Residencia Armstrong-Poventud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Armstrong-Toro House
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Residencia Armstrong-Poventud in August 2010
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 Location in Puerto Rico
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| Location | 9 Calle Unión, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1899 |
| Architect | Manuel V. Domenech |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001821 |
| Added to NRHP | 29 October 1987 |
| Established | 1991 |
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| Location | Calle Union No. 9, western side of the street, facing the Ponce Cathedral, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Type | Museum |
| Owner | ICP, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
The Residencia Armstrong-Poventud is a famous old building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is located in the city's historic area, right across from the main Cathedral. This house was so grand that it inspired many other fancy homes built in Ponce around the year 1900.
The building's style is part of what is called Ponce Creole architecture. It was designed by Manuel V. Domenech for the Armstrong-Poventud family. The house is officially listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as the Armstrong-Toro House. People also know it as the Casa de las Cariatides, which means "House of the Caryatids." Since 1991, the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña has managed the house as a museum.
Contents
When Was the House Built?
The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP) and the Puerto Rico Office of Historical Preservation say the house was built in 1899. A magazine called American Architect and Building News even showed its design on its cover in January 1899.
The house officially opened as a museum in October 2008. Before that, starting in 1991, visitors could tour the house while it was also used as the institute's office. There is a small shop inside the museum where you can buy different items.
Why Is This House Important?
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The Armstrong-Toro Residence is one of the most well-known houses in Ponce. It was designed by Manuel Domenech, a very important architect from the late 1800s and early 1900s. He designed many famous homes and public buildings in Puerto Rico.
Mr. Carlos Armstrong-Toro was also a very important person in Ponce. His father was a merchant from St. Croix. Carlos Armstrong-Toro became one of the first bankers in Puerto Rico. He started two major banks: the Banco de Ponce and the Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño.
He even created a banking network that reached Cuba, the United States, and Denmark. Because of his strong ties with the Danish government, he received a special award called the "Order of the Dannebrog" from Denmark. He was also named the Danish Consul to Puerto Rico.
From an architectural point of view, the Armstrong-Toro Residence is very special. It is one of Domenech's most unique designs. Its main entrance has special statues called caryatids. The house also has many detailed decorations. Its location, right across from the Cathedral and the main public square, makes it a true landmark. Many other houses built in Ponce later copied its style, adding to the beauty of the historic district.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Residencia Armstrong-Poventud is a two-story building made of stone. It stands on the west side of Calle Union, facing the Cathedral and Plaza in the historic center of Ponce. The front of the house is almost square and has three main sections.
At the bottom, there is a pink stone base. This base supports columns at the ends and two caryatid statues. These statues stand on each side of the main entrance. The central entrance has a beautiful arch with carved wooden doors. Above the doors, there is a stained-glass window with decorative iron railings. The other two sections on the ground floor have pairs of arched windows with folding wooden shutters.
On the upper level, there are four Ionic columns. These columns support a continuous stone line. The three openings on this level are equally sized and arranged. Each has a simple frame with a keystone and opens to a balcony through wooden doors. The first and third balconies have decorative iron railings. The wider central balcony has stone railings supported by the caryatid figures from the ground floor. The top of the house has a decorative cornice and a solid wall called a parapet. Roman-style amphorae (vases) sit on the parapet above each column, adding to the design.
On the north side of the house, there is a concrete covered driveway called a port-cochere. It has decorative iron railings and creates a side terrace on the upper floor.
The inside of the house has a simple layout but is very elegant. The main entrance leads to a small entry area with steps. These steps go up to a main hallway through wooden and stained-glass double doors. A grand staircase at the back of the house leads to the second floor, which has a similar layout. All the floors inside the house are made of parquet wood. The ceilings are original and made of hand-painted decorative pressed metal.
After a big earthquake in 1918, the northern wall of the house fell down. It was rebuilt exactly as it was originally designed. The concrete port-cochere was added at that time. Other than this addition, the Armstrong-Toro house looks just like it did when it was first built.
How the House Became a Museum
The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP) bought the building from the family who owned it. The Armstrong family had lived in the house for 80 years, so some of their original furniture and personal items were included in the sale. The ICP has restored the building twice: once in the 1980s and again from 2006 to 2008.
What You Can See Inside
Almost all the furniture and items from the early 1900s are still in the house. There are also paintings and pictures that belonged to the original owners. The house is easy to spot because of the two caryatid statues at the front. Its overall neoclassical style makes it one of the most impressive homes in Ponce.
