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]
| Sweetbriar | |
|---|---|
 Sweetbriar Mansion | |
  Location of Sweetbriar in Pennsylvania  Sweetbriar (the United States) | |
| 39°58′37″N 75°12′03″W / 39.9769833°N 75.2008667°W | |
| Location | West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia[1] |
| History | |
| Built | 1797[2] |
| Site notes | |
Architectural style | Federal[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
editReferences
edit- 1 2 Fairmount Park Historic Sites - West Fairmount Park
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fairmount Park Historic Sites - History Of Sweetbriar Mansion
- ↑ Historical Society of Pennsylvania - Who built Sweetbriar Mansion in 1797?
- ↑ 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
edit- Moss, Roger W.; Crane, Tom (1998), Historic Houses of Philadelphia: A Tour of the Region's Museum Homes, University of Pennsylvania Press
External links
edit- Official Fairmount Park website, History of Sweetbriar Mansion
- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documentation:
- HABS No. PA-1670, "Sweetbriar", 21 photos, 2 color transparencies, 6 data pages, 4 photo caption pages
- HABS No. PA-6184, "Schuylkill River Villas", 18 data pages of historical context
- Historic Photographs of Sweetbriar, PhillyHistory.org