John Brown House (Providence, Rhode Island)

The John Brown House is the first mansion built in Providence, Rhode Island, 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 in 1968.[2][3] John Quincy Adams considered it "the most magnificent and elegant private mansion that I have ever seen on this continent."[3]

For similarly named houses, see John Brown House (disambiguation).

John Brown House
The building in 2020
John Brown House (Providence, Rhode Island) is located in Rhode Island
John Brown House (Providence, Rhode Island)
John Brown House (Providence, Rhode Island) is located in the United States
John Brown House (Providence, Rhode Island)
Interactive map showing the location of John Brown House
Location52 Power St., Providence, Rhode Island
Coordinates41°49′23″N 71°24′12″W
Area2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built1786/1788
ArchitectJoseph Brown
Architectural styleGeorgian
Part ofCollege Hill Historic District (ID70000019)
NRHP reference No.68000007
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 24, 1968[1]
Designated NHLNovember 24, 1968[2]
Designated NHLDCPNovember 10, 1970

History

The building was designed by John Brown's brother Joseph, an amateur architect who had also designed the First Baptist Church in America.[4] It was built between 1786 and 1788.[4] Notable guests during this time include George Washington, 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 for preservation,[3] 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
Concert Under the Elms

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.[5][6]

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.[3]

  • The house photographed in 1906
    The house photographed in 1906
  • The building's facade in 2020
    The building's facade in 2020
  • These busts, representing summer and winter, were reportedly taken from Versailles during the French Revolution
    These busts, representing summer and winter, were reportedly taken from Versailles during the French Revolution
  • 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
    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

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. "John Brown House". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 12, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
  3. Patricia Heintzelman (February 25, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: John Brown House" (pdf). National Park Service. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) and Accompanying 11 photos, exterior and interior, from 1967 and 1974 (32 KB)
  4. "NRHP Nomination Form". National park Service. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
  5. Chaput, Lynne (June 24, 2013). "'Concerts Under the Elms' kicks off Thursday, June 27, at Providence's John Brown House Museum". The Providence Journal. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  6. ""Timeless" Under the Elms TODAY – John Brown House". RINewsToday. July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
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