The historic South County Museum was founded in 1933 in a barn in Wickford, North Kingstown. It then moved to the Knight Farm on Scrabbletown Road finally moving to its current location on Canonchet Farm in 1984 due to the expansion of Route 4.
Owned by the Town of Narragansett, this 174-acre property was once home to the 12th Governor of Rhode Island, Col. William Sprague. Rich in history from 1695 - 1950, there are seven exhibit buildings to explore at the museum. The Metz Building is the largest exhibit facility showcasing the msueum's Victorian Kitchen, the Maritime Exhibit and the General Store.
The Carpentry Shop houses a great collection of old tools and old-fashioned power tools. There is also the Robinson Family Cemetery on property, one of Rhode Island's historical cemeteries where Governor William Robinson rests.
Walk inside the museum's 19th Century One-Room Schoolhouse and you'll be transported back through time to days when old, one-piece wooden desks and slate chalkboards welcomed the children. As you wander the property you will be surrounded by lush flower and herb gardens. During the spring, watch the sheep get shorn on its living history farm. The Blacksmith Shop reveals tools and artifacts such as horseshoes that are on display and the Print Shop is both an exhibit and the home of Museum Press, which uses 19th- and 20th-century letterpress technology to produce posters and flyers for the museum.
With more than 20,000 items in its many historical collections, the South County Museum will offer you and your family hours of fascinating learning on grounds that are authentically reflective of the Victorian Era.
The South County Museum is seasonal, with admission to the general public from May through September.