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Carr’s house, now a funky hang-out for RISD students, is one of the city’s wildest residences. Its architect Edward I. Nickerson, had the good fortune to marry the only child of Joseph R. Brown, a founder of the industrial giant Brown & Sharpe; with that marriage came extensive travel and the development of one of the region’s most extensive private architectural libraries. That library is now readily available at the Providence Public Library, the bequest of his daughter. But during his career, his travel and ever-growing book collection gave Nickerson access to a wide variety of architectural sources. In this house, he seems to have used hundreds of them. It’s a delightful presence on the street, holding its own quite successfully on a corner already dominated by the strong presence of the First Baptist Church across Waterman Street. Dr Carr’s office, also in this building, was located on the downhill side – in the tucked away, truncated-corner entrance. 

– 2003 Guide to Providence Architecture

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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.