High on a sloping hill with a view of the Greene family cemetery sits the Nathanael Greene Homestead in Coventry. With a 273rd birthday celebration ceremony on Sunday, July 26, the Homestead Association hopes to breathe life back into the 1770s home of General Nathanael Greene.

Greene was born at the Forge Grist Mill in Potowomut, Warwick in 1742 to a family of iron forgers. After moving to Coventry to manage his father’s iron foundry, Greene served several terms in legislature and was elected commander of Rhode Island troops in 1775. General Greene quickly became George Washington’s second-in-command and developed a strategy to lure British General Cornwallis away from his coastal bases, causing Cornwallis to abandon his plan to conquer the South.

Greene is widely recognized but often forgotten among Revolutionary war heroes. In the 1950s Greene’s birthday celebration was a big event in Rhode Island, even including a parade. Over the years, recognition and interest has dwindled, leaving Greene’s birthday to be celebrated privately among several of his remaining family members.

Dedicated historian and Homestead Association President David Procaccini wants to change that. Procaccini sees the birthday as an opportunity to raise public interest in Greene and in the Homestead, which has gone through several changes in the past three years.

“I would like for Greene to be more well known amongst people in Rhode Island,” said Procaccini.

The 273rd birthday celebration will include complimentary tours featuring actors dressed in period costumes in each room of the house, including Roberta DeCenzo from the Bostonian Society as Greene’s wife, Katherine. At 2:00 there will be several speeches and a color guard ceremony to honor Greene. Light refreshments will also be served.

For Procaccini, the reinstatement of the birthday ceremony offers another reason to celebrate: the official announcement of the homestead’s acquisition of the surrounding property, which housed the Greene family including another iron forge. The property also holds the ruins of several industrial structures and houses Procaccini hopes to explore further.

Under Procaccini’s care, the 15-acre property has undergone expansive restoration, including several new coats of paint, a parking lot to make the non-profit Homestead more accessible for visitors, and a group of 16 docents serving as tour guides. Richard Clemence of Earth and Tree Works and Mark Barnes of Phenix Development have donated all of the restoration and land clearing services.

In May, the Homestead held a Revolutionary War reenactment with 800 spectators in attendance over the course of two days.

“In past years we wouldn’t even get 500 visitors in six months,” said Procaccini.

The increase in visitors gives Procaccini hope for the future of the Homestead. There are plans for a barn that once stood on the property to be rebuilt. The period-correct replica will be used for events and educational programs, provided the Homestead receives upwards of $75,000 in funding through grants, a capital funding plan, and a GoFundMe account.

Procaccini joked that he spends more time at the Homestead than at his full-time job.

“It’s really a labor of love that’s just starting to take off,” said Procaccini.

The 273rd birthday celebration will be held at the Nathanael Greene Homestead located at 50 Taft St. in Coventry on July 26 from 1-5 p.m. Donations for education and preservation programs are gladly accepted.