TOWN OF SMITHFIELD ANNOUNCES THE BROMBERG FAMILY DONATES HISTORIC 1813 STOREHOUSE
Smithfield, RI – The Bromberg Family, past owners of the famous Benny’s retail stores and sprawling 1906 brick mill in Esmond, have donated the c.1813 old Allenville Mill Storehouse, locally known as the old Esmond Post Office, to the Town of Smithfield. The 2-1/2 story stone structure, located at 5 Esmond Street, has experienced many reincarnations and uses over its 208 year history. The structure, contained in the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, was placed on the US Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
The Town of Smithfield Historic Preservation Commission Chair, Robert Leach, RA, has worked with the Bromberg’s; Howard, Arnold and Judith Rosenstein, for several years to provide the donation, preservation conditions, covenants and restrictions that will assure its use as a museum with protection for many generations. The transfer and donation of the gift was accepted by Resolution of the Town Council at their December 7th meeting.
With introductions facilitated by Town Council Member David Tikoian, document assistance from Town Solicitor Anthony Gallone, coordination by Town Manager Randy Rossi, Town Council Liaisons to the Historic Preservation Commission Suzy Alba and Sean Kilduff, and Director of Planning and Economic Development Michael Phillips, all whose efforts helped to complete this important philanthropic gesture by the Brombergs.
Along with the structure, the contents of the building will also be donated to the museum. Those contents include historic maps, early photographs, glass plate negatives of Esmond streetscapes, early clocks and other antiques and mill artifacts.
The stone structure was built in 1813 by the founder of Allenville, Philip Allen, who was Governor of Rhode Island from 1851 to 1853 and a US Senator from 1853 to 1859, who sold the Cotton Mill Estate during this term in 1857. Often used as a dwelling, as was noted on the 1858 “Cotton Mill Estates” survey, other earlier uses reported the building as the Allen Mill Storehouse which would make it the sole surviving industrial building from the early days of manufacturing in the State of Rhode Island. Later, the mill and most of the Town of Smithfield was sold in 1879 to new owner, William H. Pope, and the Town was renamed Enfield.
In the early 1900’s, the building housed a nursing unit of the Smithfield Public Health League as well as the Esmond Post Office. Records reveal, circa 1916, it was the residence of William Demaine, the first supervisor of the recreation center, the “Esmond Welfare Club” at Esmond Hall, and now the Neighborhood Center. The Bromberg’s acquired the structure in 1966 after first purchasing the brick Mill as their offices and warehouse for the Benny’s operation.
Also of great importance is the opportunity that arises now that this National Register structure can be joined with the adjacent historic East Smithfield Neighborhood Center, thus creating the genesis of a small Local Historic District. This will allow the Town to apply for “Certified Local Government” status making the Town eligible for additional state grants.
Additionally, a separate residential lot in Esmond has been gifted to the Town. It is proposed that this small lot may be sold for development of an affordable housing unit thus helping to fund the restoration, maintenance and creation of the museum.
The Town of Smithfield extends many thanks to the Bromberg Family for this thoughtful, generous gift, promised to “utilize(s) the premises for educational, recreational and civic functions for the citizens of the Town of Smithfield“. The Historic Preservation Commission continues to do their best to advocate to preserve and to celebrate the history of the Town and now also the legacy of Benjamin and Flora Bromberg (and their son Malcolm); the original founders of the Benny’s Stores.
In a past TV commercial before closing all of the stores, now recent history itself, the children of the EP Kids Rock Chorus group did sing “Benny’s, …Benny’s…It’s Our.. Favorite Store!”
For more information on the historic significance or acquisition of the building, please feel free to contact Robert Leach, Chairman of the Smithfield Historic Preservation Commission, at 401-862-5156.