Stephen Hopkins, the colony's governor and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, lived in the house you see at 15 Hopkins Street in Providence. This was the home of Stephen Hopkins, the colony’s governor and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The house you see is L-shaped and 2½ stories tall, a wood‑framed structure whose main block was built in 1742–43 for Hopkins, attached to a two‑story ell whose first floor dates to 1707.
Notice how the main block is four bays wide and two deep; the current entrance in the second bay from the left is actually a 20th‑century alteration. Hopkins’ original main entry was through a doorway on the west side of the ell. Inside, the layout reflects a lived, working home: the main parlor sits on the right, Governor Hopkins’ study on the left, both flanking a central hallway with a stair.
Behind the parlor is a keeping room and a small bedchamber behind the study; five bedrooms sit upstairs, two with fireplaces. Downstairs fireplace mantels are paneled, the parlor mantel a bit more elaborate. Notice the L‑shaped silhouette, the altered entrance, and the west side doorway on the ell.