Buildings of Historic Proportions

The city of Providence has quite a bit to boast about: restaurateurs, artists, historians and enthusiasts make up the majority in this metropolis. However, we seldom pay homage to the beauty around us. In the thick of morning commutes and “Sturm und Drang” of the workweek it is all too easy to overlook the historic mills, houses and lofts that litter the city in plain view.

Enter the Providence Preservation Society: a community dedicated to illuminating Providence’s historic sites. Established in 1956, it has served as the driving force behind preservation efforts and historical record-keeping in the city for almost 60 years. The Society hosts an annual Festival of Historic Houses and will be kicking off their 34th installment from June 7-9. “Providence’s diverse historic fabric - and range of preservation projects - is truly a highlight of our city,” says Arria Bilodeau, co-chairperson of the Festival’s planning committee.

This three-day event will feature a cocktail party/fundraiser and day tours of both the East and West Side’s historic hot spots. Friday begins with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and a tour of about four historical homes that juxtapose Prospect and Jenckes Streets. Tickets for the opening event ($125) contribute to a fundraiser for the Providence Preservation Society and include your ticket to either the Saturday or Sunday tours.

Saturday’s agenda includes touring the preserved and private abodes that stand in the Prospect Street area on the East Side. The Burgess-Nightingale House, built in 1852, is a star-attraction. The gated grey-scale building features alabaster Grecian columns and extensive familial ties in its backstory. Sunday features Monohasset Mill’s artist-renovated lofts that were transformed in 2002. The mill now features 38 privately owned, condominium-style spaces that house both business and residential clients. Bilodeau explains that the PPS decided on “choosing to showcase both Prospect Street for its grand private homes and Monohasset Mill for its beautiful live/work adaptation of our industrial past is a way to capture the full spectrum of preservation in Providence.”

The day preceding the Festival (June 6), the Society’s own architectural historian, Kathy Cavanaugh, will be hosting a reception and presentation on the design of Prospect Street’s standout houses. Cavanaugh’s presentation will take place at none other than the historic Lippitt House on Hope Street (which is brimming with Italianate architecture).

As Providence unlocks its doors to private homes, and their gardens, remember that these are more than spectacles of history and design. These houses are living, breathing books that tell of the generations of families that once warmed their halls with laughter and love. Books that share their stories with the enthusiasts and history buffs that, possibly, own them are now yours to explore. Festival tour dates June 7, 8 and 9.