Architectural story:
The house at 6 Elm Street was built ca.1758 and 1828 and originally stood on the southwest corner of North Baptist and Charles Streets. The Foundation for the Preservation of America’s Architectural Heritage (FPAAH) moved the house to the current Elm Street site in 1968. In 1969, it was purchased by the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) and restored in 1970.
The building’s trim and proportions align with the 1828 date.
Restoration story:
This is one of several properties NRF bought from the Foundation for the Preservation of America’s Architectural Heritage (FPAAH). The FPAAH’s mission was to save houses in Newport that were slated for demolition, in order to make way for a housing development for the elderly in the area of Farewell, Coddington, Charles, and North Baptist Streets. The organization purchased various plots of land in the Point section of Newport, constructed cellar foundations, and then moved the houses (mostly stripped of their interiors), to new locations. When momentum stalled within the organization, the buildings were offered to NRF.
The restoration process included utilizing architectural salvage material from other buildings to finish the interior millwork and the front door.
People story:
While there is no longer architectural evidence of an 18th century structure, the Stiles Map of 1758 shows that some type of structure existed at the North Baptist/Charles Streets location. It may be that this early structure was a shop or another type of building, rather than a dwelling residence. We are looking forward to uncovering more stories about the people who lived and worked in this building.
