* Form 10-300Dec. 1963

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORNATIONAL PARK SERVICE

STATE:

Rhode IslandCOUNTY:

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACESINVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

Type all entries - complete applicable sections

fi NAME

ProvidenceFOR NPS USE ONLY

ENTRY NUMBER DATE.

COMMON:

Prackett Charles House *

AND/OR HISTORIC: . -

Corliss George H. House . I

j2. OCATION - - -

STREET AND NUMBER:

L5, Proscect StreetCITY OR TOWN:

Providence -

STATECODE COUNTY: CODE

Rhode Island. 38 Providence 007

¶CLASSIFICATIONCATEGORYCheck One

. OWNERSIP - . - STATUS ACCESSIBLETO THE PUBLIC

District C BUI ding Yj

Site C Structure CObject C

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Public C Public Acquisition: - -.

Private j In Process CBoth

- C Being Considered C.

Occupied - C Yes:

Unoccupied Restricted

Preservotion work Unrestricted Cin progress C No: C

PRESENT USE Check One or More as Appropriate

Agriculturol i:i Government C Park C Transportation C Comm.:nts ElCommercial Industrial C Private Residence Other Specly

Educational C Militory C Religious C xearswinz_jiz.edEntertainment C Museum C Scientific C as offices-

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V OWNER OF PROPERTY - -

OWNERS NAME:

Estate of Charles Erackett and Brown UniversitySTREET AND NUMBER;

ProspectStreet at Col]ege StreetCITY OR TOWN: - STATE: CODE -

Providence Rhode Island 38iTLOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION

jEURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS. ETC:

Recorder of Deeds, City HallSTREET AND NUMBER:

Dorrance Street at WashingtonStreetCITY OR TOWN:

ProvidenceAPPROXIMATE ACREAGE DF NOMINATED PROPERTY

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DATE OF SURVEY: 1959

STATE

Rhode Island

8tPIESPNTATiON IN EXISTING SURVEYS - - -

TI TLE OF SURVEY:

- College Hill DemonstrationGrant Study. Project R. I., D--l.

CODE

38

DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS!

Providence RedevelonentAgency

n0Cz-I

FederDi El State C CSunty C Local

STREET AND NUMBER:

10, Dorrance StreetCITY OR TOWN: STATE: CODE

Providenoe Rhode Island 38

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pESCRIPl’lOr’I-._ _ :. - i_C- :H. fC-.:_C-i,:CHC-:_ .

CONDITION- Check One

Excellent Good C Foir C- Deteriorated C Ruins 0 Unexposed C- - Check One Check One

INTEGRITYAltered C Unaltered Moved C - Originol Site

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL It known PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

The present apnearance ofthe house is entirely its originalone. It is, in its main portion, of three full storeys above a lowbasement, witha corner tower of four full storeys;-at the rear is

. a service wing of two diminished storeys ovex a basement,throughwhich runs a ramp or tunnel serving as norte-cochêre. Attached toa corner of the service wing is a two-storey stable block forming arear courtyard. The massing of the main house and its-projections is - - F -

asymmetrical, in the "Italian Villa" style, employed monumentally. - : -

Construction is of brick with brown sandstonetrim entrance . -- -

porch, terrace, window sills and lintels, balconies etc., cornicesand sam minor appendagesbeing of wood. The various roof areasare of painted metal and ate of hipped form with surmounting balustrades one hipped area conceals, however, a sizeable roof terracewith observation platforms. Windows are mostly double-hung, 1 over 1 vs

of large plate glass, and are square-headedexcept for the third rn

storey, where they are segmental-headed.

Interior trim throughout the many rooms is elaborate and varied, -

displaying moulded and carved wood, mar’rle mantels, a variety of Z

applied wail. treatments,of haniware and lighting fixtures. One ortwa reception rooms "done over" near the turn of the century were in

1929 restored to a correct Victorian appearance. . -

With the exception of very small areas of damagedue to minor C

leakage or cracks in plaster, the house remains inside and outside fl

in practically pristine condition, having had,,ever since its con- -istniction and to this moment, the most thorough and careful main-

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tenance and repair. - o

Considering the date of its construction, c. l87S ff., thehouse is perha slightly retardataire in its surface design or 1’-- -

style, but this seems-tohave beena definite choice of the cwnerarchitect. - - - -.

