Colony House Begins Phase Three of Restoration

The 1801 Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington that lives in the Newport Colony House was recently covered so it is not clearly visible. With the busy summer season approaching, why cover such an important painting? At the 1739 Colony House, where the portrait resides, Phase Three of vital restoration work is beginning.

Located at the head of Washington Square, the , a striking reminder of Newport’s prominence during the colonial era, is undergoing a series of important repairs. The work includes repairing the brownstone, including the outside stairs, work on the roof’s structures, repairing the clock on the building’s façade, painting the floor in the Great Hall, and painting the second floor chamber rooms.  

Paint analysis, a scientific study of the wall’s paint used to determine the 18^th and early 19^th century colors, was performed by John Vaughn of Architectural Conservation Services. Mr. Vaughn’s work informed a team comprised of staff members from the Newport Historical Society and the State’s Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission who will determine the scheme for painting this spring. Colors are being examined for the Council Chamber’s 1784 and 1812 appearance. In the Chamber of Deputies, Mr. Vaughn determined colors for the 1841/1842 appearance which reflects the courtroom’s early Victorian design, and for the polychrome paint campaign that was applied in 1854.

The Colony House, owned by the State of Rhode Island and managed by the Newport Historical Society, was constructed between 1739 and 1742. Phases One and Two of the restoration, which ran in 2010 and 2011, focused on painting the building’s exterior and the Great Hall: painting, restoring the plaster and individually repairing the building’s grand windows.

 “The Colony House is one of the most important buildings in Colonial America,” explains the Historical Society’s Executive Director Ruth Taylor, “and we are delighted to assist in helping to return the property to its historic appearance.” 

Visitors can view the work in progress during the Society’s Public & Private Spaces tour. Offered on Saturdays from April through June 16^th at 11:30am, tour the Colony House and the c.1697 Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House. Tours cost $12 per person and depart from the Museum & Shop at Brick Market, 127 Thames Street. Call 401-841-8770 for reservations.