The John Brown House borders the campus of

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

at 52 Power Street on College Hill in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

. Completed in 1788, it was the first mansion to be built in Providence and is named after its first owner,

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

, a statesman, merchant, slave trader, and early benefactor of the University. The house was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

in 1968. and The American president

John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was the sixth president of the United States, serving from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States secretary of state from 1817 to 1825. During his long diploma ...

called 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 name, derived from the Hebrew (). "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 modern-day Nordic count ...

, an amateur architect who had also designed the

First Baptist Church in America The First Baptist Meetinghouse, also known as the First Baptist Church in America is the oldest Baptist church in the United States. The Church was founded in 1638 by Roger Williams in Providence, Rhode Island. The present church building was ere ...

. It was built between 1786 and 1788. Notable guests during this time include

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

, who is reported to have visited for tea. Brown was an admirer of Washington, modeling this house on Mount Vernon and commissioning a mural of Washington's inauguration in one of the rooms. The carriage house of the Brown House contains a chariot owned by Brown and purportedly used by Washington during a visit to Providence. The house was sold in 1901 to Rhode Island industrialist and banker Marsden J. Perry. Perry renovated the extension to add 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 Foun ...

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.

Events

The lawn of the John Brown House is the setting for the Rhode Island Historical Society's annual summer concert series "Concerts Under the Elms." The concerts feature a variety of mostly local music talent, ranging from Big Band to Latin Jazz to folk, oldies, and more. Local food trucks provide meals.

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 ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

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 to reflect John Brown's involvement in the slave trade

References

External links