Sweetbriar

For other uses, see Sweet briar.
Sweetbriar
Sweetbriar Mansion
LocationWest Fairmount Park, Philadelphia[1]
Coordinates39°58′37″N 75°12′03″W / 39.9769833°N 75.2008667°W / 39.9769833; -75.2008667
Built1797[2]
Architectural style(s)Federal[2]
Sweetbriar is located in Pennsylvania
Sweetbriar
Location of Sweetbriar in Pennsylvania
Sweetbriar is located in the United States
Sweetbriar
Sweetbriar (the United States)

Sweetbriar is a Neoclassical mansion in the Federal style built in 1797[2] in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.[1] The mansion was built by Samuel Breck and named for the roses that grew on the property.[3] The interior includes a double parlor and floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the Schuylkill River.[2] Period pieces include Chinese armorial porcelain, Hepplewhite and Sheraton style chairs, and Adam style furniture.[2] Wedgwood jasperware and fireplaces with delicate plaster decorations were influenced by discoveries in the ancient houses of Pompeii.[2] Bird prints by John James Audubon and paintings by William Birch decorate the walls.[2]

The house was operated by the Modern Club of Philadelphia from 1939 to 2014. It has been closed while undergoing renovations as the city looks for a new organization to maintain it.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Fairmount Park Historic Sites - West Fairmount Park
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Fairmount Park Historic Sites - History Of Sweetbriar Mansion
  3. ^ Historical Society of Pennsylvania - Who built Sweetbriar Mansion in 1797?
  4. ^ Emily Babay (October 19, 2015). "The mansions of Fairmount Park: Historic houses have rich pasts and new uses". philly.com. Philadelphia Media Network (Digital), LLC. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.

Bibliography

  • Moss, Roger W.; Crane, Tom (1998), Historic Houses of Philadelphia: A Tour of the Region's Museum Homes, University of Pennsylvania Press