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* f!_5 CMI F IC A NCE ---..: I;rJ:. -- .-. - ---. - ---- -<cii- - .: C-I_x iV ?i-C-C- 3:-:-

PERIOD check One or More as Apprnpriato -

Pre-Colurnbion C15th Century C

SPECIFIC DATEIS Ii Applicable end Known 1875--c. 1882AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE CheckOne or More as Appropriate - -

Abor gino1 - - - EducatThñ - C - -- Political- 0 - - -- Urban Planning C

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- Prehistoric - C Engineering -- C . -- - Religion/Phi. - - - Other Specify

Historic C Industry C losaphy ArchitectureAgrcuiture 0 Invention - 0 Science C - -

- Art Xi Landscape Sculpture C -

Commerce C Architecture C Social/Human. -

Communicotions C Literature C Itarlon C

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Conservotion C Military 0 Theater C

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- Music C - Transportation C

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STATEMENT OF SIGNI Fl c ANC E Include Personages, Dates, Events. Etc.

The permanentsignificance, importance and interest of this houseare spread over several areas--the chief one of which is its place as a -

remaining exarnp],e of American XIX_Century architecturaL historflKcr-taste. In that respect it is important in New England, and also wellbeyond it, for-there remain anywhere5 few very formally and monumentally treated durable masonry examples of the "Italian TuscanVilla" style. This large e±ample, upon which expensewas not spared,stands intact externally; the interior is also preserved, with itspan e of Victorian decor, luxury, equip-nent and convenience. The

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furniture is-l44ce-Iy--.t,e-leave-the house, hut it ipson1yii- dental to the decorated rooms. The housewill be greatly rewarding

to aw historian or collegian making a study and even to the travellingsightseer making a passing inspection. -

Second, the house by its character, size and particular sitinghigh on an embankmenton an important street-corüer fills- a specialfunction as a landscapeand cityscape "anchor" - to its locale--itsadjacent buildings and spaces. These includeXVIII and XIX Centuryresidences, a Gothictt octagonal domed library of Brown University,a modern dotmitory complex of the Rhode Island Schoolof Desit. Itvery perceivably is a cornerstone of jts entire surroundings and itdefines one boundary of the Brown campus. From more distant pointsof view it is a towering landmark of Frovidencets high East Side. -

Third is the matter of close association with a personality ofnote: George Corliss was a figure of genius and importance in the in-dustrialisation and mechanisationof this cwntry. This.is the househe planned, designed for himself in his successand prosperity--toinclude, within the exterior -of his choice, all the contort and convenience of living, all the modern apratus and devices he could envisage. Though other persons no doubt were asked to handle the morefussy details of interior decoration, the house importantly is theproduct of both the aesthetic and practical, or mechanical, sides ofa great and, inventive mind. - -

Brown University, as designated :-rocipient of this house, hopefully will realise the cultural significance of its possessionand willaccord it both the sympathetic-use and careful maintenanceit deserves.

16th Century o17th Century C

18th Century C19th Century

20th Century C

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ret., IO.YO, UNITCO STA l:s Ohi’ARTMI.FU or ; itt: INTl ItlOfi lilA Ifl

July 196Q - NA1IONAL PANK SURVICIL - flhodo Inland-- : NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES COUNTY

- - - - Providence - . -

- INVENTORY NOMINATION FORMFOR UPS USE ONLY

-- -- ENTRY NUMDER DATEContinuationSheet - - - - I

Nsuiib.r .11 *nIrI..

