008, Salve Regina University Archeology Field School students, with archeology expert Professor James Garman, conducted digs at NRF properties.
The Almy-Cory House Restoration
This is the latest project in a long tradition of saving and restoring significant Aquidneck Island architecture. View slideshows of the dismantlement and restoration of this the circa 1801 building and learn more about the building’s history.