Gilbert Stuart Birthplace facts for kids
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Gilbert Stuart Birthplace
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Front elevation of house, date unknown
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| Location | 815 Gilbert Stuart Road, Saunderstown, RI |
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| Nearest city | Newport |
| Built | 1751 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000004 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | December 21, 1965 |
The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum is a special place in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, USA. It's where Gilbert Stuart, a very famous American artist, was born on December 3, 1755. He became well-known for painting portraits in the 1700s and 1800s.
Today, the museum includes the old house where Stuart was born, which was built around 1750. You can also see a working snuff mill and a grist mill. There's a pretty mill pond, streams, and even a fish ladder. Visitors can explore nature trails, a lovely herb garden, and a welcome center with an art gallery.
Contents
History of the Birthplace
The house was built in 1751. Gilbert Stuart lived here for his first six years. His father ran a family business in the basement. It was a water-powered snuff mill. Snuff was a fine powder made from dried tobacco leaves, popular in colonial times. This was actually the first snuff mill in America! When Gilbert was six, his family moved to Newport, Rhode Island.
Over the years, the house was used as a private home and even a tavern. The original snuff mill and water wheel were lost. In 1930, a man named Norman Isham helped restore the building to how it looked in colonial times. It opened as a museum in 1931. Many of the house's original wooden beams are still there. It also has its first four fireplaces, one in each room.
An English snuff mill from the 1730s was brought to the property during the restoration. It looks very much like the original one. A new water wheel was also built. It connects to the side of the house and uses water from Mattatuxet Brook to power the mill.
A colonial-era gristmill was built nearby in 1757. It was owned by Benjamin Hammond. This mill didn't work for a long time. But in 2007, its waterwheel was reconnected to the gears, making it work again!
Because of its importance, the site was named a National Historic Landmark in 1965. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
Visiting the Museum
The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace offers guided tours of the house and gristmill. They are open from May until mid-October, Thursday through Monday. The house is filled with furniture from the colonial period. While none of the furniture belonged to the Stuart family, it shows how people lived back then.
Each room also displays copies of Gilbert Stuart's most famous paintings. These include the well-known unfinished Athenaeum Portrait of George Washington. This painting is even shown on the one-dollar bill! Other famous works include The Skater, Dr. Hunter's Spaniels, John Jay, and Catherine Brass Yates.
Tours at the museum teach you about how the mills worked. You'll also learn about the fish ladder and the life and art of Gilbert Stuart. Guides also describe the colonial furniture and other objects in the house.
Junior Docent Program
The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace has a special program for young people. Kids and teens can volunteer as "junior docents." They dress in colonial clothes and give tours of the museum. This program helps young people learn about history and how museums work. Junior docents lead tours on Sunday afternoons.
Exploring the Grounds
The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace sits on twenty-three acres of land. The museum has nature trails for visitors to explore. These trails lead to an old colonial burial ground, the Benjamin Hammond cemetery. You can also find a scenic view of Carr Pond and the remains of a colonial fulling mill.
The grounds also feature a lovely herb garden. There's a timber dam and a boat dock too. Museum members can even rent rowboats from the dock to use on nearby Carr Pond.
Images for kids
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Gilbert Stuart Birthplace in March 2018
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Birthplace sign
