Home Buying

For $650k, you can live in a piece of Pawtucket election history

Former polling place comes with two bedrooms, 1.5 baths, and a living area that is the epitome of the open layout design.

The Queen Anne-style home at 47 Mulberry St. in Pawtucket, R.I., is a former meeting hall, polling place, and American Legion post. Justine Chang for Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty

By Megan Johnson

September 30, 2024

2 minutes to read

Through its history as everything from a meeting hall and polling place to a school and American Legion post, 47 Mulberry St. has played a part in Pawtucket’s history. Now the two-bed, 1.5-bath home originally known as the Fifth Ward Wardroom is on the market for $650,000.

Built in 1886, the 2,135-square-foot home, built in the Queen Anne style, was converted into a private residence after its many years as a municipal building. Now it fuses architectural and historical significance while embracing modern living.

A few front steps under an arched entryway lead into the front hallway, a dramatic space of exposed brick painted a deep green. An arched doorway reveals the main living space, which could be set up in a variety of configurations. Towering ceilings and knotty-pine floors create a blank canvas in a space that features an abundance of natural light thanks to the wide semicircular windows. Under those windows, you’ll also find the dining room, which could easily accommodate a long table.

“You could comfortably have like 70 people over,” said Steven Mackinney, from the Mackinney Gold Group at Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty, who has the listing.

The kitchen holds center court and boasts stainless steel appliances and a long island with bar seating. Impeccable pine cabinetry matches the floor.

The laundry room sits behind the kitchen and offers extra storage. Another door leads to the primary bedroom, where you’ll find exposed brick and expansive windows. It features a spacious walk-in cedar closet and an en-suite bathroom that has been curated to perfection. The open shower features reclaimed Mexican tiles originally meant to serve as the base of a swimming pool. There is also a soaking tub.

“They maintained the original DNA and the integrity of the building, but it’s like the entire space has been reimagined,” Mackinney said.

The half bathroom is next to a set of wooden stairs to the lofted bedroom, which has a long L-shaped built-in bookcase and desk and views of the room below. The space could be transformed into a variety of things, Mackinney said. “It could be an office, or it could be a studio.”

The home, which sits on 0.09 of an acre, has a driveway, but not a garage. The property is just off Interstate 95.

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