Henry Lippitt House
199 Hope St, Providence, RI 02906, USA
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Built In
1865
History
Heir to one of Rhode Island’s leading textile manufacturing families, Henry Lippitt (1818-1891) designed and supervised the construction in 1865 of the house at 199 Hope Street in Providence for his wife Mary Ann Balch (1823-1889) and their six children. Occupied by four generations of the Lippitt family for 114 years, the house is a three story, thirty room Renaissance Revival villa with Italian palazzo elements. Embellished with elaborate faux finishes, colorful stained glass windows, ornate woodwork details, and surviving original furnishings, the house is also significant for its pioneering heating and plumbing systems. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976, Lippitt House has one of the best preserved Victorian interiors in America, allowing visitors to step into Providence’s Golden Age. Opened to the public as a museum in 1993, Lippitt House Museum offers guided tours, special exhibitions, lectures, art installations, concerts, and family programs. Following the Lippitt family's example of public service, the Museum's cultural programming promotes civic engagement, the arts, and history of Providence.