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One look at this house, and you know you’re in Providence. Nowhere else was this particular transitional Queen Anne/Colonial Revival form handled as deftly as what we see here—and, indeed, in many similar examples found in developing affluent neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan area. That quintessential “Colonial” signifier, the gambrel roof, here moves beyond the merely referential to a new height of celebration and manipulation: blown up to two stories, it presents its double-slope profile above the façade, as well as on the west elevation, and further serves as a form from which other architectural elements emerge, notably the two-story semi-octagonal-plan turret that projects from the east end of the façade and its companion oriel that almost bursts from the roof’s lower slope on the east elevation. These bold forms provide a strong foil for the delicate Adamesque detail spread across the trim elements. Mrs. Freeborn held title to the property, as did many wives of sole-proprietor- or partner-held companies; Mr. Freeborn owned and operated George M. Freeborn & Co., commercial painters headquartered on South Water Street.

– 2010 Festival of Historic Houses Guidebook

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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.