Flat Jane Austen in Providence

May --, 1816
My dear friends,

Today we took the carriage down to Main Street and disembarked to view some of the important buildings in town and pay calls. 

Heading South on Main Street from the Episcopal Church and Roger Williams homestead, we walked down Main Street and up a few small hills. Like Bath, this city boasts many steep hills!

Here is the state house. Did you know Rhode Island has no less than three capital cities? Providence is only one of FIVE: Providence, Newport, Bristol, East Greenwich, and Kingston. What they should want for so many I do not know nor can I contemplate how they are able to do any governing with all that to-ing and fro-ing.  

This building is the Rhode Island State House when the General Assembly session meets in Providence. It also serves as the county courthouse. 

Flat Jane at the Old State House.

However, ignore this scene ... The façade dates

to the 1850s and Jane would be facing the Great

Salt Cove

This building replaces an earlier wooden courthouse built in 1730 on Meeting Street. By 1762 it was largely completed with some details being completed by 1771. It is in the late English Baroque style of the William & Mary and Queen Anne periods. Many architectural details were borrowed from the larger and more ornate Newport Colony House. It sounds as if the colonists who did not wish to obey a king did enjoy copying our English architectural stiles.

In this building the colonists denounced the authority of good King George on 4 May '76, being the first of the colonies to lose their senses. Mr. Moses Brown took his brother John to court here to sue Mr. John to give up some of his slave ships. The General Assembly has met to repeal restrictions on the voting rights of Roman Catholics (1783) and passed the Gradual Emancipation (of slaves) Act in 1784. The late President Washington visited in 1781 and 1790.

Turning slightly to travel up a side street known as Meeting Street, I spy a small brick building that is apparently some sort of school. 

Flat Jane at the Old Brick Schoolhouse

The building served as a free-based grammar school in 1769;  an arsenal during the War for American Independence; was occupied by the college for some years and is now a free public school. There is much discussion among the colored people in town of educating their children. Perhaps in the near future [1828] they will open a separate grammar school in this space for children of color.

Next we stop at 21 Meeting Street, the Shakespeare's Head Building, the former offices of the Providence Gazette. 

The Shakespeare's Head Building 21 Meeting Street

In 1772, printer John Carter built the house and ran a post office, bookstore and printing press from downstairs while his family lived above the shop. The establishment featured a bust of Shakespeare's head as advertisement. In '93 the printing office removed to Market Square and I am pleased to report the heirs do not smell in the least. I daresay Miss Bingley would not agree.

Another trip up the hill to visit the families of Deacon Edward Taylor and more Brown family members.

Flat Jane at the Providence Art Club

Seril Dodge built the grey house between '86 and '89 after arriving in Providence in 1784 after serving a clockmaking apprenticeship in Connecticut. In 1791 the home [one story] was sold to the heirs of Mr. Nicholas Brown, brother of Mr. John Brown.

Jane at the Providence Art Club

Seril Dodge also built the brick house you can see behind me in my sketch. More Brown family members live here, a nephew of Mr. John and Mr. Nicholas, son of Mr. Moses. Obadiah Brown's home was built in 1790 and is believed to be the first brick veneer structure in Providence.

editor's note: These three buildings, plus a later 19th-century structure form the Providence Art Club, founded in 1880 to stimulate the appreciation of art in the community. Providence is now an artsy city with a first class art university and world class art museum. Jane would have a wonderful time Observing the eccentric art students!

Please turn the page to learn more about the oldest homes in this city and the people who inhabit them.