$1,850,000
About this home
Every Newporter knows this house, the iconic red duplex marking the drive into town on Farewell Street. Local tradition holds it as America's first duplex, built circa 1750, a claim legendary architectural historian Antoinette Downing called a rare and significant example of Colonial-era duplex construction. Built by brothers Joseph and William Cozzens, a hat maker and a wig maker, the house features 12 working fireplaces with original tile surrounds, generously scaled rooms with high ceilings, and original staircases with ornate period detail. Both sides offer formal living rooms, dining rooms, and a study with built-in bookcases, plus two bedrooms and a full bath. 59 Farewell also has a finished third floor with two bedrooms and a bath. One of the original Operation Clapboard restorations, the house was purchased in 1965 by its current owners and lovingly brought back to life as a demonstration project, earning a place in countless books, magazines, and newspaper articles. Outside, a secret garden enclosed by a tall paneled fence offers a private retreat, while dedicated parking on either side serves both residences. Not in the Historic District, the property offers flexibility with renovations and can be converted to two condos without zoning approval, a great investment opportunity. Offered for the first time in over 50 years, this is a rare chance to own one of Newport's true landmarks. Sold AS IS, pre-inspection report available.
Highlights
Property details
- MLS #
- 1422890
- Property type
- Multi Family
- Subdivision
- Farewell
- Status
- Active
- Days on market
- 10
- On market date
- September 10, 2026
- Stories
- 3
- Total bathrooms
- 4
- Garage spaces
- N/A
- Parking spaces
- 3
- Lot size
- 0.18 acres
Location
Get directions →Nearby schools
Within 10 miles. School directory data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), accessed via the Urban Institute Education Data API. Local Score is calculated by INNOVATE Real Estate; where a state rating is shown, it comes from that state's own official school report card (e.g. NC Dept. of Public Instruction, SC Report Card).
- Enrollment
- 744
- Student:teacher ratio
- 10.9:1
- District
- Newport
- Enrollment
- 565
- Student:teacher ratio
- 9.7:1
- District
- Newport
- Enrollment
- 639
- Student:teacher ratio
- 11.4:1
- District
- Newport
Walkability
Blended score for Newport's center, calculated by INNOVATE Real Estate from two sources: the EPA's National Walkability Index (street network, transit, land-use mix) and Google Places amenity data (what's actually reachable on foot from this point). 60% EPA National Walkability Index + 40% nearby-amenity density (Google Places).
Market position
How this listing compares to current activity in Newport, from live MLS data.
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Data source: Listing information provided by Rhode Island Association of REALTORS via Trestle/CoreLogic. Last updated 10 days ago.
Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed; all measurements, school assignments, HOA fees, taxes, and feature lists are approximate and should be independently verified. Equal Housing Opportunity.