Museum of Newport History facts for kids
|
Brick Market
|
|
|
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
|
The building in 2016
|
|
 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Newport, RI |
|---|---|
| Built | 1762 |
| Architect | Harrison, Peter |
| Architectural style | Georgian architecture |
| Part of | Newport Historic District (ID68000001) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000019 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
| Designated NHLDCP | November 24, 1968 |
The Museum of Newport History is a history museum located inside the Old Brick Market building. This historic building is right in the center of Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The Newport Historical Society owns and runs the museum, which you can find at 127 Thames Street on Washington Square.
The Old Brick Market was designed by a famous architect from the 1700s, Peter Harrison. It was built in the 1760s and is now recognized as a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important place in American history.
Contents
Exploring the Old Brick Market Building
The Brick Market is a three-story building made of brick, with a gently sloping roof. The ground floor has rounded arch openings. These arches used to be open, allowing people to walk through, but now most of them have glass windows.
The upper floors have tall, decorative columns called pilasters between the windows. There's also a fancy border, or cornice, just below the roof. The windows on the second floor are rectangular, with alternating pointed or rounded tops. The third-floor windows are square and have simpler frames. Inside, the building has changed a lot over the years, so not much of the original design remains.
A Look at the Building's History
The Brick Market was designed by Peter Harrison, who was a very important architect in the British colonies during the 1700s. He based his design on a part of Somerset House, a building in England designed by Inigo Jones in the 1600s. Harrison changed the building material from stone to brick and used different types of decorative columns.
Building the Market House
The city of Newport approved the construction of the building in 1761, and work began in 1762. However, the merchants who started the project ran out of money after finishing only the first floor. The city then took over the project and put a roof on that level. The entire building wasn't fully finished until 1772.
Like other traditional British market houses, such as Boston's Faneuil Hall, the first floor of the Brick Market was an open-air area. This space served as a marketplace where people could buy and sell various goods. The money earned from the building was put into a city fund to help establish a granary, which is a place to store grain.
Changing Uses Over Time
The upper floors of the Brick Market have been used for many different things throughout history. In the late 1700s, a printing business was located there. Later, it was turned into a theater where plays were performed.
In 1842, the building started being used as the town hall for Newport. To make space, the third floor was removed, and galleries (balconies) were added around the sides and back. It served as Newport's city hall from 1853 until 1900. In the late 1920s, the building underwent a big restoration project led by Norman Isham.
The Brick Market was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1968. It was also named a National Historic Landmark in the same year. It's also part of the Newport Historic District, which is another important historic area.
The Museum Today
Today, the Newport Historical Society owns the building. It houses a museum that tells the story of Newport's history, from the time before European settlers arrived all the way through the Gilded Age and beyond. Inside, you can see interesting exhibits like the printing press of James Franklin, a figurehead from the yacht Aloha, and a sword given as a gift by the Marquis de Lafayette to Daniel Lyman.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport County, Rhode Island
- Bellevue Avenue Historic District
- Ocean Drive Historic District
Images for kids
-
1853 picture of the Brick Market building, home to the Museum of Newport History
-
View of the South Facade in 1971
-
View of Exterior from Southeast, 1971
