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The Ella and John Allen House was constructed in 1897-98 by prolific Providence architect Frederick Field. A mirrored layout to its adjacent neighbor at 44 Oriole, the house caters to two stylistic trends occurring at the time of construction: an American Foursquare exterior with Colonial Revival embellishments, and an asymmetrical Queen Anne interior. 

John Allen was an importer of semi-precious stones. He made regular, bi-annual overseas trips to Gablonz (known as Jablonec) in the northern region of Bohemia in the present-day Czech Republic. Because of his regular travels, and those of his associates, the town was known as “Little Providence” up until the Second World War. The Allen House remained in the family until 1939. 

The current owners have lived here since 2014. Following the purchase of the house, the homeowners undertook a year-long rehab of the structure, restoring the kitchen and pantry, adding period-appropriate details to the pantry, and decorating throughout. The family consists of two professional parents and four young children. 

— Festival of Historic Houses Guidebook, 2019

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© 2024 Guide to Providence Architecture. All rights reserved. Design by J. Hogue at Highchair designhaus, with development & support by Kay Belardinelli.