Back in elementary school, I did a report about Roger Williams and not to get all macabre or anything, but I seem to remember something about his remains being discovered inside a soap box. (A proper way to bury the founding father of Rhode Island? I think not!)

Anywho, this is actually not about RW, but his great-great-great granddaughters Betsey and Rhoda (Can’t help think of the late Valerie Harper and head scarves every single time I see that name.) and the classic NE cottage that they called home for most of their lives.

When Betsey died in 1871, at the age of 81, she left the cottage and the surrounding 102 acres to the city of Providence with the understanding that it would become a public park (and not a hospital, prison, or slaughterhouse…as specificied in her Last Will & Testament which is Google-able for all the history buffs out there) and monument to the memory of her grandfather.

Cut to one hundred or so years later and the house on display for all who entered RWP via the main (Elmwood Avenue) gate.

Driving by as a kid, I was always incredibly curious about that little red house.

In those days, however, it was closed to the general public - a mystery which I now know was rooted in apparent “structural issues” that made it unsafe to tour.

After an incredibly impressive renovation, thanks to a State Preservation Grant from the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, last August visitors were finally allowed back inside the historic farmhouse (where the sisters had once worked diligently weaving cloth to help support themselves after farming had ceased and also entertained guests on a fairly regular basis) for the first time in over 30 years.

And fellow Rhode Island blogger I Heart Rhody was kind enough to write about those Open Houses. (Click here for her post.)

I still really wanted to see it for myself, though, so I was ecstatic to find out about another round of open door events this month.

We were there yesterday, I took lots of photos with my I-Phone, and highly recommend going to all Rhody history enthusiasts (not to mention those of you who have drive by a gazillion times and wondered…) out there.

RWP Conservancy (In my opinion, the Park looks the best it’s ever looked in my lifetime right now!) - in conjunction with the RWP Museum of Natural History And Planetarium - will be hosting more opportunities coming up on this season:

• Tuesday, November 12th

• Saturday, Nov. 16th

• Tuesday, December 10th.

For more details, you’ll want to go to the Roger Williams Park Conservatory Facebook Page.