8. Significance. - - - - -

In addition to producing the over-all architectural design ohis house; George Gorliss also incorporated intoit engineering in- -

novations which -reflect the extraordinarr inventive character of theowner. - -

This dwelling stands as a landmark in housing history and imnrove-ment, being possibly the first one in America o be warmed by radiantheat, thermostatically controlled: In the stable corimlex adjoining thehouse Corliss installed a steam boiler and- a small version of his farioussteam engine. This engine drove a fan which sent air, through steam-

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heated ducts, through-a tunnel and into the main house. There theheated air was distributed through ducts built into the walls, thusheating all rooms by radiation from their walls. These walL ducts all

- - collected n the attic, from which the air was i’eturned to the stable:- and re-circulated in order-to conserve,and re-the any heat which itstill contained. - - - - - - - - -

This heating i. e., the steam-engineeffecting its distributionwas controlled by -a thermostat--surely one of the earliest kno’rn--located -in thç main hall-of the house. On the ceiling of this hall -

and running its full length was a rod of metal alloy which expanded and- contracted markedly with changesin the house temperature. Through

mechanical linkage, this rod regulated a governor on the engine drivingthe fan, and this regulated the flow of- warred air to the. radiant - -

heating duct-work of the house. - -- - - - - - - -

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Besides the above heating arranrements,Corliss made his own- designs for .other conveniencesin -his house, such as an hydraulic -

elevator, conceaiedsliding insectsc.reens for- windows etc.

- Folio--ring the death of Corliss’s daughter--who evidently under-stood this remarkable heating system-i-ut failed to pass her kncnledRe

-- on--later heirs and their maintenancecontractors could discover novisible heating system at all. They were then-accustomedto centralheating through conspicuous steam radiators and consequently installedsuch a system throughout the house. The workmen employed in doingthis also did not rceive the older system and so left its elementslargely intact, as it still is except for crie cerrparatively recentdismantling and alteration of the stable area. - - -

What Corliss designed for this house was a first-of-its-kind in -

centrally generated, radiant heating and an unique example of XIX Centuryinventiveness, direct from the mind of a man who was a monumental personality in the technological progress of that era. - - -

William Slater Allen,Registered Professional Enineer.

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‘fl&M4JOR$lBLlOGRAPH!CAL s

Cady, John Hutchins: The Civic and Architectural Development of Providence,1636-1950 Providence, Ii. I., The Book Shop, 1957, pp. 155-156, 171 theillustration sham is erroneously not of the Corliss House hut of a demolished neighbouring one. - - - -

Providence City Plan Commission: College Hill DemonstrationGrant Study.Project It. I., D--l Providence, II. I., 1959, and 2nd ed., 1967, p. 67.

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_1 C GEOGRAPHICAL DATA - - - -- - -

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES

DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY‘ DEFININGTHE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY

- R OF LESS THAN 9N ACRE

CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE LATITUDE - LONGITUDE

NW

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Degrees Minutes Second.° I

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LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY DOUNDARIES

STATE: CODE COUNTY - -- CODE

STATE: - CODE COUNTY: CODE

STATE: CODE COUNTY, - - - CODE

STATE:-

- CODE COUNTY: . CODE

H. FORMPREPAREtDBY

STREET AND NUMBER:

2L Neè-ihà-Str’et.I - - - - - - -

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Harrington -

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Histdi’icalDATE

esnati6ii donridi6n T -Sept. 20, 1969

- STATE . CODE-

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Rhode Island -- -: ‘ 38CER, 1 FICA --rlorlAhi:R EGI STE R-.V ERIE. IC A-TlON t?

Liaison Officer for the Na

Act of 1966 Public Law I hereby certify that this property is included in the

this property for inclusion National Register. -

certify that it has been - -- -

criteria and proce&res set

service. The recommended

nomination is: -

- . . - - . -

Chief, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation..

0 Localc.D, - -- -:! - I t-..* - : -

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Date -

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ATTEST:. - -

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. Keeper of The National Register

- Date

- IiNITESTATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIoR . TISTATE- NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Rhode I

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES - COUNTY

PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FORP’

v Typeall entries - attach to or enclosewith photograph ENTRY N

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L NAME-..-:-. .

[MMON: Brackett Charles House-

- I0b0RNI5T0RICz CO48S GoiH. House -

J_LOCA1IONSTREET AND NUMBER:

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h, ProspectStreetCITY OR TOWN:

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ProvidenceSTATE: - CODEJCOUNTV:

Rhode 1nd - 38 - I Provicence -

PHOTO RL.FEREt4CEPHOTO CREDIT: Brown University Photograi:*iic Laboratory.ATEOF’HO TO: 1Qt1JITGATIVE rILr:

University PhotographicLaboratory, Providence,-

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