Hunter House (Newport, Rhode Island)
Hunter House | |
Contributing Property | |
Newport, RI | |
| Coordinates | 41°29′33.19″N 71°19′18.14″W / 41.4925528°N 71.3217056°W |
|---|---|
| Built | 1748 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Part of | Newport Historic District (ID68000001) |
| NRHP reference No. | 68000003 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 24, 1968[1] |
| Designated NHL | November 24, 1968[2] |
| Designated NHLDCP | November 24, 1968 |
Hunter House (1748) is a historic house in Newport, Rhode Island. It is located at 54 Washington Street in the Easton's Point neighborhood, near the northern end of the Newport Historic District.
History
The original portion of Hunter House was built in 1748 for Colonial Deputy Governor Jonathan Nichols Jr. This large 2½-story house has a balustraded gambrel roof and heavy stud construction. In 1756, the property was sold to Colonel Joseph Wanton Jr., who was a deputy governor of the colony and a merchant. Wanton enlarged the house by adding a south wing and a second chimney, transforming the building into a formal Georgian mansion with a large central hall.
Wanton remained a
Loyalist during the American Revolution, and General William West ordered him to be imprisoned in Providence and tried by the legislature. He ultimately fled Newport when the British left the city. Local legend has it that space was at a premium aboard British ships when Loyalists were fleeing Newport, but Wanton had his own ship filled with goods and merchandise in preparation for what he hoped would be a short exile. However, the captain of the ship set sail while Wanton was ashore bidding farewell to his wife and turned over the ship to the Patriots in Providence as a prize of war, thus gaining the captain and crew a share of the prize money while simultaneously depriving Wanton of his wealth. The house was then used as the headquarters of Admiral de Ternay
, commander of the French fleet when French forces stayed in Newport in 1780.
After the war, Senator and Ambassador
William Hunter bought the house and transformed it into a formal Georgian Colonial mansion with a large central hall. The house was purchased in 1945 to prevent its demolition, leading to the formation of the Preservation Society of Newport County, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark
on November 24, 1968. It is currently open for limited public tours.
The house displays period furnishings by
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hunter House (Newport, Rhode Island).
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport County, Rhode Island
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Hunter House". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2008.
- ^ Carpenter, Ralph (April 1995). "Newport, a center of colonial cabinetmaking". Magazine Antiques. Archived from the original on March 2, 2006. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
External links
Gallery
-
Hunter House from the water side -
Northwest Elevation, 1937 -
Northeast Elevation, 1971 -
Southwest room, 1971 -
Entrance hall, 1937 -
Cupboard in northeast parlor
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