Thought to be originally constructed by John Martin in c. 1665 at the junction of Short Street and Route 6*, the 1728 Martin House on Stoney Hill Road at Route 6 in Swansea offers an opportunity to see how people lived in the latter half of the 17th Century. It began as a one-room house which is now used as a parlor.

The entrance to the house is on Stony Hill Road just off GAR Highway, Rt. 6. Armor similar to what was used during the King Philip War is on display in the house.

The later additions to the house include a fireplace with a beehive oven. A replica of a chair said to be sat in by King Philip is on display. The original is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Strong Woman (Julie Jennings) and Nikana-Little Friend (Chris Ortiz) talk about aboriginal life at a Martin House event held in 2000.

* https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/townreports/SE-Mass/swn.pdf, p. 3

Click here for the Martin House web page maintained by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Click here for the Martin House Farm Facebook page.

Click here for the Wikipedia page on the Martin House and Farm.

Click here for a 21-minute video tour of the house

Click here for a 47-minute YouTube video of a 2018 17th Century Rhode Island MeetUp group visit.

The house can be visited on Sundays from July through September from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.  (Adults $5; children and active military admitted free). The entrance to the house is on Stoney Hill Road just off GAR Highway, Rt. 6.

Click on the map below for a Google satellite map of the Swansea Martin House location.