Built around 1900 for the Scottish banker, Carlos Armstrong, the house served as the regional office for the ICP for 15 years. The Casa Armstrong-Poventud is a wonderful example of the neoclassical style found in Puerto Rico. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1987.
A Look Back in Time
The Casa Armstrong-Poventud Museum shows us what life was like during the Belle-Époque. This is a French term meaning "The Beautiful Era." It describes a time in European history, from the mid-1800s until World War I, known for peace, stability, and industrial growth. This period also happened during England's Queen Victoria's rule (1837–1901), which is why it's also called the Victorian Era. During this time, art and industry became very successful.
Big Exhibitions in Europe
Unlike earlier times, the artistic and industrial success of the Belle Époque reached many people, both in Europe and the Americas. Important exhibitions showed off this progress. One famous exhibition was in England in 1851. Others followed in major cities. For example, Paris had one in 1855 that attracted over 5 million people from all over the world. In 1878, Paris hosted another Fair where the telephone and the light bulb were shown for the first time. The city of Paris was first lit up during this 1878 Fair.
Ponce's Own Fair in 1882
Ponce had its own fair in 1882. It focused on farming, business, industry, and the arts. Just like Paris four years earlier, Ponce also got electric lights on the first day of its fair. Places like Plaza Las Delicias, the Unión Mercantil building, the Ponce Casino, and some of the grandest homes, like the Armstrong Residence, were lit up.
Ponce's Grand Homes
Ponce became very wealthy in the second half of the 1800s because of sugarcane plantations. This wealth allowed for the construction of public buildings like the Teatro La Perla and the Ponce aqueduct. It also led to many grand homes, such as the Armstrong-Poventud Home. This house, owned by Mr. Carlos W. Armstrong Toro and his wife Eulalia Pou, shows how rich Ponce was, even though the Spanish government at the time had strict rules.
About Mr. Armstrong's Life
Mr. Carlos Walter Armstrong Toro built his wealth from the island's farming success. He started as a businessman, then became a banker, and later a politician. His import/export business allowed him to travel to major cities around the world. This helped him learn about different architectural styles. He was also the Danish consul in Ponce. With this background, he decided to build his grand home in Ponce. Mr. Armstrong Toro married Eulalia Pou Carreras on January 11, 1868. Doña Eulalia Pou also came from a wealthy family in Ponce.
The House's Special Architecture
The Museum at Casa Armstrong Poventud shows the latest architectural and artistic styles popular in Europe at the end of the 19th century. For example, it uses a lot of glass in its doors and windows. The decorative glass in the front door is very similar to the glass used in the Crystal Palace at a big exhibition in England years before. The flower and nature designs in the house are also typical of the new art style of the Victorian Era, seen in Europe and the United States in the early 1900s.
The Front Door Entrance
The front door is a great example of doors from the Victorian era. It served two purposes: it was decorative and it let in natural light. Almost all the doors in this museum have unique, grand features that are not found in simpler doors in the capital city of San Juan. The house shows how much the architects and owners appreciated the style of the Belle Époque.
The Caryatid Statues
The "cariátides" (caryatids) statues used by architect Manuel V. Domenech on the front of the house are not the traditional ones. They are modern versions of the classical statues. They don't have a serious look; instead, they show smiling young people with modern hairstyles and body movement. Even the base where the statues stand has an Art-Nouveau style.
Inside the House
The furniture and other items inside are also from the Victorian era. The house mixes many styles, not just from different time periods but also from different countries. You can see a Chinese jar, Victorian lamps, Art-Nouveau pieces, and Austrian glass chandeliers.
Modern Features
Mr. Manuel Victor Domenech creatively used architectural elements from different times. He also included the most advanced home features of his era, like electricity and automatic plumbing systems for bathrooms and kitchens. This created a building that showed the end of the Victorian era, a style known as Modernism. The house uses many electric light bulbs, even though over 90% of people in Puerto Rico at that time did not have electricity or indoor plumbing.
A Modern Look
Overall, the house gives a feeling of modernism. It combines Victorian and modern elements, similar to details seen in Belgium, New York City, Chicago, and London at that time. The result is a unique style of modern Victorian architecture.
Earthquake Damage
The building was damaged during the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquake. There are plans to repair the house from the damage it received.
Images for kids
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Residencia Armstrong-Poventud in August 2010
