The John Brown House is the first mansion built in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...

, located at 52 Power Street on College Hill where it borders the campus of Brown University. The house is named after the original owner, one of the early benefactors of the university, merchant, statesman, and slave trader John Brown. It was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1968. and

John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States ...

considered it "the most magnificent and elegant private mansion that I have ever seen on this continent."

History

The building was designed by John Brown's brother

Joseph Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

, an amateur architect who had also designed the First Baptist Church in America. It was built between 1786 and 1788. Notable guests during this time include

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

, who is reported to have visited for tea. The house was sold in 1901 to Rhode Island industrialist and banker Marsden J. Perry. Perry renovated the extension to add in modern bathrooms and central heating systems. John Nicholas Brown purchased it in 1936. In 1942, the Brown family donated the house to the

Rhode Island Historical Society The Rhode Island Historical Society is a privately endowed membership organization, founded in 1822, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Rhode Island. Its offices are located in Providence, Rhode Island. History Found ...

for preservation, and the society restored it to its original colonial decor. The museum now contains many original furniture pieces provided by the Brown family estate.

Description

The house is a three-story brick structure with a hipped roof topped by a flat section. Both the main roof line and the flat section are ringed by a low balustrade. Four chimneys rise from the sides of the house, and its main entrance is in a center projecting section topped by a small triangular pediment. The entry is sheltered by a portico supported by sandstone Doric columns, and there is a Palladian window above the portico. The interior of the house follows a traditional Georgian plan, with a central hallway flanked by two rooms on either side. The hall is particularly grand, with engaged columns supporting architectural busts and a two-stage stairwell with an ornate twisting banister. Richly detailed woodwork is evident in all of the public rooms. Eleven of the building's twelve mantelpieces are original.

Gallery

File:A Residence, Providence, R.I.jpg, The house photographed in 1906 File:John Brown House, Providence.jpg, The building's facade in 2020 File:John Brown House, Providence 3.jpg, These busts, representing summer and winter, were reportedly taken from

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...

during the French Revolution File:Plaque outside John Brown House - Showing Alterations to Reflect His Slave-Trading - Providence - RI - USA (6953601712).jpg, A plaque in front of the building was updated by the

Rhode Island Black Heritage Society Rhode may refer to: *In Greek mythology: :*Rhodos, goddess and personification of the island of Rhodes :*Rhode, one of the fifty daughters of Danaus *Rhode (spider), ''Rhode'' (spider), a genus of spiders *Rhode (surname) *Rhode, County Offaly, an ...

to reflect John Brown's involvement in the slave trade

References

External links

*
Rhode Island Historical Society - John Brown House
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, John, House Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island Historic house museums in Rhode Island Georgian architecture in Rhode Island Houses completed in 1786 Museums in Providence, Rhode Island Biographical museums in Rhode Island Houses in Providence, Rhode Island Historic American Buildings Survey in Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places in Providence, Rhode Island Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Rhode Island

History

Description

Gallery

See also

References

External links