Nelson W. Aldrich House facts for kids
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Nelson W. Aldrich House
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Front elevation
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Location | 110 Benevolent St., Providence, Rhode Island |
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| Architect | John Holden Greene; Stone, Carpenter & Willson |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000040 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 8, 1976 |
| Designated NHL | December 8, 1976 |
The Nelson W. Aldrich House is a historic home located in Providence, Rhode Island. It's also known as the Dr. S. B. Tobey House. This beautiful house was once the home of Nelson W. Aldrich. He was a powerful U.S. Senator from 1881 to 1911.
The house is built in the Federal style, a popular design from the early 1800s. It stands at 110 Benevolent Street in the College Hill neighborhood. In 1976, this house was named a National Historic Landmark. Today, it is a museum run by the Rhode Island Historical Society. You can visit to learn about Rhode Island's past.
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History of the Aldrich House
The Nelson W. Aldrich House was first built in 1821. A man named Robert S. Burroughs hired John Holden Greene to design it. Over the years, the house had a few different owners.
Nelson W. Aldrich bought the house later on. Some records say he bought it in 1902. However, his family might have moved in earlier, around the 1890s.
In 1905, Senator Aldrich decided to update his home. He hired the architects Stone, Carpenter & Willson for the job. They added a third floor and some porches to the house. Aldrich lived here as his main home until he passed away in 1915.
Aldrich Family and the House
Nelson W. Aldrich had a daughter named Abby. She married John D. Rockefeller Jr., who was a very famous businessman. Their son, Nelson Rockefeller, was named after his grandfather, Senator Aldrich. Nelson Rockefeller later became the Vice President of the United States.
In 1974, Abby's son Winthrop gave the house to the Rhode Island Historical Society. Since then, the Aldrich House has been the Society's main office. It also features different exhibits about Rhode Island's history.
The house was officially recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1976. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places that same year.
About Nelson W. Aldrich
Nelson W. Aldrich was born in 1841 in Foster, Rhode Island. He became very successful in the grocery business before entering politics. In 1869, he started his political career. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1881.
During his 30 years in the Senate, Aldrich was a strong supporter of businesses. He was a Republican. He often worked to protect American industries by supporting tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods.
After a financial crisis in 1907, Aldrich helped create a plan for a new central bank. This plan later became the Federal Reserve System in 1913. The Federal Reserve helps manage the country's money and banking. Aldrich was also important in making the Senate's leaders more powerful. He passed away in New York City in 1915.
What the House Looks Like
The main part of the Aldrich House has three stories. It's made of wood and sits on a brick foundation. The roof is gently sloped and has a small cupola on top. There are also two chimneys.
The house has porches on its sides. The one on the right side has been enclosed, meaning it's now a room. The front of the house has five sections, and the sides have four. It's covered in wood clapboard, which are overlapping wooden boards. The corners have decorative blocks called quoining.
The roof line has fancy decorations like modillions and a denticulated frieze. There's also a low wooden railing around the roof. The main entrance has a porch supported by pairs of Doric columns. Above the entrance, on the second floor, is a large three-part window called a Palladian window. There's a smaller three-part window on the third floor.
Three sections extend from the back of the house. One large three-story section was added in the 1850s. Its decorations are a bit simpler than the main house, but the roof railings match. There's also a two-story addition further back and another addition behind the enclosed porch.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Nelson W. Aldrich para niños
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Providence, Rhode Island
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island
- Indian Oaks, Aldrich's Warwick estate
