James Mitchell Varnum House Museum
James Mitchell Varnum House Museum
Explore Rooms
Varnum's Bedroom
Lafayette Room
Dining Room
About the Varnum
House Museum
The James Mitchell Varnum House Museum educates and connects the community with the civil and military achievements of General James Mitchell Varnum and other patriots whose visions and actions set the course of our nation during the American Revolution and its founding years.
The 250-year-old house is a significant part of American history, having hosted Revolutionary War heroes including General George Washington and General Lafayette. James Mitchell Varnum, himself a General serving under Washington, was a brilliant lawyer and jurist who was instrumental in establishing America’s court system. He proposed the formation of the Revolutionary War’s infamous Black Regiment, which gave enslaved black and indigenous people the first true road to freedom.
Recent News & Upcoming Events
The Aircraft Carriers of Block Island
Out on Block Island, there is a small plot of land with a very special memorial: a ship’s bell commemorating the two US Navy aircraft
Rhode Island’s Albert Martin, A Hero of the Alamo
One of the most famous documents in American history, “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World,” was written by Lt. Col.
The Dorr Rebellion Flag: A Mystery Solved
Hanging in the President’s Office is a faded 19th century relic that commemorates a defining moment in Rhode Island history. May 3rd of this year
JMV House Museum Today
Historic houses pride themselves on their strong links to the past. The Varnum House Museum is proud not only of its place in history, but of its relevance today, and in its lessons that will resound long into the future.
As public history nationwide strives to be open and inclusive, the Varnum House Museum enhances our understanding of the ideals upon which our country was founded. It tells a compelling, inclusive story of our Revolutionary War-era civil and military history through the eyes of James Mitchell Varnum and his compatriots.
