To spot the Dr. George W. Carr House, look for a dramatic corner building right at the busy intersection, with a round turret that rises up like a fairy-tale tower and a jumble of brown stone, half-timber, and shingled walls that stand out in a whimsical patchwork.
Imagine standing here in 1885, listening to the clatter of horse-drawn carriages as this Queen Anne style wonder was brand new-its brick turret shooting toward the sky, the sharp rooflines framing bold patterns, and all of Providence buzzing with curiosity about the grand house on the hill. As years swept by, the Carr House saw a parade of lively characters: in 1916, the second floor was packed with engineers from the Providence Engineering Society, no doubt arguing over blueprints while trying not to spill coffee on the Victorian carpets. By 1926, artist Frank Convers Mathewson called this place home, painting away in rooms bursting with the light and inspiration only buildings like this can offer. Then came the Rhode Island School of Design, who scooped it up and gave it a new purpose-you might even still catch a faint whiff of coffee from the Carr Haus student café and hear ghostly laughter from students lounging just above the street’s hustle. If these walls could talk, I bet they’d brag they never once fell asleep during a lecture!
